The true test of a great backpack is not in its performance upon first use, but in how often you reach for it afterward. As a travel gear reviewer who specializes in outdoor gear, I have a lot of backpacks sitting in wait of the next day hike or bike ride. The folks at Osprey were kind enough to send me a Verve 5 to try out. Ever since I reviewed the Osprey Verve women’s hydration pack, this is the backpack I reach for.
Osprey Verve Women’s Hydration Pack
The Osprey Verve for Women Review
The Osprey Verve hydration pack for womencomes in 5L, 9L, and 13L. With a full-sized hydration bladder, hose, and mouth valve included, this pack is meant to be an all-in-one hydration solution and storage pack for both warm-weather day hikes and bike rides as well as winter sport excursions including skiing, snowshoeing, or cross-country trekking.
It also makes a great companion on travel days with plenty of walking or city touring involved. Depending on the size chosen, the Verve can comfortably fit your day’s essentials on top of your water needs.
Verve Hydration Pack Design
I tested the Verve 5L, which I assumed would be very small, but was in fact much roomier than I’d anticipated. (I always recommend trying out packs in a brick-and-mortar store before buying online for this very reason.) While the 5L holds less storage room than some hydration packs, and has a sleek, flatter shape, it more than makes up for its smaller volume with numerous compartments to separate your stuff.
In addition to the reservoir pocket, there’s a roomy outer zip pocket with two interior compartments for a cell phone, snack, or gloves. I’ve fit snacks for my family in this pocket, along with a hat and camera. Secondly, there’s a stash pocket to stuff a light jacket, base layer, or thick pair of winter gloves. Lastly, you get a small zip pocket at the top for storing keys, a cell phone, or other small essentials (perhaps sunscreen or chapstick). On the outside are two side mesh water bottle pockets plus a helmet clip to secure a bike helmet.
I found the pack construction to be superior to other hydration packs I’ve tried: you get Osprey’s AirScape back panel to wick away moisture and provide some air flow, plus the hydration hose is secured with not only a sleeve down the shoulder strap, but a handy magnet that holds it in place. I assumed this would be gimmicky, but now I get annoyed with any pack that does not include a magnetic valve attachment! The Verve includes a chest strap as well as a hip belt, and a small front pocket on the shoulder strap.
Verve Hydration Reservoir
The reservoir is one of the easiest to fill that I’ve tried: to fill an Osprey, you open a large valve located on the side of the bladder and hold the reservoir flat under the water stream. There’s a sturdy handle by which to hold it and load it back into the pack (in its own compartment, of course). If you already have an additional Osprey pack, it’s a breeze to transfer the Verve hydration system to a large pack.
The Details
The dimensions of the 5L Verve are:
IN: 18 x 9 x 6
CM: 45 x 22 x 16
What you get:
In addition to the pockets and features mentioned below, the Verve comes with the following:
- Blinker light attachment
- ErgoPull hip belt
- Lidlock technology on the hydration system
- panel load access
Why a hydration pack?
Why choose a hydration pack over a stainless steel water bottle? It’s a matter of preference, of course, but in my experience, I simply drink more water when I have the convenience of a hydration pack at my fingertips (so to speak). So do my kids: when I strap a hydration pack on their backs, they happily drink water due to the ‘fun factor’ alone, whereas I have to remind them to stop to drink from their water bottles. I also find that hydration packs need filling less often than water bottles (holding an average of 2L-3L), making them the best choice when water sources may be scarce.
Pick up a Verve 5 for day trips, day travel, and shorter outdoor excursions. Do you use a hydration pack while traveling or experiencing the outdoors? What model do you recommend?
