ProView – Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2.0

The two things I strive for in life is to move and be moved.  I have moved seven times in the last three years and from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, I am on my feet– moving.  I am moved in many ways but one of the biggest ways I am moved in life is by spending the majority of my time outdoors.  Being an outdoor enthusiast and nomad, I have grown accustomed to a minimalist lifestyle.  While I have a lot of outdoor hobbies, and consequently a lot of gear to haul around, I chose to invest in versatile gear so I can limit the number of things that occupy my space.  And THAT is the very reason why I am obsessed with Orange Mud’s Endurance Pack V2.  Finally, a hydration system that is “built for run and ride.”  The Endurance Pack is one heck of an all-encompassing companion for the trails.

As a professional in the outdoors, while I’m working (and playing), I spend the majority of my time doing life outside.  I recently moved to Park City and have already spent more than 100 days this summer trail running and mountain biking in my mountainous backyard playground.  During quarantine, I decided to sign up for my very first triathlon and an Xterra at that– open swimming, mountain biking, and trail running.  Ever since receiving the Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2, I have worn it twice a day almost every single day the past 40 days or so days.  I was stoked to finally have a hydration vest that I love to support me before and after work trail endeavors.  The Endurance Pack motivates me to train harder and get outside more because of how comfortable it is and how well it supports me on my everyday excursions.  I discovered the infamous Wasatch Crest trail and biked all 22 miles of it with the Endurance Pack.  I fell in love with the trail so much I had to go back and run a half marathon on it the next day (with my Endurance Pack of course)!  I even packed the Endurance Pack for an overnight backpacking trip in the Uintas so I could use it on a summit hike the next day. 

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In the near future, I am planning to continue to use this Endurance Pack V2 daily as a part of triathlon training.  I am also planning to do some more overnight backpacking trips that include summit attempts of Kings and Timpanogas Peak.  The Endurance Pack is small and light enough to stash away in my backpacking pack until I need it for the summit push portions.  I am super stoked to have a bomber hydration vest to add to my gear collection — one that is comfortable, durable, and will not hold me back from getting after big and rad adventures.

Fit/Comfort 

The best and most accurate way to describe the Endurance Pack is comfortable.  Minutes into running and biking in the pack and I completely forget I am even wearing it!  I am always skeptical when I buy things that are “one size fits all” but the Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2 is highly adjustable.  The side straps should be adjusted first before the chest straps and should be pulled until the pack is anchored on your shoulders.  They are easy to pull forward mid-run in order to bring the pack closer to you as you drink down your water and the pack gets smaller.  The two front chest straps are made of thin elastic and can slide up and down for optimum fit.  They are durable, yet stretchy enough to not constrict breathing while working hard.  The website says this pack fits people up to a 52” chest size but Orange Mud states if you need the straps to be longer, they will customize the pack to your specifications!  This hydration vest fits me as a 5’10” female with a small chest dimension, but my dad also tried on the pack and it was adjusted to also fit him perfectly as well being a broad-shouldered 6’1” male. 

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Look/Style

I got the Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2 in the ”coyote brown” color and it is incredibly unique and striking.  When I first wore the Endurance Pack running and biking with my friends, almost every single one of them commented on the pack and the color.  They proceeded to ask more follow up questions about the pack because of the way it appeared to be light, small, and fit really well.  I love the natural coyote brown color, but Orange Mud also offers more bold and neon colors as well if that suits your style.  The pack looks sleek and sits higher up on your back to eliminate surface area for sweat to build and allow you to have more movement while biking, running, and hiking.

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Features

The amount of features this Endurance Pack V2 has is one of the main reasons I gave it a perfect score!  Let’s start with capacity.  The pack comes with a 2L Hydrapak brand hydration reservoir.  I immediately fell in love with the reservoir due to the amount of water it could hold, the no-leak design of the bite valve, and the short length of the water hose.  I have used other hydration vests where the water hose on the reservoir is so long and connects across the chest and just gets in the way during activity.  On the Endurance Pack, the hose is just long enough to stay on one side and tuck into the outer chest pocket to prevent flopping.  There is also 4L of gear storage with a slit pouch perfect for stowing bike gloves, a small layer, or a buff, and a zippered storage pouch ideal for keys, small bike pumps, chain lube, extra snacks, and a small first aid kit.
Another one of my favorite features of this pack is the number of pockets with on the go accessibility.  There are two large front pockets on both sides of the chest that are compatible with 20oz/600ml soft flasks, or a large smartphone and snacks (which is what I prefer).  The elastic tightener ensures your trash, phone, snacks, water bottles, etc. will not fall out on a steep descent or rocky ride.  There are additional velcro pockets on the shoulders for more snack/trash storage.  I like to keep the microfiber cloth bag to my sunglasses in this pocket in case I need to clean my sunglasses on the trail mid-ride/run.

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The front and side straps are another feature I would like to point out.  The side straps are pulled forward to make it easy to adjust the pack while on the run.  Because the pack is so highly adjustable I did notice that the side straps are fairly long on me and tend to not stay in the place with the little slip clips.  I usually have to end up tucking them in so they do not dangle.  There are two front chest straps that easily slide up and down allowing you to find the most comfortable placement for your body shape.  I sometimes felt like I had to keep tightening the front straps and wish they were made with slightly stronger elastic to feel a little bit more secure.  They are, however, extremely comfortable and still allow me to breathe with ease while working hard on the trail, which I appreciated. 

The frame is also lined with a highly breathable and stretchy material that makes for a close to skin kind of comfort when wearing the Endurance Pack V2.  I typically run in a short-sleeved shirt but on extra hot Utah days when I would ditch the shirt, the pack was equally as comfortable and did not rub when next to my skin.

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Weight/Packability

One of the aspects that stood out to me the most when I first received this hydration pack is how lightweight it is.  It is small and light enough for long runs, bike rides, and short backpacking trips.  I went on an overnight backpacking trip up to Blue Lake in the Uintas and packed the Endurance Pack V2 so that I could use it for summit send of Mt. Agassiz the following day.  It was a hike that involved a lot of exposed ridge hiking and class four rock scrambling so I was very thankful to have had a small pack that would not off-balance me.  It would not have been ideal to have taken a large day pack or even a mostly empty backpacking pack for the summit push.  I rarely fill the bladder up to the 2L max capacity, except on really long rides and runs.  When the bladder is completely full, it does take away space for gear storage which is one downside.  The zig-zag outer elastic straps allow for some gear storage on the outside when this is the case.

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Weight: 11.4 oz
Dimensions: 10”W x 13” tall
Volume: 6L

Function/Performance

The Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2 is perfect for any outdoor excursion, but especially for biking, running, and hiking/backpacking.  This hydration vest truly lives up to its endurance capability with its durable construction, ample amount of water storage, and numerous pockets for quick access to all the fuel you need on the trail.  This pack performs to the highest standards of function and I truly feel like I can run/bike forever in this vest.  I pushed the pack to the limits by running two trail half marathons in it, biking a nearly 30-mile trail on the crest of a mountain, and hiking up a mountain summit with a steep rock scramble.  The Endurance Pack V2 dries quickly, allows me to move freely in it, and ensures I stay nourished and hydrated on all my trail adventures.

The Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2 fully met the product description I read online. Before receiving the pack the website mentioned its durable, lightweight, and highly adjustable design. The wide range of features make it versatile for adventures big and small, travels far and wide, and for epic and everyday use.

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Durability/Construction

The Orange Mud Endurance Pack V2 is extremely durable and constructed with tough stretch fabric that is resistant to abrasion when coming in contact with trees and rocks.  Orange Mud specifically designed this pack with endurance in mind, making the fabric also fast drying and very breathable.  Because it sits so close to you when doing high-performance activities these features are key for staying comfortable.  It is quite the understatement to say I have put this pack through the wringer.  I am constantly getting hit with bushes and tree branches while running and biking on the trails at high speeds and the pack has proven to be highly resistant to abrasion and tearing.  Durability is one of the most important things to me in gear because as an athlete and adventurer I need to know that my gear will support me during the most extreme endeavors and last me for years to come. 

Before You Buy

If you’re considering buying this product know that the pack also comes with a “trekking pole upgrade” that is an additional feature allowing for the attachment of trekking poles to the back of the pack.  If you are a hiker/trail runner that uses lightweight/collapsible trekking poles, it is important that you select this feature for only a little extra cost.  The pack also only has a 4L gear capacity so if you need ample space for layers, a headlamp, lots of food, and extra bike supplies (pump, chain lube, spare bike tire, multitool, etc.), you may opt for a hydration vest with a larger gear storage capacity.  The most gear I carried in the pack was when I did the summit hike up Mt. Agassiz.  I had just enough space for 2L of water, a few small snacks, sunscreen, my phone, and a layer on the outside bungee straps of the pack.  The hike was only four miles round trip, but any longer than that and I would want a larger pack to fit more food and layers just in case. 

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Room for Improvement

I really can’t think of any truly negative qualities of this hydration vest that would bring it down a star.  An area of improvement might be a more secure side strap fastener to hold the excess straps in place after tightening.  I would also love to see slightly thicker and stronger elastic for the front chest straps so they would be less prone to loosen while moving.

Final Word

I truly love all of the extensive features of this bag: the lightweight yet durable construction, coyote brown color, multi-sport specific design, highly adjustable nature, ample pockets, gear capacity, and comfortability.  My favorite feature by far is the pockets.  I love how the number of pockets the Endurance Pack has and the accessibility of those pockets while on the move.  The front stretch chest pocket is big enough to fit my phone so I can easily take it out to look at a map or take a picture.  The back zippered pocket safely stows a small bike pump, extra snacks, my car key, and a small first aid kit.

I would honestly give this hydration vest a 5-star rating.  It would be silly for me to give it any lower of a score as it has become an extension of myself — I wear it twice a day almost every single day.  From trail running to mountain biking to summit scrambles to walking the dog, this vest does it all and accompanies me every single mile.  Not only is it durable, comfortable, and full of practical features, but it is lightweight and looks damn good when I am out on the trail.  The wide range of features make it versatile for adventures big and small, travels far and wide, and for epic and everyday use.

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