Are you in the military or you are a veteran who is still active. Do you like to do military style exercises. The Marchway hydration pack may be what you need. Using a military water backpack ensures you can do tough activities and remain hydrated throughout that time.
Marchway Hydration Pack Review
This military water backpack is ergonomically designed so that it is streamlined and has a compact design. Its size is 19.7 x 8.7 x 2.6 inches in size. The ergonomic fit is especially made for your waist, chest, and shoulders. In order to prevent the pack from bouncing there are 3 straps which are all adjustable for your shoulders, chest, and waist.
The Marchway pack keeps you comfortable, especially your back and shoulders. This is because the straps have foam padding which prevents any rubbing or grinding on your shoulders. Plus there is a soft air mesh back which increases the air flow so that your back remains cool. It is very uncomfortable when your back gets all sweaty.
The material of this pack is durable. It is made with water repellent nylon which is a heavy duty 1000 Denier. This has maximum wear resistance. Because of this it is considered to be among the best mtb hydration pack military bags.
There is a plastic buckle which has been engineered to be durable and impact resistant. For even more strength there is military grade webbing that is strong and anti-fading.
You can carry 3 liters of water in the bladder which sits perfectly in the main pocket. The water reservoir has both a large and small opening. There are 2 external pockets for storing other items such as your wallet, gadgets, towel, phone, and keys.
I found this very helpful because then I don’t have to rely on my pants pockets. Also your items are secure because the pockets are closed by using a SBS brand zipper which is secure and lasts a long time. If you need to carry more items just use the Molle system that it has.
Filling up and emptying the bladder is easy because of the large opening. You can also drop in ice cubes easily to make your water colder. The mouthpiece rotates around 360 degrees so you can drink from multiple positions.
You can adjust the water flow by using the on/off valve. When refilling the bladder you can use the quick release valve so you don’t have to connect the hose for refills. There is a middle baffle which keeps the bladder flat so it is easier to put the bladder in the backpack.
14 Marchway Military Water Backpack Tips
1. When opening the water bladder you should press down on it firmly and rotate it towards the left. Sometimes this is difficult because the bladder has a good gasket which prevents leaks.
2. To let the water out of the bladder like a hose you should remove the bite valve using the QDC fitting and open the ball valve. Then squeeze.
3. In order to keep the water cold in the bladder for a longer period of time you can freeze it. First freeze no more than one third of the bladder size. This bladder holds 3 liters, so freeze no more than 1 liter of water.
Be sure to blow water from the hose into the bladder. Then let the air out before closing it. When you want to use it don’t open the seal right after you take it out of the freezer or the seal might tear. Instead let it sit in room temperature until the seal opens easily.
4. This pack can fit men who are 6 feet tall. You can carry the pack so the bottom is right at your lower back. The pack is 19 inches long, so you can raise or lower the carry height using the straps. People who are 5 foot 4 inches to 6 foot 2 inches will do well with this backpack.
5. The chest and waist straps can fit bigger guys. For example my friend is 6 foot and 220 pounds. He has a 45 inch chest and 34 inch waist. The chest strap has another 2 inches of room and the waist strap has 4 inches of room left. If your waist is greater than 38 inches then the waist strap won’t fit.
6. If you lose the o-ring for the hose you can buy many of them at any hardware store.
7. When you have put the hydration bladder in the main pocket then the tube should go through the left strap. There is a space in the strap for it to go through. Then hook the tube on to the clip on the left shoulder.
8. If mold builds up after not cleaning it for a while, just use some warm water and a teaspoon of bleach. Be sure to also let it go through the tube as well. After run some clean water through it a few times so it rinses out. Let it air dry or you can use a hair dryer to save time.
9. If you are not getting enough water out of the mouthpiece, then bite at the bottom of the bite valve so that it opens up the hole more.
10. This military hydration pack has pockets inside of pockets. There is one main pocket for the bladder. Then there are 2 main outer pockets. With these pockets you can fit a lunch, small pumps, 2 spare tubes, phone, wallet, and keys. Plus on the outside there is an area where you can clip on more things.
11. The Marchway hydration pack is not insulated. But this won’t stop you from having a cold drink for hours because the bladder is insulated. I usually just fill the bladder with ice and then fill it with refrigerated water. It stays pretty cold for around 5 hours.
12. For those of you who are ex-military and like to go hunting this pack does not make much noise. The only sound you will hear is if you choose to use velcro to open and close the pockets as compared to zippers.
13. You don’t need to use your hand to get a drink if you are mountain biking or riding a motorcycle. You only need to use your mouth. Just have the valve open. The water will not spill out because you need to suck out the water.
It is easier when you are riding in a straight line. Make sure you fasten the bite valve to a clip so the mouthpiece does not get blown around or fall into the motor or bike chain.
14. When you want to wash the backpack, not the bladder be sure that you are using an agitator washing machine. Use a delicate cycle because the straps could tear off if it is washed too roughly. Also, be sure to remove the drinking tube first.
Review of Positive Customer Experiences with the Marchway Hydration Pack
1. Molle system
This first person says that the Molle system is the best part about this pack. He likes the quick access he has to things using the Molle system. It is much better than having to dig around in the pack.
He likes the webbing on the pack and the large spacious compartments. He gave a helpful tip when he told me there is a hidden pocket behind the lumbar pad. He uses it to store the waist strap when he does not want to use it.
2. Storage
This guy uses the Marchway military water backpack when he is working on roofs in the Arizona desert. He says after filling up the 3 liter bladder to the top, there is no much room for storage. He finds the pack well constructed and comfortable when he is working.
He likes the bladder, but the insulation that is in the hose is not very useful for keeping the water cold that is inside the tube. After 12 minutes in the desert sun the water in the tube is warm. So the first few sips are warm until he gets to the colder water.
3. Mountain biking
This person uses the pack to go mountain biking on the trails. He thinks it is great because it has many zippers and mesh stretch pockets to fit lots of his stuff. There is a buckle on the outside which allows him to also carry his rain jacket, extra clothing, and travel pillows.
It is comfortable for him because the pack rests high enough to not be on his butt. He is able to go ripping through the woods and hit jumps because the top chest strap keeps the backpack secure and prevents bouncing.
4. Clean before using
This user stressed the importance of cleaning the bladder before using it. He said the pack is newly manufactured so he needed to take off the residue from inside the bladder and the straw. He used a soapy sponge to clean the inside and put some dish soap in the bladder.
Then he filled it up with water and let it drain out through the straw. Then he filled it up again with just water and let it drain again through the straw.
Using the pack he found it very comfortable. He says it stays snug on his back which helps him to be mobile. The pack is lightweight with lots of storage for its size. He likes the loops because he can clip on all sorts of things.
5. Hiking
This guy really likes the Marchway pack and says it changed his life. He explains if you are a serious hiker to only use this backpack and don’t go with Camelbak. He loves the Molle straps because they are durable and heavy duty. They can easily handle weighted bags.
The stop flow valve is very good along with the insulated tubing. He has not had a hydration pack which sits firmly on his back. There is no movement and the pack moves with him. He is able to carry everything he needs such as a hatchet, bear spray, first aid, and snacks. He lives in Alaska which is why he needs these things.
The memory foam in the shoulder pads makes wearing the pack very comfortable. Plus it is breathable. The only con is he wishes the buckles were made of metal and not plastic
6. Stays cool for hours
This guy uses this pack in an unusual way. He uses it on a farm as he picks vegetables, so he get very thirsty. He was tired of always having to leave his area to go get a drink. He usually fill the bladder half with ice and half with water.
He says the water stays cool for longer than he expected. He is directly in the Sun for 8 hours sometimes, plus his pack is black. He also uses it to volunteer at the State Fair for a 12 hour shift. At the fair it is sometimes 90 degrees.
Review of Poor Experiences with the Marchway Military Water Backpack
1. This woman says she washed her bladder out with water 5 times because she got a chemical taste when she drank from it. Then she washed it with dish soap and continued washing it out with cold water for another 5 times. It still tasted very bad. This must have been a defective bladder.
2. This woman has large breasts and says that the chest strap sits directly across her boobs. She is not able to slide the chest strap further up onto her chest. She tried to adjust it many ways but it did not work.
She explained that the designer failed to make a track for the strap long enough even though there is enough space to have a longer track. She hopes the manufacturer will change the design.
3. This guy tried many times to get a drink out of the straw, but each time nothing came out. He left the pack over night on the floor.
The next morning the floor was all wet. Half of the water in the bladder was gone. Also the handle for the hydration bladder broke, and the top for the water was very difficult to take off.
Keep in mind these poor experiences happen very rarely. All products even though they have a high rating have some reviews which are negative. Don’t let this discourage you from considering this pack.