Camelbak - The Don Pack - Review

Dec 17, 2009

by Tyler Maine

Camelbak started the Hydration pack craze and continues to lead the charge today. From sports to military applications, they've got your hydration needs covered. For us mountain bikers, it is all about a quality pack that allows us to carry all our riding gear and enough water to stay hydrated for any length of ride we choose to go on. Camelbak makes a pack for any style of ride and today we're going to look at the Don.

More on The Don inside,

-3L (100 oz.) Capacity - Bladder included.
-17.5 L Cargo space

The all new pack from Camelbak, The Don one of the newest models aimed at the All Mountain / Freeride crowd or riders. Camelbak is using lighter materials to create packs that are still robust and able to carry everything, including the kitchen sink, while still being light enough for those long, full day in the saddle rides. More features than you can shake a stick at, The Don will tote all your gear and then some!

Full face lashes to securely attach your DH lid on the climb up - they tuck away out of site when not in use. Leg armor lashes can be found on the bottom of the pack too.

XC lid stow area, so that you can easily transport your XC helmet on the climbs or hike a bikes without worrying about where to put it. Tightening the lashes really reduced the swing weight too.

The side lashes really added to a secure fit and the reduced swing weight of carrying lots of gear was nice once they were all snugged down.

Velcro to keep long straps out of the way or to set a length for the more regularly used straps, either way it sure was a nice feature to have.

ID, bike park pass or sticker holder.

Soft, padded phone, camera or glasses area - this pouch was big enough to carry a small video camera. Only down side was having all that weight high up in the pack.

Zipper only goes down about 2/3 of the way. This means that you really have to dig into the pack to find things and with inside pockets that were high up on the pack, the weight of stored items would collapse the top of the open pack into itself. Would like to see better storage distribution.

Soft back panels and multiple adjustable straps mean that The Don can be set up to pretty much any size of rider.

Reece gives The Don 2 thumbs up!

Available in:
Black / Molten Lava
City Flyby Pattern
Methyl Blue / Racing Red (A.F.Y.)
Saffron Stix Pattern

MSRP - $120 USD
www.camelbak.com
Distributed by OGC in Canada.

Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Reviews Camelbak

Author Info:

brule
Member since Mar 27, 2001
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75 Comments

collin7 (Dec 17, 2009 at 5:51)

Eh, Hydrapack makes them just as good but for 1/3 the price! Plus their bladders have a much better system... it can easily be flipped inside out for drying. Camelback may have changed their design and I hadn't heard but last I saw, they were the same old same old.

also... those colors... yikes.

Boyakasha (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:56)

Hmmm nice, but I'd rather go for a Dakine Nomad.

hampsteadbandit (Dec 17, 2009 at 11:44)

I bought the first Camelbak released on the market for MTB, way back in 1992 - it was a revolutionary product at the time, and a big relief after losing water bottles on DH runs, or getting the bottle covered in cr*p

Camelbak have ALWAYS had the best bladders, but their bags have not been the best

Da Kine is a "bag maker" with their surf and ski roots (very tough environments), and their bladders are not the best, but their bags kill Camelbak and all the other competitors for each style of bag

the best combo is a Da Kine bag to suit your needs, and a Camelbak bladder...

adderhead (Dec 17, 2009 at 1:15)

eh, I like my camelbak H.A.W.G. better personally. it's bloody bombproof, had it for 3 years now, and with a clean every month or so of the bladder, NEVER had ANY leaking issues whatsoever! not to mention I can strap almost anything to it! I've carried entire wheelsets, a frame once, and even a tent a couple of times for ultalight expeditions, and all quite comfortably mind you.

VTwintips (Dec 17, 2009 at 16:39)

u should really do a review. Not kidding. 3 years of use would be really great to see what it looked like. So how do u exactly do a review?

adderhead (Dec 20, 2009 at 3:06)

i havent a clue actually. the bag itself looks great! not too trashed or anything

Pabstinabottle (Dec 17, 2009 at 8:58)

it's funny to read people having problems with their bladders, if you take some basic care and caution with setting up your bag you will never pinch a hose or cause leaks. i use my Camelbak bladder in 3 different packs (fire pack, work pack, then bike) and on a daily bases all summer every summer. i have had two bladders in the past 4 years (lost one) and i would only switch to the military grade bladder. Camelbak has it figure out with it come to hydration everyone else is just a trend follower.

trdracer94 (Dec 17, 2009 at 13:52)

I like that the zipper only goes down 2/3 of the way, there have been a few times where my pack has come open, probably because I didn't get it zipped up all the way, but once you start riding down the trail it starts opening up more and suddenly it rips wide open and everything pours out. With the zipper 2/3 the way it can't open all the way and you are less likely to dump all your stuff allover the trail.

mountianbiker777 (Dec 20, 2009 at 13:47)

i like this i would like haveing a place to carry my helmet cause i dont always wanna wear it or hold on to it i also like how everything is high on it incase it leaked and i like how the zipper only opens so much cause ive had packs that have opened while i was riding and they open so much something falls out i also like the idea of the velcro that holds the loose ends of the straps

rffr (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:28)

You don't want to have much stuff towards the base in reply to the storage up top. Camelbaks are notorious for leaking issues. Every single one of mine has had some sort of leak at one time or another. Sure the bladders are bomb proof, but the cap on it is not. Seals and o rings go bad, can pinch etc. Even my military buddies occasionally have an issue. Imagine a camcorder being at the base of a leaking camelbak. not cool. Keep stuff up high

5 19

bigtard (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:49) (Below Threshold)

thanks for the tips bud
imagine getting your camera wet! should put it in a ziploc bag anyway gomer!
and seriously, o-ring problems? have you done any maintenance on your camelback recently? maybe they should increase the o-ring diameter for better sealing
are you gonna talk to warranty about it? they could really benefit from this valuable R+D
are you saying you have a hard time dealing with the dreaded hose pinch problem? your right, that is a tough one.
ever get water on your bag putting it under the faucet anyway? i sometimes do too.
so CAMELBACK doesn't hack it in your books eh rffr? well that's good to know, i was looking at a new pack soon and i appreciate your advice
i guess you're saying its not "army strong"
seriously did you just claim US ARMY CRED?
go ride your bike more

jv86416 (Dec 17, 2009 at 6:24)

haha

SVUNY (Dec 17, 2009 at 6:45)

That was a necessary retort.

brule (Dec 17, 2009 at 9:49)

HAving owned a lot and tested even more packs, I have to say that no one makes a better badder at this time than Camelbak - that I've seen. If you are getting leaks from the cap, then you should open it and re-closed it as mine are all extra tight - like pain in the ass to open and no water even drips out. Camcorder in a bag in a good idea to be safe - hell it may rain on a ride. I see a lot of riders putting their phones and wallets in ziploc bags, maybe the camera should too.

Porter1 (Dec 17, 2009 at 18:36)

'bigtard', you really are a big tard!

DolphinGiver (Dec 17, 2009 at 20:12)

CamelBaks bladders are quite good. I don't have a cap one though, I'm rockin a zip-lock kinda deal. Zero leaks. And three litres to boot!

bigtard (Dec 17, 2009 at 21:54)

thank you porter1 i'm glad you can see through my disguise for who i really am

rffr (Dec 21, 2009 at 19:20)

bigtard, you you really need to troll near every post I make. Get a life homeboy.

bigtard (Dec 21, 2009 at 19:40)

gots lotsa life dawg! so much life i need to share it with everybody don't you think it was funny svuny did i think he knows what i'm talking about

bikeytom (Dec 17, 2009 at 2:02)

Seems like these packs haven't really advanced much in a while. I'd love to see a review on here of one of the Wingnut bags, those look really different and have some great ideas, but i haven't heard a great deal about them.

bunkey (Dec 17, 2009 at 12:08)

The wingnut bags dont really appeal to trendy 'newschoolers' though. Personally I wouldnt buy one because I dont like how they look - which is a bit anal I know, but sometimes thats just how it goes. I like my gear to look as good as it performs, especially if I'm spending hundreds on it.

lenmerderdenfer (Dec 17, 2009 at 3:47)

The seal and surface interfaces are weak. I know. I have two with the same problem. The bags I have are nice though. This does look rather trendy (i.e.) the lift pass pocket. Try twisting all day round looking for the bloody pocket while wearing a full face helmet, goggles and dorsal / shoulder protections. The colors could be considered as forced shock treatments for an earthy guy or gal.

richierocket (Dec 17, 2009 at 7:03)

I LOVE THE PACK(I have one) BUT THOSE COLURS ARE LAME! L-A-M-E!!! IMO

shanehickey (Dec 17, 2009 at 7:06)

i agree i could go for like grey and red

seraph (Dec 17, 2009 at 12:31)

They come in more than one color/color combination. Did you even read the article?

shanehickey (Dec 19, 2009 at 12:26)

hahah no but after this i went on the website and found out hahaha

mtbdriver (Dec 17, 2009 at 11:50)

ugly. Buy a Deuter or a Vaude and have a bikelife

minami (Dec 19, 2009 at 9:32)

i like how it says the downside to having the protective pad with your tech in withthe pic of an i phone, is that you have all that weight at the top of the bag....

of what, an i phone?!

nouser (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:49)

trendy.. and ugly..

odin333 (Dec 18, 2009 at 12:09)

nice bag. looks like they have put alot of thought into it. hopefully it comes in other colors though.. thats a bit to flashy for me.

bcmillertime (Dec 21, 2009 at 12:48)

good pack if you want to take everything ... too big for the park ... a little loud for me. (Good color for Americans)

fantaman (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:25)

That's a realy nice looking backpack and the price is on the same level of a Dakine Nomad i think?.

teamn2 (Dec 17, 2009 at 22:05)

ya but dakines have a like 5 year warranty- life time warranty depending on the bag

timmy00 (Dec 17, 2009 at 1:21)

It's not a brand new backpack. It's just a trendy version of the Camelback Havoc...

brule (Dec 17, 2009 at 9:51)

They are a lot lighter too, Camelbak is maybe a lighter range of packs - as are most Hydration Pack companies.

bradfuchs FL (Dec 17, 2009 at 6:38)

i've had my Dakine Apex for 4 years now and could not imagine owning anything different, still not a single stitch blown.

tomo12377 FL (Dec 17, 2009 at 7:19)

Does look just like the frankly awesome riding bags DAKINE have been making for years!!

seraph (Dec 17, 2009 at 12:31)

No.

Chornbeak (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:13)

This is a pretty cool pack. I think I'm adding it to my X-mas list. haha

crowe (Dec 17, 2009 at 3:10)

looks like a sweet pack. they definitely put some thought into it. but, camelback is always so over priced. payin' for the name.

VTwintips (Dec 17, 2009 at 16:40)

ya but same with dakine builders pack. i would like to see that go down. I got a heli pro for 30 bucks though. Its annoying as shit though. (although its crazy cool looking)

nightfox (Dec 17, 2009 at 4:56)

COol pack but I like Dakine more...

richierocket (Dec 17, 2009 at 7:37)

Mine is a nice light brown, greyish and dark brown mix(2005 I think) and I would not trade it for the WORLD!

mountainMURDOCH (Dec 17, 2009 at 10:30)

love the colour scheme =)

chazabot (Dec 17, 2009 at 12:27)

I much prefer my Dakine Pro 2

VTwintips (Dec 17, 2009 at 16:44)

accept those annoying zippers! mine broke after 1 year. But i had 10-20 lbs in it 250 days a year.

seraph (Dec 17, 2009 at 12:32)

Hahaha, "A.F.Y." color. America, f*ck Yeah!

jayjay22 (Dec 17, 2009 at 13:37)

what helmet is the wood look full face??? That is f'n awsome.

twentytwo11 (Dec 18, 2009 at 7:19)

doesthe bag come with the iphone?:O haha sick bag though!!

BLAMP (Dec 17, 2009 at 9:42)

sick fullface DH helmet on that Don!!! must be a painthouse custom design

fugazzi (Dec 17, 2009 at 19:16)

Never get white for riding especially with other colors mixed in.

BiG-FOOT15 (Dec 17, 2009 at 19:55)

wats the best camelpack for DH lol ????

aleian (Dec 18, 2009 at 0:14)

i got one... its the tits!

evophan (Dec 18, 2009 at 14:58)

Yay ive i love the idea of being able to put yur helmet on it

blowmyfuse (Dec 17, 2009 at 8:04)

that thing is HUGE!!!

maticusprime (Dec 21, 2009 at 16:02)

Solid looking pack

Below threshold threads are hidden

3 14

Nikitanikita (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:16)

Quite good thing, but I do not see sense in its purchase)
Fastening for a helmet can be made independently, to purchase thongs and latches and to ask mum to sew them to any backpack, the helmet is perfectly kept)

uttanutta12 (Dec 17, 2009 at 9:01)

that isn't the point... this shows they have already thought about something that may be needed on a backpack so they get more people buying it, not so they can leave it out and get ur mum to sew it on for you...

9 48

bikebuster (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:11)

nice...so they showed pics of a old and dirty pack instead of a new and fresh looking one??? weirdness

32 3

rffr (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:29)

Probably because they use the pac. It is a review. If they were photos from the mfg sure... but since it's a review, I'm guessing they actually used it before reviewing it. Kinda common practice.

norcorev-rider1 (Dec 17, 2009 at 0:32)

thats crazy. i love the colors too! where do i get 1?

joedaho (Dec 17, 2009 at 3:53)

Being as a bag will be shit up in about 1/8 of a nanosecond of use, I'm not too upset at seeing how its going to look for the majority of its life...

dirtbiker100 FL (Dec 17, 2009 at 5:00)

[sarcasm]I'd also prefer a review where the pictures are all lovely showing the fact that they haven't really used it.[/sarcasm]

mtnbker395 (Dec 17, 2009 at 9:57)

sick pack! not too bad of a price either. I'd love one for sure.

bunkey (Dec 17, 2009 at 11:56)

Anyone else thinking they're gonna look like a trail medic wearing this? Nice but I'm still liking my 2008 Havoc more than any other pack they've come out with since.

VTwintips (Dec 17, 2009 at 16:37)

17.5 litres cargo space = 1067.91552 cubic inches. Thats tiny as hell. I need it for school too Oh well.

teamn2 (Dec 17, 2009 at 22:04)

VTwintips get a dakine bag mine is great for biking and school and trust me a pack one hell of a lunch in there to....

VTwintips (Dec 17, 2009 at 22:37)

which one do u recommend? I've had the regular Urban explorer pack. And I got a Heli Pro last year. But they both ripped at the zippers cuz i my work just got too big. I wanted a builders pack but becuase they discontinued them i feel like they were obviously POS otherwize they wouldnt have. So what others can I go with? It needs to be at least 1500 cu.

rffr (Dec 17, 2009 at 23:08)

just get a freakin military camel bak and be done with it. I don't bother with crappy mtb designed packs no more. My shit won't rip no matter how many times I fall on it.

VTwintips (Dec 18, 2009 at 14:08)

i have never had a ripping problem, its all because I overstuff them and the zippers rip out.

teamn2 (Dec 18, 2009 at 15:46)

i have a dakine mission bag and it is great

mtnbker395 (Dec 19, 2009 at 5:58)

yep, me too. sweet packs.

teamn2 (Dec 19, 2009 at 10:30)

(high five)

ov3r1d3 (Dec 19, 2009 at 12:49)

18 months worth of Iraq, been through a lot of gear but havent had to replace my Camelbak

rffr (Dec 19, 2009 at 13:17)

exactly ov. Military camelbak stuff WONT fail, but their consumer shit will. Thanks for your service brotha.