CamelBak Mayhem Review

One of may favorite purchases in recent years (2nd to my Commencal), this CamelBak is built for storage and abuse.

The build on the Mayhem is way more burley than the typical Hydration pack, making it more reliable for long backcountry rides as well as DH/ Freeride applications. The weight will be a little higher, but for those of you sick of rips and tears - here's the fix!
CamelBak's new resivour is a lot more resistant to mold and smells, and the opening is bigger for ease of use. The mouthpiece is also much improved over previous models, resisting leaks for a longer period of time.

Some of the big features inlcude storage for pads and helmets, as well as lots of load balancing options. I'm able to pack my knee/shin pads, elbow pads, full face, goggles, rain gear, 100oz of water, tubes, pump, couple of tools, and some lunch food with relative ease. There's also a pouch for your camcorder/ MP3 player at the top of the pack (best spot ever!). I do have a helmet cam (VioSport) and use this pouch quite often. Some may need a bigger pack (look at the Havoc), but I'd never be able to use all that space.

The Load Balancing straps are perfect! I'm able to throw on tons of gear and make the pack fit solid, while not being too tight. This has been the trick with other models - not being able to attach heavy or ackward loads without over-tightning.

All in all - I'd recommend this to anyone who's not looking for ultra lightweight, and needs something reliable. I'm pretty happy with this and would give it a 9 out of 10 tube rating.