Camelbak Octane 22 Hydration Hiking Pack. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

Price: £170
Weight: 901g
Country of manufacture: Philippines
Colour: black/grey
Rated capacity: 20 litres
Women’s version: no

The Octane 22 is a handily sized daypack that incorporates the brand’s hydration system.

The rucksack itself has a rated 20 litre capacity, with the water reservoir taking two litres, hence the name.

The body of the pack is 75 denier Cordura nylon and the Octane 22 stood up well to knocks and scrapes during testing. For a small rucksack, it’s packed with features, with lots of different storage areas. The main compartment is accessed by a large, zipped flap on the front of the pack, which opens almost to the bottom of the Camelbak backpack. There’s also a zipped pocket on the reverse of the front panel, with a key hook.

Inside there are seven stretch mesh pockets of varying sizes. I found these useful for stashing different bits of gear and clothing such as gloves, so I knew quickly where to find them, rather than rummaging about through the whole compartment.

There’s more storage on the outside of the pack, with two large stretch mesh pockets, big enough for drinks bottles, either side.

The pack also has a large, stretch mesh pouch on the front, useful for stuffing items such as wet clothing.

Camelbak Octane 22 Hydration Hiking Pack. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

A separate zipped compartment houses the hydration reservoir. The Octane 22 comes with Camelbak’s Fusion 2 reservoir, which is filled via a waterproof zip in the semi-rigid top element. The zip is big enough to allow fairly easy access for cleaning, and it locks closed with a firm click. There are graduations in half-litre increments, to the maximum fill mark at two litres. The reservoir hangs by two lugs and the back has a stiffened panel to stop the whole thing flopping about. The drink tube clips firmly into a valve at the base of the reservoir and exits either side, though it’s logical to route it via the right-hand exit because the twin chest straps on the harness that side have incorporated into them clips to retain the tube. The bite valve of the tube has an easy-to-use closure to stop leaks when on the move.

The back of the pack has a flexible ridged foam panel with mesh overlay and two lumbar pads.

The harness has a broad mesh construction with thin padding at the shoulder level. It’s very much in the style of running harnesses and incorporates twin constantly adjustable chest straps. The harness adjusts for length from the hip level, which I found less convenient than the more conventional top adjustment. Incorporated into the harness are various pockets. There are twin stretch mesh ones at the top, a zipped pocket on the left strap, which I found useful for storing my smartphone, though it’s not waterproof, so extra protection for the phone was needed on wet days. There are two further pockets with elasticated openings, plus an extra, small mesh pocket. A small emergency whistle is attached to the harness by a cord.

The back uses ridged foam with a mesh overlay. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

The hipbelt has broad, soft fins with mesh backing, each of which have zipped pockets. The centre section of the belt is webbing, with a plastic buckle fastening.

There are loops for walking poles, along with top shockcords with spring toggles for securing them.

The Camelbak Octane 22 also has a rain cover in a zipped compartment in its base, but I found its design flawed, in that it was too small to adequately cover the whole pack when full, leaving parts of it exposed to the elements. When carrying less than the full 20 litres capacity, it worked better, but I ended up with wet gear when it was full.

Overall, I found the Octane 22 very comfortable in use. Its soft body and broad, pliable harness straps and hipbelt kept the pack snug to the body, aided by the twin chest straps. I used it on my daily walks over a period of three months and liked the comfort of the pack and its ability to contain all my gear and clothing in a stable way. I particularly liked the ‘command centre harness’ with all its pockets, making items available without stopping to take off the pack.

There was some perspiration build-up on the back, due to the fact the pack was held close to the body, but it wasn’t excessive.

My main gripe was with the rain cover and its inability to cover the pack when using its full capacity.

The Camelbak Octane 22 Hydration Hiking Pack was rated a good buy. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

The Octane 22 is free from BPA, BPS and BPF chemicals. The mesh overlay is recycled. Camelbak is a member of the European Outdoor Conservation Association and the Conservation Alliance. Some of its products use recycled materials, and it has set various goals on its journey towards sustainability but doesn’t provide figures.

The Octane 22 is designed with fast movers in mind and it will appeal to runners as well as walkers needing a day sack, particularly with its race-vest style harness. Quality and design were good, with the one exception noted above.

Best uses: ultrarunning; trail walking; commuting; urban walking.

Performance 33/40
Comfort 27/30
Quality 7/10
Value for money 7/10
Sustainability 6/10
Total score: 80/100