Hydrapak Morro Review

By Court Rye | in Gear | Tags: Hydration, Packs

Hydrapak Morro Backpack

Hydrapak is a company much like CamelBak that designs water bottles and backpacks with liquid bladders enclosed. Their products range from minimalist water sleeves like the Hydrasleeve to insulated high impact military gear for use in war zones! The Hydrapak Morro fits somewhere in between with enough space and pockets to keep gear organized but still be sleek, light weight and comfortable. I use mine on short hikes when I want to take along some snacks and an extra wind breaker or rain coat. It frees my hands up vs. carrying along a water bottle and I think it looks pretty cool to boot.

I have owned a very similar pack by CamelBak called the Mule for several years now and I originally purchased it for use when mountain biking; again to free up my hands and take along tools and other gear vs. using a seat post pack. The Mule provides almost the exact same features and benefits as the Morro plus and minus a few bells and whistles. The two packs are very similar in terms of price with the Hydrapak Morro edging out maybe $10 above the CamelBak Mule in some cases. Just below I’ve listed out some of the primary differences between the two packs:

The CamelBak Mule has more external gear storage vs. the Morro which has a larger internal pocket. Overall they can carry about the same amount of gear.
The CamelBak Mule has two reflective icons on the back and a light connector loop which help cars spot you at night, this is especially useful when bicycling as both packs are black. Despite lacking any reflective paint or decals, the Hydrapak Morro does have a well positioned strap loop for connecting a bike light or flasher to the back.
The Hydrapak Morro has an on/off valve at the end of the drinking straw, this is super handy for biking, snowboarding or other bumpy activities as it keeps water from dripping out. This is more important if it’s cold out as drips will freeze up on your gear and make you cold.
The Morro has a completely detachable straw so you can flush it out easily. This also means that you can replace the bladder and save materials or buy two bladders and use one for flavored drinks and one for non-flavored without having to replace the straw tube.
The Morro has a magnetic clip with straw attachment that is movable so you can decide where you want the straw to stay and then position the magnet to hold it there. The CamelBak Mule by contrast has straps that can loop around the straw but they are built in and non-flexible.
The Morro bladder opens at the top and uses a ziplock style closing mechanism. It’s wider and easier to fill than the CamelBak but be careful! It is easier to spill when taking out of the pack (if you haven’t consumed all of the liquid). The Morro bladder can be turned completely inside out for cleaning which is awesome! This also helps you dry it out, with my Camelbak Mule I have to use a plastic insert to dry it out.
The Hydrapak Morro bladder is free of BPA, PTHALATES and PVC. I think Camelbak also recently switched to BPA free.
Both packs have clips inside to hold up the liquid storage bladder. I think the design on the Hydrapak is more durable and I’ve actually had the clip on my CamelBak break which means the pouch sometimes sags inside.
Both packs have key clips and multiple small pouches for money, phones etc. they also both have music player storage pockets with little holes to let headphone cables through
Both packs have waist straps with buckles and bungee-flex chest straps. The backing on both packs is also similar and allows for great ventilation.

Overall both packs are similar and I’m very satisfied with each one. The CamelBak Mule is more stiff and it’s thinner. I like the reflector for biking but I also clip my light on so it’s a toss since both accommodate this feature. Pretty much everything relating to water storage is better on the Hydrapak; the lockable bite valve, the magnetic lasso, the way you fill it up and the way it connects inside. Considering the price parity I’d say this is a tough call. They both look cool and will keep you hydrated on the trail. Have fun out there and great job Hydrapak!