Deuter Hydro EXP 6 SL Review

Deuter Hydro EXP 6 SL

WHO: Deuter

PRODUCTS TESTED: Hydro EXP 6 SL

ABOUT ME: 5’5, 130lbs, 29 year old female. I love all kinds of riding but Mountain Biking is by far my favorite!

TESTING GROUNDS: Fullerton Loop, Aliso Woods, Arizona, Powder Canyon

SPECS
Sun Granite
Style: 32177
Volume: 350-500 cubic inches
6+2 liters
Torso: One Size inches
Fit: SL

Weight: 1 lb. 12 oz. + 6 oz.
System: Airstripes

Materials: Diamond Lite/Ballistic Lite

DESCRIPTION
This pack is the answer for women who want hydration, with a fit specifically for them and the ability to store plenty of gear.

FEATURES:
– Airstripes Backsystem
– Women’s specific fit
– Expandable main compartment
– 2 Liter Streamer Reservoir included
– Multiple front pockets
– 3M reflectors
– Interior pump pocket
– Internal organizer pocket
– Mesh hip fins with pockets
– Helmet Holder

First Impression:
At first glance this is a nice, durable pack. I was pleased with the size and capacity of the Deuter Hydro EXP 6 SL. There are lots of zippers and compartments to store and organize. Wasn’t too heavy and the fact that this bag is women’s specific was an added bonus. I wasn’t impressed with the grey/orange combo for colors but that doesn’t affect the functionality of the bag, just a personal preference. 🙂

Strengths
The Deuter Hydro EXP 6 SL has a lot of strengths. First you’ll notice the amount of space this pack has. On the outside an easy access open space with clip to expand if necessary. You’ll find a small zippered pocket on bottom, deep zippered pocket on top, and on the side a small zippered mesh pocket. The pack unzips fully for easy access to your water reservoir with additional zippered pockets inside this space. There is a lot of room! This is great to organize all your “stuff�? ladies. In addition to all of this the pack has an extra zipper to expand even further! You can fit EVERYTHING in this bag!
See below:

I was also impressed with the reservoir on this pack [The Streamer Reservoir]. The surface is treated with an antimicrobial Grunge Guard that prevents bacteria growth – so no need to worry about nasty mold growth in the reservoir. I often left my water to sit in this reservoir to see if I could get anything to grow – nada. The water tasted just fine after a few days of sitting in it. I know, I know, I am always willing to take one for the team!

The reservoir was also very easy to fill with water. Just slide across the plastic clip and the reservoir opens wide for an easy fill. One fold of the reservoir, and the plastic slides back on easily. There was no fumbling with this bag or spilling as I filled it up – very nice. One more thing, no funny taste with this reservoir. Reservoir’s that I’ve used in the past I have had to add some lemon or something else because they made my water taste funny. Did not experience that with this one at all. The water also flowed nicely through the silicone bite valve.

Women’s Specific Design. Need I say more? The pack fits beautifully. Did not feel bulky or heavy but still did it’s job.

This bag features 3M reflectors that worked very well as you can see:

This pack also features the Airstrips Backsystem. The back of the pack is lined with these airstrips which aided in keeping my back cooler. Don’t expect miracles though with this system. You’ll still experience back sweat but there is a little more relief with this system then with the traditional style.

One other feature is the dirt shield for the valve. As needed, it is easy to cover the mouthpiece, which is great, because I don’t care for the taste of a dirty valve. I love small details like that.

Weaknesses
So the main issue I had with this pack was actually with the silicone bite valve. I am a biter. And it put some wear on the valve. Within the bite marks bateria grew and I was unable to clean it out. Eventually I punctured a hole and all water broke loose after that. (I didn’t read anything about the bite valve being anti-bacterial).

The other issue is the elastic bite valve holder. It fits between an elastic band on the front chest and once the elastic stretched with use, the valve would easily slip out. I would prefer an option to clip my valve for a more secure fit.

Summary
The durability of the product is very important to me which is why I took my time to review it. Over the past 5 months the Deuter Hydro EXP 6 SL is still going strong. No tears to report in the material. No fraying and believe me, I wasn’t gentle with the pak. I gave it a good beating with the amount of falls, and tumbles I take! Hey, I’ll do anything for a thorough review! ;D

All in all I really liked the Hydration pack. Lots of room, wasn’t too heavy, and I loved the detail that was put into it. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the water reservoir! The best reservoir I have used so far. This bag prices at about $85 us dollars, which is a fair price for a Hydration Pack.

I love that this hydration pack is women specific, we need more of this. Our bodies are VERY different from the boys bodies, so it’s nice that companies are starting to take this into consideration while designing biking gear!

For more information you can visit their website at Deuter USA.