HydraPak Contour, Velocity
The HydraPak Contour and Velocity water bladders make continuous hydration-on-the-go a cinch. No more fussing to grab a water bottle from a pack pocket or taking off a pack to get at your water.
Velocity Overview
MSRP: $38, $40 and $42
Capacity: 1.5, 2 and 3 liters
Contour Overview
MSRP: $44, $47 and $49
Capacity: 1.5, 2 and 3 liters
About the Velocity and Contour
HydraPak designed its water bladders to be simple and easy to use. They slip into inside pack pockets or clip to an inside hanger. Either way the bladder is secure. The drinking tube slips through a slot in the back of the pack and either wraps around a shoulder strap or hooks onto shoulder strap clips on some packs. I tested both the Contour and Velocity and found them to be similar but with different features for different users.
Velocity vs. Contour
The Velocity is geared toward fast-and-light activities such as trail running, ultralight hiking and backpacking. The Contour has extra features such as a magnetic drinking tube clip and Shape-Loc baffles that maintain a slim profile when the reservoir is filled, and keep water from sloshing around. The Contour empty is about half an ounce heavier than the Velocity for all capacities.
The Basics
Both reservoirs have a wide mouth for filling, and have a hard plastic clip that slides over the top to seal the reservoir. The bladders’ wide mouths make them easy to fill using a water filter.
And both bladders can be turned inside out for easy cleaning. Both are rated top-rack safe for dishwashers.
The bite valve draws water easily, and self-seals when not in use. The valve can be opened or closed with one hand.
The hydration tube is connected to the bottom of the reservoir with what HydraPak calls a Plug-N-Play port, which prevents water from leaking out when the tube is disconnected. The port is easy to use, and can be connected and disconnected using one hand.
The Contour has an expandable bottom, but the bladder cannot stand upright on its own when filled.
Both bladders have a flexible handle for slipping the reservoir in and out of a pack, or for carrying it to get water.
Both bladders hold 1.5, 2 or 3 liters, and prices vary depending on the size of the bladder. The reservoir capacities are clearly marked in increments of 200 milliliters.
The Contour comes with a magnetic clip that attaches to a shoulder strap and grabs a magnet clipped onto the drinking tube.
The reservoirs’ Shape-Loc baffles give the water a low profile, preventing the bladders from ballooning like a football.
The bladders can be refilled in the field using a HydraPak filter that attaches to the Plug-N-Play port.
Good to Know
Lifetime Guarantee: HydraPak’s Beyond Lifetime Guarantee covers leaking seams and manufacturing defects. Not covered are normal wear and tear, punctures, and mold or mildew building cause by lack of cleaning,
My Take
I like the simplicity of the Contour and Velocity, and more often reach for the lightweight Velocity to keep down my pack weight.
I’ve never been able to reach my water bottle with my pack on, so am beyond thrilled to be able to fill my bladder, mount it in my pack and sip water as I hike.
A word of warning, which I found out the hard way. Be sure the bladder is hanging straight inside your pack. When I let the bladder tilt to the right inside my pack so did the pack, leaving me hiking lopsided until I realized why.
Pros
Easy to Use: The wide bladder mouth makes it easy to fill from water sources.
Hydration on the Go: Fill the bladder, connect the tubes to a shoulder strap, and sip as you hike.
Cleaning: Both bladders can turn inside out and are rated top-rack dishwasher safe.
Cons
Refilling: Removing a water bladder inside a full pack requires nearly emptying the pack.
In the Pack: The bladder needs to be hung straight up and down so it doesn’t pull the pack to one side, like it did for me.
Overall Value
The HydraPak Velocity and Contour slot into a middle ground for price point, making them an attractive purchase.
Other Hydration Bladders
MSRP: $60 for a 2-liter bladder
MSRP: $32.95 for 1 liter, $34.95 for a 2 liter, $39.95 for a 3 liter
MSRP: $34.95 for a 2-liter bladder
This product was donated for purpose of review.
