Camelbak TriZip

The Camelbak Motherlode used to be my go-to pack for day/weekend trips. The suspension of the Motherlode was not intended for heavy loads and the pack would kill my shoulders and back. I like to compartmentalize my kit, but the Motherlode was TOO compartmentalized for my taste and made hauling larger gear items difficult.

I picked up the Camelbak TriZip after I saw that it featured the Mystery Ranch Futura suspension harness, which is known for comfort, adjustability to the specific user, and the ability to handle heavy loads.

 

Here you can see how the shoulders of the Futura rig are one piece, and curve out across the wearer's shoulders, rather than being connected to the pack at two separate points at a right angle.

The Futura suspensions is fully adjustable for differences in torso length. The entire shoulder assembly slides up and down and is secured using hook and loop.

The pouch for the hydration reservoir.
 

You can route the drink tube through the top or bottom, on either side of the pack. I like to route mine from up high and attach it to my shoulder strap. I always route mine on the left shoulder to avoid interference with shoulder-fired weapons.

The pouch on the lid of the pack is lined with microcloth, intended to protect glasses or goggles. I use this pouch for items I use frequently. This pouch actually expands to a surprisingly large size.

On each side of the pack there are general purpose pouches. One side is intended for a Nalgene bottle, the other is an admin pouch.

Instead of a Nalgene bottle, I keep a pair of gloves and a balaclava in there.

Here is why this pack is called the TriZip. This zipper configuration allows the pack to be accessed like a top-loading pack or zipped completely open for rapid access.

The inside of the main compartment has a sleeve intended to hold a radio. There are openings on top of the pack to route radio antennas. I obviously don’t have a SINGARS radio, so I use the sleeve to hold an air panel marker, weapons cleaning kit, and an Esbit stove.

As you can see here, this small pack carries quite a large amount of kit…and does so extremely comfortably at that. This loadout is substantially larger than the load I’d carry in my Motherlode and even still, I honestly don’t feel the increased weight of it. If you’ve got a budget close to $300 and need a versatile pack, the TriZip is certainly a viable option.

Here is a picture of the TriZip next to a 14.5" AR for size comparison.