Maratac Hydrant (double bottle carrier)

While shopping for a small “writing” light I stumbled upon the Maratac Hydrant over at County Comm – an odd, tall, shoulder bag with enough room inside for two 1-liter water bottles.

Rating: 5 stars!

Pros:
Well-built, lots of attachment options, removable insulation, inexpensive

Cons:
Odd size… though that might not actually be a “con”

The Hydrant features MOLLE webbing all around, a tall front pouch (with more MOLLE and elastic inside), a removable shoulder strap that attaches via two D-rings, two full-length integrated attachment straps for use as a pouch, a removable insulation sleeve, and loop-side Velcro on the lid for patch attachment. The bag is kind of an odd design, but it is sturdy and well built, and all zippers open/close with ease. I’ve been wanting a small day-hike bag with just enough room for a few munchies, a radio, and two liters of water so I’m going to give this a try and see how it works out.

The only downside I’ve noticed so far is that it only comes in OD green, not a big deal considering the low price tag and high quality.

The Bottom Line:
Great little bag at a great price, depending on what your intended use is. If it doesn’t work out as a day pack I could see setting it up to carry a bottle of wine + accessories on camping trips.

Update: May 23, 2010

I added a couple of pouches for food and one for my radio, then took it on a hike today. This bag is the perfect size and weight for my light hiking pack. Surprisingly, when carrying it the bag rides far enough back that if I needed to I could add a few small pouches to the front without them rubbing my arm. When swung forward, it hangs just like a personal cup holder making for very convenient water bottle access.