Osprey Duro 15: The Hydration Pack That Delivers It All


The Osprey Duro 15 delivers a perfect balance of function, fit, and durability and so, because we use it and love it, here we review the Osprey Duro hydration pack.

Do You Need a Hydration Pack?

Hydration is an often overlooked but incredibly important part of your planning and packing for any outdoor activity. We all love getting outside and having fun, but while we are having fun, our bodies are depleting our water reserves, placing us in a position to either re-hydrate or start dehydrating.

Do you need a hydration pack? Thats for you to decide, but, a good hydration pack offers plenty of features in addition to on-demand water. Features like snack access on the go and its a place to put your rain jacket or other gear stored in one quick and eaasy access point. Sure you could carry a water bottle, your rain jacket, snacks and other gear on your own, but your not gonna have much fun.

Hydration packs come with a internal “bladder” that holds your water. Aside from the internal storage location of the water will keep it from getting too hot or too cold based on the external weather elements. Additionally, I love my Hydroflask as much as you do, but, at best its only holding 32 ounces, while my Osprey Duro 15 carries a whopping 84 ounces….thats quite a big difference and that means my kids can sip from it if needed as it carries enough for us all.

Can You Get Dehydrated In The Winter?

Yes, you can absolutely get dehydrated in the winter, and in fact, it can creep up on you without you seeing the early warning signs like sweat, red face, etc due to the colder temperatures. Because of this, if I am outside having fun, I have water close by.

Why We Chose To buy The Osprey Duro

The family and I have been in Colorado Springs for a little over a month now.  We have been enamored with all the beautiful mountain views and hiking trails available to us.  We have the luxury of a short drive to the United States Air Force Academy, which has many trails to explore.  One thing that is very prevalent out here that my wife and I have interest in is trail running. 

So prior to moving out here I was jumping all over the web researching this sport…and no we are not competitors, just average adults looking for a fun activity that can be challenging and gets us outdoors for some much needed workouts and fresh air.  One thing that we did not account for very well, was how quickly one can become dehydrated. 

You see, we have spent the last 8ish years deep in the south where humidity runs rampant, and while it is important to stay hydrated, we never had to factor in so much water consumption when embarking on our different family adventures.  But day one out here in this dry mountain climate, it became apparent that we needed to double our daily water consumption as a starting point…which has not only been a challenge for the kids but myself included. 

As we have geared up for our family trail walks and hikes, we quickly realized that any form of trail running needed to be followed by a solid hydration plan…duh!  Insert the Osprey Duro 15 hydration pack. 

Osprey Duro 2 Quick Facts:

Small/Medium                         Medium/Large

  • Volume:                      793 in3                                           915 in3
  • Dimensions:              16.9  x 8.7 x 8.3 in                 18.9 x 8.7 x 8.3 in
  • Weight:                       1.13lbs                                    1.17lbs
  • Fabric
  • Main:  70D x 140D Nylon Triangle Ripstop
  • Accent:  320Gr Nylon Stretch Mesh
  • Bottom:  200Gr Nylon Stretch Mesh

Osprey Duro Warranty

I have acquired a few camelbacks over the years on active duty, but new I was going to need to up by gear game for long trail runs as my hydration packs did not have a waist belt.  I have purchased Osprey gear before and new of their brand had a reputable mark in the industry.  Enter their “All Mighty Guarantee, Any Reason, Any Product, Any Era” warranty. 

Osprey will repair any damage or defect for any reason free of charge regardless of when the item was purchased.  And if they cannot perform a functional repair, they will replace it.  If that does not interest you, then I do not know what will.  When it comes to buying expensive gear, having a company with this type of warranty program has my attention completely.  I will happily buy a product from a company that is willing to stand by their quality and craftsmanship to this level. 

Is This Good For Trail Running or Mountain Biking?

As I searched through their website at the models specific to trail running, I also considered some of their mountain biking hydration packs.  And while they offer the Duro in two smaller sizes, I did not want this Osprey hydration pack to be just for trail running but a good hydration pack that we can use as we are out together as a family hiking (can be purchased through Amazon right here:

So here we are.  The first thing I want to discuss are the features of this pack and then we will dive into my thoughts on its performance.  The Osprey hydration pack comes in two sizes; small/medium and medium/large.  Sizing is determined by measuring your torso…I just decided to visit the local REI that had them in stock to get a good feel for the way it felt on my body. Full feature video from Osprey’s Team can be viewed here:

A Pack With Room For Days (and Snacks)

The Osprey Hydration Pack Duro 15 is built for those looking to take some stuff with them.  There is plenty of room to pack nutrition, a first aid kit, plenty of water, etc. This Osprey hydration pack was designed for those who are interested more in the route versus a race…and those looking for an all-day or multi-day run in that.  This Osprey hydration pack is built for speed, fits like a vest, and provides a bounce free and comfortable snug fit.

The Osprey hydration pack is loaded with pockets both upfront (for quick access items) and on the rear (to store trekking poles, rain gear, extra clothes, nutrition, etc).  Tucked nice and neatly into the hydration pack is a 2.5L reservoir that has a QuickConnect and sternum strap magnet for a bite valve. I found this feature to be quite thoughtful.  No one likes the bite valve flopping all over the place while you are moving.

Extra Features Of the Osprey Duro

  • Front panel zippered main compartment and separate zippered internal reservoir sleeve
  • Front panel zippered slash pocket
  • Accessible dual lower side panel zippered stretch mesh pocket
  • Lower stabilizing/expansion compression straps
  • Snap-in adjustable/removable dual chest straps for customized stability
  • Vertical zippered harness slash pocket for valuables or phone
  • Dual extra-large stretch mesh soft flask/food harness pockets
  • Dual lower stretch mesh food/supplement harness pockets
  • Trekking pole attachment
  • Tuckaway safety whistle
  • Front panel stretch mesh compression pocket
  • Hip belt stabilizing wrap with zippered pockets

The back panel, body harness, and hip belt of this pack is full air-mesh that is soft and offers irritation-free contact. The body wrap harness is adjustable and has two removable chest straps for additional stability.  And like all of their products, made with quality down to the last detail.

Performance and Overall Impression:

I really like the low profile of this Osprey hydration pack given all the storage options.  I recently took the wife and kids on a hike with fellow Off-Grid Essential staff member, Mike and his family and quickly put this pack to the test…he was simultaneously testing the Osprey SKAROB which he provided a review on that you can read here

With all of the storage compartments I had to use at my disposal, I was able to pack enough Pro Bars, RX bars, gold fish packs, two iPhones, keys, wallet, first aid kit, and an additional water bottle that I had filled with some electrolytes…and still had room for more items. The form fitting vest has this nice wrapping feeling that forms to your body and makes this Osprey hydration pack feel like a piece of your clothing.  The magnetic bite valve proved to hold its place as we trekked from 6,000-8,000 feet of elevation. 

The breath-ability of the mesh backing kept the back of my shirt from pooling with sweat…thank you Osprey!  I later took it on a 3 mile trail run just to see how well the bounce free feature worked and I was pleasantly surprised. 

What We Didn’t Like

One downside to this Osprey hydration pack though is the removable dual chest straps.  They are not the most user-friendly straps.  I do like that they can be moved up or down depending on your torso for comfort, but the way they attach/disconnect is something I am going to have to get used to. 

Final Thoughts

Moving forward this hydration pack will be my go to for all things hiking, mountain biking, and trail running.  It is that versatile!  If you have not read any of my other threads, I am all about multi-use items so I do not have a closet or garage full of many things.  The quality is there and backed by a lifetime warranty makes this a perfect option for anyone looking for a multi-use hydration pack.  If anything changes with this pack I will be sure to update this post.

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