11/1/13 Life In The Saddle: Review: Platypus Duthie All Mountain 10 Hydration Pack

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by Tim Wiggins

Life In The Saddle

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Friday, 1 November 2013

Review: Platypus Duthie All Mountain 10 Hydration Pack

Platypus have been in the hydration systemmarket for a long time;; they were one of thepioneering firms that first started producing thebladder and tube systems, they know theirstuff when it comes to keeping you topped upwith fluid when you're on the move.

The Duthie All Mountain 10 is the latest andgreatest pack from this American firm;; a bagdesigned to keep you hydrated and wellprovisioned with food and spares, even onEPIC All Mountain day-long adventures.

I am planning on doing some long distancemountain biking expeditions in Summer 2014,so the Duthie 10 looked like the ideal pack forthe role. Filled up with fluid, supplies andspares, I've been testing it out...

The primary concern with any rucksack thatyou'll be wearing all day long is comfort, andthe Duthie has it in bags. The shoulder straps are made of aventilated foam padding, the back panel is also well padded,with a central air channel and a semi-rigid internal frame toensure comfort even when the pack is lightly loaded. Thebroad waist strap has cushioned hip supports, and is madeof strong webbing with a sturdy buckle. Then to ensure therereally is no movement even when tackling the most extremeterrain, there is a fully adjustable chest strap to really lockthe pack in place. It's the small details with the Duthie thathave really impressed me though;; the quality buckles, straptidies and compression straps show that a lot of thought hasgone into the design and feel of this bag.

With no worries on the comfort side or the security side, youcan turn to loading up the Duthie with your kit for the trails,there are endless storage options. Closest to your back isthe pouch for the huge 3 litre Big Zip LP Hydration pack,which I will discuss later. Then just to the rear of this is themain storage compartment;; in here there are dedicatedpockets for keys, tools, two pumps (shock and normal),tubes and levers, and anything else that you think you mightwant to house! Organisation is a large part of enduranceriding, keeping everything in its place means you are lesslikely to forget that vital tool or accessory. In this mainstorage compartment you'll also find that there is room for awaterproof jacket, and spare layers for those mammothexpeditions.

To add more storage to the already impressive list, theDuthie features a soft lined smaller pocket for valuablessuch as phones and cameras that you don't want to risk

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scratching if you placed them in the same pocket as tools.There is also another secure zipper pocket on the very outerof the pack, as well as an expandable pouch to take ahelmet or pads, and numerous lashing points down thesides of the pack. To top the list, there is a reflective lightclip on the base of the bag, and the padded hip straps haveelasticated pockets on them to stash small easy-to-reachitems such as gels and bars. There is no risk that even themost organised person will have a problem with stowingtheir kit in this pack!

Out on the trail the Duthie is comfortable, feels secure andshrugs off any knocks or bumps. The rip stop nylon materialbrushes away overhanging sticks and thorns, and my kithas been kept dry and safe (although it is probably worth putting valuables in small waterproof bags as the pack is notfully waterproofed).

The final feature to consider is the hydration bladder used in the Duthie AM 10 - the Big Zip LP 3 Litre bladder. I'vealways used Camelbak bladders before, but this hydration system has really impressed me. The Big Zip has a secure"Zip-Lok" style opening at the top, which seals with a slider, it then hangs inside the bag with two clips, to ensure thatthe "top" remains at the top and that the bladder doesn't slump down as it empties.

The whopping 3 litre capacity of the Big Zip will take at least 4 hours worth of fluid for even the thirstiest rider, and thehanging design keeps it secure and stable inside the bag. The hose system is detachable at both ends without leakage,making it easy to keep clean and thread through the pack. Neat! You can route the hose over either shoulder and then itsecures to the chest strap with a clever magnetic clip. The mouthpiece is strong and comfortable, and has a simpletwist-to-lock mechanism to avoid leaking when not in use. The bladder also uses Slimeguard technology to keep awaybacteria, which seems to work well - it hasn't gone mouldy yet! This really is one of the best (if not the best) hydrationbladder I've seen;; it is taste-free, light, robust and has one huge capacity;; perfect for the day long adventures!

Overall, the Duthie AM 10 is a great bag, its 7 litres of storage and 3 litres hydration capacity is ideal for long rides, andit is built to deal with that kind of riding as well. Neat little features like the soft lined valuables pocket, totally detachablehose and secure padded waist strap show the thought that has gone into the bag, and make the £90 UK price tag veryrespectable. If you need a bag for bombing along the trails all day long, look no further!

Platypus is distributed in the UK by CascadeDesigns.com (Link)

Note: The Duthie AM 10 will be available from January 2014, along with some new women's specific hydration packsfrom Platypus (this is a pre-launch review). However, if you can't wait until January, the Platypus range already featuresthe great 3, 5 and 8 litre Tokul XC models, as well as the spacious 12 and 14 litre All Mountain models. There really issomething for all requirements!

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