Camelbak M.U.L.E. + Maxpedition Mega Rollypoly + Extra Straps = big or small Daypack

[Macchina]

Normally I post my gear reviews in the G&G section, but I will never use this in public, and plan on using it on my week long hike in the desert next week where I will update this thread with a post-hike review (AKA WS&S content to follow, please don't move this thread).

I am hiking into Havasu Falls next week (10 mile hike down the canyon rim and across desert) where we will camp and do dayhikes to the falls and caves everyday. The problem this trip presented is I have to hike in a daypack in my bigger backpacking backpack. Enter: the Camelbak M.U.L.E. which you guys know enough about so I won't go into detail. One of the dayhikes will actually be overnight to the Colorado river, so we need a way of carrying our sleeping bags, mats, food, water purifiers, etc. (no tents that night). I searched high and wide for a way to add capacity to my MULE, and came up with the Mega maxpedition Rollypoly. In itself, it is a great way to add storage to any bag, but it is designed to be attached to your belt and steadied with a thigh strap.
Mounting it on this pack created two problems:
1. It hung low and swung when loaded.
2: When I put more than 5 pounds in the Rollypoly, it caused the bottom pocket to droop in a way that didn't look healty to the integrity of the bag.

My solution was to rig up the straps I had removed from my Maxpedition Falcon II. The chest strap (with some paracord modifications) allowed me to transfer the load of the Rollypoly to the top of the Camelbak where the shoulder straps attached, therefore eliminating any stress on the lower pocket of the backpack. I then removed the thigh strap from the Rollypoly and laced together the two hip belt straps from the Falcon II and threaded them through the loops for the original thigh strap. I'm quite proud of myself for reusing all the straps I didn't use on my Falcon II, I couldn't have dreamed of a better setup for my trip. I now have the option of a simple 2-hour daypack or a small overnight pack.

 

[houdini28]

Thanks for sharing. I look forward to seeing how it goes on the trip.

 

[fixer]

that's kinda why i bought a HAWG which has better access to the main reservoir and the option to carry a second reservoir.

then i recently added an early, non MOLLE version oif the MULE that i found a great deal on.

but your solution seems to work well and should have been reasonably priced.

i just wish the MULE had the same easy access to the bladder thry a zipper against your back instead of thru the main compartment. however they might have changed that later. mine just has the daisy chain.

aand for those who are not familiar, there is both a "civilian" version and a "military" version of both the HAWG and MULE, the mil versions come in earthtones and have the MOLLE webbing and the civi version seemed to have lighter fabric and come in more obnoxious colors.

the designs are completely different, they only share the name and are the same capacity. actually i havent looked recently to see if they still make the civi version.

 

[Macchina]

i just wish the MULE had the same easy access to the bladder thry a zipper against your back instead of thru the main compartment. however they might have changed that later. mine just has the daisy chain.

I think you're trying to make the MULE something that it is not. The "main compartment" is only for your water bladder, you shouldn't put any gear whatsoever in that compartment. The MULE is designed to hold a lot of water, and give you just enough pockets to carry some essentials. If find on dayhikes and while hunting, I don't need any more storage than what the two pockets provide me. The larger backpacks like the HAWG are getting into the weekend pack size and are far too big for me to carry when I'm bushwhacking through the woods while deer or small game hunting.

This setup is very specialized for my unique hike. The benefit of a collapsible pocket is only existent when you don't have the choice to bring two different size packs. I'd much rather have a larger pack for the overnight hike, but hiking in TWO extra packs is down right crazy. I do agree the HAWG is a much better setup for overnight hikes (I could probably even bring a 1-man tent).