Bottom Line
The CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 is a lightweight, simple, water-resistant, minimalist, and unisex hydration pack that offers a smaller-volume pack for shorter day adventures. While it lacks women’s-specific features, such as a thicker, more supportive hipbelt and more robust construction, it comes at a reasonable price for its light weight. We wouldn’t want to carry heavy loads in this pack due to the lack of support features, like an improved hipbelt, that would better distribute the weight. However, for shorter adventures with a smaller pack, we likely will only be carrying bare essentials, water, and perhaps an extra layer.
We love the CamelBak hydration system for the large opening (making cleaning and air drying easy) and the shorter tube that connects down our shoulder instead of attaching to our chest strap with a magnet. We find that magnetic attachments often fail, leaving the hydration tube dangling and getting in the way of our arms.
We thoroughly tested the Cloud Walker side-by-side with other models in our lineup while hiking in regional parks in California’s Sonoma County. We tested its breathability and comfort in warmer temperatures, and mimicked rainfall by pouring water over the pack for over 30 seconds. And we compared different hydration systems from other top-tier brands, such as Osprey, Gregory, and Deuter.
Overall, we find this pack to be an excellent value for someone looking for a small, simple hydration system for shorter adventures. Only those needing a women’s-specific fit, a more supportive hipbelt, and a wider variety of pockets may want to continue reviewing our gear guide to the best hydration packs.
How We Tested
We took the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack on trails within the Sonoma County regional park system, in Northern California, and tested it side-by-side against other high-performing packs in our lineup. With the warm spring weather, we were able to effectively test the pack’s breathability and its ability to wick away sweat.
We mimicked rain by pouring water over the hydration pack for over 30 seconds to see how water-resistant and quick-drying this pack would be in inclement weather on the trail. We also analyzed the pack’s construction for durability, ease of use of the hydration system, and gear organization.
The tester and writer of this review, Emily Parnay, has hiked hundreds of trails over the years and is an expert at testing the best gear for the trail. With her keen eye, she thoroughly analyzed the Cloud Walker 18 and compared it to other top models on the market.
Quick Specs
CamelBak Cloud Walker 18
Best Mid-Size Hydration Pack
CleverHiker Rating: 4.4/5.0
Price: $99
Capacity: 18L
Weight: 1 lb. 1.6 oz.
Pros
- An excellent, lightweight and minimalistic hiking day pack
- Good weather-resistance and dries quickly
- Comfortable shoulders and padded back panel
- Large opening on the hydration bladder
- Hydration tube stores on the shoulder rather than chest strap magnet
Cons
- Unisex pack, so the fit isn't as dialed, particularly for women
- Hipbelt doesn't offer a ton of support
- Less organizational and pocket variety
- Design of the bladder makes dumping out all water difficult
Comfort & Fit
The CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack is a very simple, minimalist, and lightweight hydration pack that sacrifices some comfort features. While we love the light, breathable material for hiking in warm California weather, the hipbelt and chest strap felt a bit flimsy and lacking in support. Since CamelBak designed this pack with a smaller volume and to carry less water and gear, a beefier hipbelt is not necessarily required, but additional comfort would be preferred. With that being said, we do appreciate the padded shoulders and back panel, which offer a great balance of cushion and breathability and are quick-drying when wet.
Since this is a unisex pack, the fit wasn’t as ideal for a women’s body — the shoulder straps’ shape felt a bit clunky, and the length of the pack felt long for its volume. However, depending on your body type, this could still be a comfortable option to take to the trail in a pinch.
Hydration System
The CamelBak hydration system is a tried-and-true leakproof design, and the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack definitely benefits from that. We love the simple handle and wide opening, which make the bladder easier to clean and air-dry after use. However, with the side-opening lid, it can take some maneuvering to remove all the leftover water from the bladder. This can be an inconvenience, but we do prefer the style of this bladder to that of the Osprey’s due to the ease of cleaning.
However, we do wish this system included a quick attachment that connects the tube to the top of the bladder, making emptying and refilling a breeze. Instead, the tube is attached at the bottom of the bladder; this is a minor inconvenience but could be improved in future designs.
We do appreciate that the tube is shorter and rests at the perfect height on our shoulder. During our 3-mile hike, the tube stayed in place the entire time. We haven’t had the best luck with tubes that magnetically connect to a pack’s chest strap, as they often fail, so we love that CamelBak has an effective way to secure the tube and mouthpiece.
Compartments
As a minimalist lightweight pack, the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack is about as simple as it gets. For those without much gear to organize, this pack is a great option. It comes with water bottle holders on the sides, a main compartment with a hydration bladder sleeve, and a small zippered pocket in the front. While the front pouch can hold snacks, keys, and other smaller items, the main compartment can easily fit an extra jacket for the trail, but not much else.
For shorter day hikes, we found this volume to fit just what we needed. However, if embarking on a long adventure with the need for a full meal, warmer layers, rain gear, and other extra items, you may be short on space in the Cloud Walker. Not to mention, if carrying too much, this pack won’t be as comfortable due to the less durable hipbelt design.
Waterproofing
While the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack is not waterproof and doesn’t come with a rain cover, it performs exceptionally well at resisting water. After pouring a full hydration bladder of water over the pack, we found that moisture beaded easily off the material and didn’t absorb into the pack quickly.
Even when water got on the padded shoulder straps and back panel, it dried quickly on the trail, which we loved. Many other packs that we tested took longer to dry when water soaked through these features. We would definitely recommend this pack for its water-resistant properties.
Durability
Compared to other packs in our lineup, such as those made by Osprey and Gregory, the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack feels a little bit thinner and flimsier. This fabric doesn’t seem as abrasion-resistant, so we recommend being extra careful about snagging on bushes and branches along the trail. The hipbelt and chest straps are also smaller and don’t offer nearly as much support, though for the lower volume pack size, this may not be the biggest concern. The zippers on this pack are also less robust, and the pulls are made of small strings rather than thicker plastic.
However, all said and done, we didn’t notice any immediate wear and tear during our field testing. When considering the Cloud Walker’s weight, smaller volume, and minimalist nature, the trade-offs in durability may still be worth it for you, especially if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly pack that still offers great all-around performance.
Weight
At 17.6 ounces, the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack is one of the lighter hydration packs in our lineup. We love how it offers a barely-there feel when we pack only the bare essentials for day hikes. Although the lighter weight comes at the sacrifice of less durability, fewer compartments, and reduced comfort features, it is still an excellent pack to consider for those looking for a simple, minimalist hydration pack. We also appreciate this pack’s water resistance, which helps prevent it from absorbing moisture and increasing its weight while hiking in inclement weather.
Should You Buy the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack?
The CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack is the perfect pick for those looking for a simple, minimal, lightweight, and small-volume hydration pack at a reasonable price. It is best used for shorter day hikes and for carrying small, lightweight essentials, as the pack lacks the support features to adequately carry heavier loads.
Hikers who desire a more specialized fit (such as a women’s design), enhanced comfort features, especially in the hipbelt, more gear organization, and more volume will want to continue perusing our gear guide for the best hydration packs. The CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 is a good value for those who don’t mind the sacrifices that come with a lighter pack, such as reduced durability and limited features.
What Other Hydration Packs Should You Consider?
To compare the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18 Hydration Pack to other top-tier options on the market, check out our full gear guide to the best hydration packs. Or, take a look at full reviews of some of our other favorite hydration packs below.
Teton Oasis 18L Review: This is another 18-liter budget pack that’s even more affordable than the Cloud Walker 18. It has a few more compartments and a rain cover, but the hydration bladder wasn’t as burly.
Gregory Swift 16/Inertia 18 Review: The Gregory Swift and Inertia are similarly sized packs, but with gender-specific designs that women in particular may prefer over the CamelBak Cloud Walker 18.
CamelBak M.U.L.E. 12 Hydration Pack Review: This is a much smaller, more compact pack that is even lighter and more minimalist than the Cloud Walker, and it even comes with a slightly larger hydration bladder.
