Side by Side Comparison of: G4Free vs Michael Josh vs Pinty

Perfect! Holds my 3L bladder and room for just enough for day hikes. Fits small first aide kit, my glasses in a case, snacks, head lamp, keys, but spray. Has three zipper pockets, dual zippers on all which I love. Extra mesh pocket. Its just exactly perfect for what I want to carry. Love it! Wish I had gotten it sooner.

I've had this backpack for hiking purposes for about a year now, and I love it. I regularly use it 2-3 times a week. It's comfortable, lightweight, and has good amount of pockets. Like some may have mentioned, a couple of times the hose did leak where it connects to the bladder. However, I found that its usually because when I fill it or while I'm putting it in the backpack, it got slightly untwisted. Problem was solved by giving it a little tighten before putting it back in the backpack. I've taken this pack a variety of places and it still holds up well. The clasp/fabric in the middle is handy for hanging things off of with a carabiner, such as a solar powered battery charger.Overall I highly recommend this pack for someone who is looking for a lightweight, hiking day pack.

Very nice pack. We bought this for our grandson and he was thrilled.Update: 7/28/16. My grandson went hiking over the weekend and he called to say the pack worked great. The water bladder was awesome and the pack had a lot of room in it for his snacks!

Definitely met and exceeded my expectations. I bought this to do some short (5-8) mile hikes. Holds my raingear (I live in Florida, after all...), an IFAK, snacks, extra socks, etc. I test filled the bladder to check for leaks, but it seemed pretty well sealed. My only complaint, albeit a minor one, about the bladder is the hose attachment. It doesn't snap in place, it just slips over the nipple of the bladder fitting. This could be problematic. If it does present a problem, I'll just replace it with a spare bladder I have in my extra gear pile. For the price, it seems to be a good product. After a decent hike, I will update as to it's performance.Edit 7/18/16After a number of hikes ranging from 6 to 12 miles, I've made a few observations:1) The bladder works very well, no leaks at all. However, the mouthpiece is not very good. I simply pull it off to get a good water flow.2) The hydration bladder basically sits in a smaller pouch in the main compartment with no insulator between it and your gear. Water gets warm very quickly. I solved the problem by fabricating an insulated Mylar pouch for it. Works well, keeps my beverage frosty way longer.3) Shoulder straps could use a little more padding. I added some from a spare armor plate carrier4) I wish the part that goes against your back were vented with mesh. It would definitely help keep you a little cooler.Overall though, this pack is good value for the money even with the few observations I've made about it. I definitely don't have any buyers remorse, and would recommend it.

I purchased this pack to take hunting. I chose Multicam because it matches the rest of my kit. It seems to be well made, and it was the right size to hold an afternoon's worth of supplies (water, food bars, IFAK, small binoculars, spare ammo) without becoming bulky or cumbersome. The metal zipper pulls have a tendency to jingle like sleigh bells, but a bit of tape around each pull was enough to solve that issue. Of course, if you're not in an environment where silence matters, then this probably wouldn't bother you at all.Also, I am 6'3'', and have a 38in. waist. The belt on this pack fit comfortably, but I did have to let it all the way out. The chest strap fit with no trouble, and I found the side straps to be comfortable as well. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. I'll post an update here in the fall, after I've taken it on a few more trips. And for you survivalists and preppers out there, I think this pack is the perfect size for a "get home bag". Put some emergency supplies in it and keep it in your car!

I am very impressed with the quality of this pack for the price. After a couple weeks of researching generic hydration packs online, I finally landed on the G4Free hydration pack.I took this pack on a week long hiking trip through the Colorado mountains, and this pack served me well. The 3 liter capacity bladder was perfect for my 8 hour hike up Mount Elbert. The multiple storage pockets allowed plenty of space to store snacks, extra water, tools, and my rain poncho, but while still allowing a nice compact and lightweight pack. The bungees and adjustable straps are great for quickly accessing and securing items on the go.The bladder also works well. There are hooks in the pack that secure the top of the bladder to keep it from folding over at low capacity. The screw top lid is large enough to allow the badder to easily be filled, and I haven't had any problems with leaking. The bite valve on the water tube took me a while to figure out, but it works well and keeps water sealed in.The pack held up well on the trip, and I am very happy with this purchase. I would recommend to anybody looking fro an affordable hydration pack.

The backpack is a good prduct(small and compact,fine for light traveling.)..but the water bladder that it comes with is junk(leaky/bursted on first use).. i would reccomed who ever wants a quality water bladder should buy a...RIQIK Military Hydration Bladder with Clips to Hold Drinking Tube - Premium Quality LeakProof Water Storage Tank - Replacement Reservoir for Backpacks- 3 L Capacity - For Biking, Hiking, Traveling. ( Ibought the RIQIK, cause i had worries about the stock water baldder, and i was right.)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G635S8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Immediately after going on a short run with this bag after receiving it, I can say that the bladder is simple and sturdy, the fabric is quality and easy to clean. The best part of this bag was the zipper! It actually appears treated, this is great because I kayak alot, only downside is that the bag is not waterproof, and to my knowledge, the company doesn't offer a similar bag that is waterproof. This bag itself is worth $30, I would say it would be worth buying again at any price if it was waterproof, maybe G4free should start working on that for those of us who sweat alot or participate in water sports. Don't let these snarky 1 star reviews fool you

I used this bag for a camping/hiking trip. It was a perfect size for taking things on the go. Enough space to fit in a few things, and plenty of straps to clip things on the back. The only gripe I had was sometimes the water would not come out of the camelback as smooth as I liked.

Great pack. Fits a lot more than I thought. I like that it has a strap going across in the front. 3 zipped compartments, the largest includes a separate section for bladder, and also a mesh pocket. The bladder wasn't great to me. The straw is a little too long in my opinion. It was a little hard to get water through so I just use a bladder from another old pack I had. Material is super durable and the straps are comfortable to me.

Nice sturdy little day pack. The hydration bottle is cheap but works (as long as you don't mind the silicone odor). You could put a better hydration pack in it easy enough but we've just used the one that came with the pack. My only other complaint are the zippers, which are good quality but a little noisy for hunting. I wrapped the metal zipper buckles in electrical tape to eliminate the noise. Overall I like the pack and would buy it again.

I'm taking one star off because the water hose was very complicated to figure out. I had a hydration bag in the past, so I'm not exactly a newbie.First, the cons: bag comes folded so the hose was folded in at least 3 places (and because of the insulation fabric they put around it, you have to feel the fold with your fingers and smooth it out). Then it took some trial-and-error to finally figure out there is a lock at the tip of the hose (if you want to open it, you need to pull the tip up). And even so, water flow is inconsistent. I found out that you need to twist the tip (not the transparent part, but the whole tip) to get water flowing again. Also, I know I'm not exactly fit and in shape, but the lower straps are a joke. Unless you're a size xx-small, you probably won't be able to close it around your waist.Now for the pros: water did keep cool (although it was a very cold wind, so I can't attribute solely to the pack), there was no leakage, and the bladder seems to be very robust; bag has plenty of internal space, I was able to put a jacket, plus my keys and a bike maintenance kit. The bungee cords can be useful (although I have not used them yet).In general, it was a very good product for the price. I believe the hose problem will just take some getting used to.

The bag is kind of uncomfortable and bulky, but the water reservoir is great and it holds lots of stuff.

The pack is good. Nice compartment and and pockets to place basic stuff. My only complaint is that the tube on the hydration blatter came keened in two places to the point it is difficult to get water through.

I bought this product for me and a different brand for my wife. Her brand was insulated and the water stays cold. Yours doesn't

The bag is nice and I use it to carry 2 mountain house meals, my water filter, bushbox, and some basic light camping/hiking gear. The water pouch, however, has a really strong plastic taste even after I washed it probably a dozen times.

The backpack is nicely designed, with plenty of pockets and is comfortable. Looks like a quality product. The bladder/hydration pack on the other hand, is absolute s***. It leaks, and the water out of it tastes terrible. I've rinsed that thing a dozen times, using everything from a few drops of bleach to tablespoons of baking soda, and it still tastes like plastic. I find myself dehydrated on hikes, just because I'm avoiding drinking the water out of this pack.

Bought but returned due to leakage.Pros:- high bladder capacity 3.0L- a lot of space for personal items- two adjustable straps for across chest and across belly- cover with bite hose and push/ pull plugCons:- leak at the base of my hose- taste from water bladder is difficult to remove (common among these hydration bladders)- main straps are not ergonomic for shoulders and chest- chest and belly strap are cheap

cheap cheap cheap you get what you pay for, very plastic taste and design doesn't make sense

Pack is good, water bladder is terrible

I bought this for a Spartan race. The size for this pack is really small. I had a hard time fitting in all the straps. I fully extended it and it still was tight. It was a pain to take it on and off during the race. The bladder leaked as well. The tub connection works itself loose and leaks all over the place. Material is water resistant, so at one point I had to turn the bag upside down to dump out all the water leaking into the bag. I lost a lot of race time due to equipment management. I have to find a way to tighten the connection if I plan on using it again. I do have to say it held up to the beating I put it through. I dragged that thing through barb wire carries and 14 miles of rough terrain in the mountains and I didn't rip it.

better off spending more money for camelbak....the bladder leaked when I first filled it and there were times when the hose didn't work..it was very positional which wasn't good in the middle of spartan beast race...

I bought this for when I go dirt bike riding. But the waist strap is entirely too short to go over my jersey and armor and jacket. The top strap is fine but you need the waist strap to keep the thing from flopping around when you're riding off-road.

The bladder included in my shipment was incorrect. The hose is a screw in hose which is prone to leaking.The one shown is a better quality bladder. I want an exchange in the bladder.No option to message manufacturer, site is a standard copy and paste site rebranded.2 stars cause the bag itself is good quality.

Worked okay for about 3 sips, then it stopped being able to pull water from the mouthpiece. I unscrewed and reconnected the hose piece, filled it to the brim with water to make sure it wasn't a pressure issue, etc., and nothing worked whatsoever. I bought 2 at the same time and both were like this.Don't buy this product.

Not good! The water is really hard to suck

bag is nice/ but bladder leaks like crazy. used twice and was covered in water both times.

Worried about reviews that said the mouth piece didn't work right. Ignored reviews. Mouth piece didn't work right. Don't buy it.

the hose was broken which caused it to leak all the time. i tried putting tape or just putting it back together but i guess it was made to have a small leak because nothing worked. covered one whole found another one closer to the base of the hose where the bag connects.

I bought two and the zippers dont work and the bladder leaks i returned them for a refund and i only got a refund for one only