Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration Backpack Details

Gear Guide: Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration Backpack

J Bear, wearing his Teton Hydration Backpack on the Appalachian TrailOver the summer, we definitely stepped up our hiking game. We’ve been hiking with more regularity and discovering many new places to hike around our local area. We already take turns carrying a 3 liter hydration pack that can also accommodate some trail snacks. But, with J Bear becoming interested in the Appalachian Trail, I knew it was time for him to start carrying his own pack on every hike.. So, I went with the Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration Backpack for his 11th birthday!

He’s not quite ready to tackle an AT thru-hike. But, we field tested his new pack on our 1000+ mile road trip from Georgia to New York exploring different sections of the Appalachian Trail. This new fully loaded hydration pack gave him more confidence, independence and pride. It was great to see him showing off the features to passersby.

Disclosure: We received complimentary merchandise to aide us in providing this review to readers. The review is based on our own opinion of this merchandise and it’s performance in our field testing.

What we like about Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration Backpack…

I’m going to help J Bear shoot a video to highlight some features of his new backpack! But, first, let me tell you what I like about it. The comfort, flexibility and the 3 liter water capacity is important when we’re on a short hike with the family and only need one pack.

Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration Backpack DetailsOne of the first things I noticed was the durable construction and super lightweight material. It is well-padded in all the right places and is fully adjustable to allow anyone in our family to carry it comfortably.  The quality zippers slide easily and the buckles, although lightweight, are secure and sturdy.

I love that it holds 3 liters of water with plenty of extra space and roomy pockets for supplies. We can easily pack a change of clothes, first aid kit, trail food and other important things. The water bladder is contained in a special pouch of the main compartment which makes it super quick and easy for him to remove and refill on his own. The bite valve is different from ones we’ve used in the past. At first, it was awkward. But, as we have begun using it more and more I love this design. The bite valve is extra soft and doesn’t require as much pressure to open as other designs we’ve used.

One of the reasons I wanted him to have his own pack is that he’s becoming more and more independent, blazing the trail ahead of us. A couple really awesome features that I love for him to have, with this pack, are the attached emergency whistle and rainfly. The emergency whistle gives him a way to call out to us and let us know his location or if he needs help. The rainfly is built-in to a pocket on the underside of the pack. While we haven’t yet had to use this particular feature, I can’t count how many times we’ve been caught out in the rain scrambling to protect our more sensitive gear.

To learn more and get the technical specifications, visit the Oasis1200 page at the Teton Sports website. Now, here’s my @happytrailblazr pointing out his fave features on the Teton Oasis 1200.

What we don’t like about Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration Backpack…

There are only a couple things, here. While the location of the hydration bladder does make it easier for quick removal and re-filling, it concerns me a little about the other gear stored in the main compartment being compromised by an accidentally punctured bladder. I also love side pouches, but if I’m being picky, I like them better padded. My son, however, has no such complaint about them.

Gear Gauge: Teton Sports Oasis1200 Hydration BackpackGear Gauge

Over all, I love this pack and it has gained a permanent place as our pack for shorter family hikes and as my son’s own personal pack for longer hikes and overnight gear. We field tested it on a few family outings and on our current expedition exploring different portions of the Appalachian Trail.

This comfortable, versatile pack is perfect for the purpose it serves. It goes above and beyond most other hydration backpacks with its lightweight design and cool features like the built-in rainfly.

To learn more and get the technical specifications, visit the Oasis1200 page at the Teton Sports website.

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