The 10 BEST Festival Backpacks, Hydration Packs & Rave Camelbaks

This festival season is already upon us, and many of you are probably looking for the best music festival backpacks, hydration packs, and rave camelbacks. As a good reminder, I decided to lay down my recommendations for the best music festival hydration packs, rave backpacks, and camelbaks to keep you hydrated all weekend long – and looking good, of course.

Hydration is extremely important at a festival or show, and we forget about it all too often! I can’t even count the number of times I’ve walked over 5-10+ miles in a festival day… and danced many more miles too!

Your body is obviously going to work up a sweat, and some people forget to hydrate when distracted by heavy bass, huge drops, or sweet techno beats. Additionally, raving in the desert or anywhere in the heat will speed up dehydration and you will lose track if you aren’t keeping up. 

I always ask festival attendees if they have a rave hydration pack on their checklist, an this list contains some of the best. There are a TON of options out there and I am going to break down my top 10 in a very comprehensive fashion for you guys so that you do not need to waste time searching. Whether you are looking for a large carrying capacity for lots of water and items, or something small just to carry your phone, you have come to the right place. 

ALSO, if you are looking for more festival content, my blog is the perfect place for you! I have been to dozens of festivals around the world and this site is full of festival reviews, tips, and guides. Check my festivals page for more, or these quick links:

• Top Gifts for Festival Lovers and Ravers
• The ULTIMATE Festival Camping Checklist you NEED
• Festival Expert Top Music Festival Tips, Hacks, and Must-Haves
• Tips for Going to a Festival Alone
• Best Brands for Festival Outfits

The RaveRunner Anti-Theft Festival Hydration Backpack

This is hands down the best festival hydration backpack money can buy that has been with me through Boom Festival, Burning Man, and more. I am not quite sure why nobody thought of an anti-theft pack before, but this thing works a charm. The RaveRunner has so many sweet features that I am still finding small hidden pockets as I use the bag.

There are two components to the “anti-theft” part. The first feature is inverted zipper place. GenZ designed the bag so that the zippers actually lay on your back rather than outside the pack where someone else can open it. Another awesome feature is that there are chest pockets on the shoulder straps. This gives you a good spot to place your phone or sunglasses while keeping them safe and accessible.

The RaveRunner also allows you to thread a light-string wire through small loops throughout the pack giving you the ability to truly customize the pack to your liking. There are multiple safe places to zip your belongings right up against your back, and a few outside pockets too for less valuable stuff.

The water bladder in this festival hydration pack is BUILT IN so you don’t have to struggle with squeezing a full bladder back into the bag… you just have to open it, fill it, and close it again.

To add to the luminant capabilities, the RaveRunner has a fun feature called ‘underglow.’ This is a small light-up device that attaches to the bottom of your pack and turns the area around you into a dance floor. It actually has technology that makes it light up and change colors to the beat… so you can literally make your hydration backpack into a rave itself!

Finally, the RaveRunner has two spots for customizable, detachable skins and solar panel chargers. The solar charger is great because it could charge on your back all day long and be ready to juice your phone before nighttime.

The price starts at $79.99 With Free Shipping! There are also tons of upgrades and add-ons that you can get – even a light string that fits through rungs in the backpack itself. You can really tell these guys are festival lovers themselves and thought of all the things we like and need.

The RaveRunner X/RIG Ultra Chest Hydration Pack by GenZ 

Personally, I don’t like wearing a giant bulky backpack. Although I enjoy carrying a full two liters of water, there are times when big bags make me too hot. This is why my second recommendation is the RaveRunner X/RIG Ultra which is also by GenZ Outdoor.

This chest bag is pretty small but still gives you the ability to carry 17oz of water, your phone, keys, vape, snacks, AND a long sleeve sweatshirt. Chest bags are definitely becoming WAY more of a thing these days – and if you think about the massive convenience factor, it makes total sense.

You can see that the front main pocket of the X/RIG is designed to hold your water and phone while the adjacent pockets hold everything else. I would even advise dumping ice into the back panel to cool down your back. 

While this isn’t exactly advertised as anti-theft, it certainly minimizes the chances of your phone being stolen with storage in the front rather than in the back.

If you are in a pinch, GenZ listing this chest pack on Amazon with prime shipping, so head over there if you need it within two days. The price for these starts at around $70.

Pocket Rave Camelbak 

With many festivals enforcing a 2-pocket maximum requirement for festivals, many people are looking for a solution they can count on. The camelback mule provides a reliable answer for that. While it is not anti-theft like the above options, it still will do the job of being a music festival hydration backpack. Just be sure to take good care of your phone or add a fanny pack to your weekend wardrobe.

This pack could be found at the link below or your local outdoor store or maybe even REI. So if you are reading this as you are on your way to a music festival, it may be a good option to grab along the way.

Vibedration 2 Liter Rave Backpack 

This is probably the most common hydration pack you will find at a festival, and one of the first players in the game of festival backpacks. But, that doesn’t mean it is the best. This pack does the job, no doubt. But it is lacking features that many of these new packs are releasing. I will also mention that the price does not justify what you are getting as well. For $60 you can get better options or spend less money for something that provides the same value.

I will add that Vibedration has some very awesome colors to choose from. They have fun colors and vibey styles that definitely fit its name. You will never be disappointed in the options, and you can find many different styles to match a weekend’s worth of outfits. They also have bigger packs, fanny packs, and different shapes and sizes of festival storage.

If these aren’t wild enough for you, consider making your very own custom backpacks that allow you to customize every aspect of your pack!

Camelbak Mule Festival Hydration Pack

We moved this pack down the list because many festivals are no longer allowing it due to its size. If you are certain that the event you want to attend does not prohibit it, then it is a great option for individuals that desire a large carrying capacity.

The mule will fit up to 3 liters of water which works well if you want to carry water for you and your festival fam. I would say that 2 full sweatshirts along with food, water bottles, and a few other large items could all comfortably fit in this bag.

Additionally, Camelbak designed a very nice, ribbed pack panel to allow airflow to cool of the user. If you are someone who likes to hangout in the back of the crowd with plenty of space. This pack may work well for you because you could place it on the ground with your group.

Reinos 2 Liter Hydration Pack (Affordable Option)

This upgraded REINOS bag has space for 2 Liters of water and so much more! Their packs were a bit more basic before, but now they have come out with this larger pack with solid 4.7 on Amazon for under $40. Wow!

If you want something small but stylish and affordable and with extra pockets, this is your bag. There are many different holographic colors and even fun prints that you can utilize, making it great for different outfits throughout your entire weekend. On Amazon they have 15 different styles.

Since it’s a ewer pack, there aren’t as many reviews so make sure to go through them and understand the pros and cons to decide if this is the bag for you.

Orange Mud Hydration Pack

This hydration backpack is great for the hottest festivals. While it is mainly intended for endurance sports, the pack lays up higher on your back. This enables heat to escape rather than be held down by fabric that completely covers your back. The snug fit is enhanced with shock absorbing clips that fit comfortably to all body types. The chest pockets are great because you can completely close them with a rope clip.

If you are looking for a dual-threat festival hydration pack that will work for festivals and other endurance sports, this one would be great.

Orange mud has a wide variety of hydration backpacks. If you are not happy with their small options, try one of their bigger options as well!

Unigear Outdoor + Festival Hydration Backpack

This is going to be your best option for a low cost; I have seen it as low as $20 when on sale! It’s also available on Amazon Prime if you’re in a rush.

This pack holds 2 liters of water and has all of the usual features of your average hydration backpack. There are enough pockets to store your basic gear checklist when inside the festival. To add, it is super lightweight and there will not be a whole lot of fabric sitting on your back with this pack. 

This is another purchase that can be made on amazon with prime eligibility. So, if you are in a punch for time this pack offers a quick fix.

Neboic 2Pack Hydration Backpack

This deal made it to my list solely because you can buy a two pack on amazon for pretty cheap. This makes it an easy click to get you and your friend a hydration solution for the weekend in a hurry.

The reviews are sporadic. This is probably due to the low cost equaling low quality. This is to be expected. You get what you pay for; what can I say? But if you need something fast and affordable, this will do the job as your festival hydration backpack for the weekend.

Mubasel Gear 2L Hydration Pack

This one deserves to make my list because it was the first hydration backpack I ever used and it lasted me for YEARS. This makes it a reliable option if you don’t carry much at festivals and you want your $34 to go a long way. However, I cannot guarantee that the quality has lasted over the years.

I do not see this product for sale anywhere else really but amazon. It’s got some great reviews, which is always a good sign. I would say it’s one of the smallest festival hydration backpacks out there, but it doesn’t lack in storage.

They also dont have the most incredible style out there like some other festival backpacks, but it’s really function over form for this one. Nonetheless, if they make it the way they made mine, you wont be buying another hydration pack for YEARS.

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