…..and? Do you get pain in one shoulder too? That is almost certainly down to the contortions you have to perform to wrestle your water bottle out of the side pockets of your backpack! There is another way, and we will show you how with the “Osprey Aqua Stow”, a bottle holder for your backpack.
What the Osprey Aqua Stow is
This add-on pouch for your backpack takes water bottles of up to one litre. The Aqua Stow is attached to the shoulder straps (which may be up to 2.8 cm wide) using 20 mm webbing and a quick-release buckle, so it always sits within reach at the front of your body, above the hip belt. Alternatively it can be carried separately using the shoulder strap supplied. The back panel is padded and covered with a breathable mesh fabric.
Technical data of the Osprey Aqua Stow
- Dimensions (height, width, depth): 17 x 14 x 10 cm
- Width of the attachment straps: 20 mm
- Weight: approx. 149 g
- Colour: granite
Using the Osprey Aqua Stow in practice
Fitting the bottle holder to the backpack is done quickly thanks to the well thought-out universal attachments. The Aqua Stow should attach to almost any backpack without trouble, provided the straps are no wider than 2.8 cm at the relevant points. There are three attachment points: two at the bottom on the left shoulder strap and one on the right shoulder strap at roughly chest height. The latter is a quick-release buckle, so it can be opened easily to take the backpack off.
Bottles carried in the holder may have a diameter of 6 to 11 cm. Nalgene Loop bottles, for example, fit very well. The bottle sits deep and firmly in the holder. Even during small jumps, or when you bend down, a full bottle stays exactly where it is. Despite that firm fit, pulling the bottle back out is no trouble either.
How the Osprey Aqua Stow carries
At first I was not convinced. Either the bottle and its holder wobbled, or the strap running across the chest had to be pulled so tight that it dug in. Only once I mounted the bottle holder as low as possible – its underside now rests on the hip belt of the backpack – did the comfort improve considerably. In that position the bottle sits at a slight angle and the chest strap can stabilise it much better without having to be pulled very tight.
Verdict on the Osprey Aqua Stow
If you prefer bottles to a hydration bladder with a hose, the Osprey Aqua Stow is a very useful accessory. You can quickly “reach for the bottle” without having to twist your arm. Fitting and removing it takes no time at all. Carrying comfort is good as long as you mount the holder as low as possible. On tours involving a lot of scrambling, though, the Aqua Stow can feel like it is in the way. Since the Osprey Aqua Stow is relatively inexpensive at around EUR 14, it is worth trying for yourself whether this way of “transporting a bottle” suits you. It certainly gets my recommendation as a useful accessory for backpacking trips.
Pictures of the Osprey Aqua Stow
Where to buy
- Globetrotter
