# uswe patriot vs airborne, 9 vs 15



## brankulo (Aug 29, 2005)

pretty much set to try uswe pack. have not been able to find dealer locally so its difficult for me to pick. i narrowed it down to patriot 15 and airborne 15. they look pretty similar. patriot has back protection that i dont care about that much but is also quite a bit lighter. this would be my all day ride pack. i have hip pack for rides 3hr and less. for longer rides i currently have abut 10 years old camelbak havoc, not sure on volume, i keep finding contradicting info, anything from 13l to 19l. i also keep thinking if 15l is maybe too big for a day ride and maybe 9l would suffice (patriot does not come in 9l though). typically, on long day, I fill my bladder (usually not totally full, unless i know there is no water source along the way), my tool pouch, sawyer mini filter, lezyne micro floor drive pump, spare tube, compact camera, wallet, snacks, sometimes extra jersey. if its gnarly ride i also put bottle with tailwind in helmet compartment. also my soft shell tends to end up in helmet compartment, in case i start early in cold and it warms up during day (not unusual here in co). i never carry helmet or guards in the pack. so just looking for some experience people have with these two models and sizes for all day rides.
thanks


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## cavo (Apr 18, 2011)

if your havoc is same as mine, (about 10 years old as well), this model:

https://www.rei.com/product/733664/camelbak-havoc-hydration-pack-100-oz

than from i remember its 18l. so i would go from there on capacity. if you have it pretty full during rides i would go with 15l uswe bag, if you just have it half way full then obviously 9l. from my experience, truly full havoc is really bulky, heavy and cumbersome. i usually have it cinched down and maybe half way full the most, even for bigger days. my usage is pretty similar to yours, i am even located in co as well.
i am very interested in uswe bags as well, so please post update once you get one.


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

I recently started riding with a Airborne 3L USWE. I use it for medium length rides where I need more than a caged water bottle. For longer rides on which I need to take more stuff along, the Airborne 9L is perfect for me. 

Obviously, neither of these are as large as the 15L you're considering, but I did want to share that, the thing about USWE... they're different. The packs ride higher on your back than any pack I've ever used in 40 years of riding. And they're pretty snug in a comfortable kind of way. These are things you'll definitely notice right off the bat. But you'll forget about the different feel pretty quick. It's a part of their design that makes them not bounce around, and feel like they're a part of you (one with you) versus something hanging off your back. You can stand on your head, the these packs will not move. After a couple of rides, I hardly notice it there anymore.

Best pack I've ever tried...


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## brankulo (Aug 29, 2005)

ended up getting 9l airborne. went for a test ride today. very impressed with how the pack sits on the back. i didnt actually feel like it was hanging off my shoulders. big thing for me is that there is no annoying waist strap. the way it felt, was like if the pack was compressed to my back, like it was literally hugging me. i purposely went to trail with lots of chunk and some jumps/drops and it stayed put. pretty happy with it. only thing i didnt like is this chemical taste of water, hopefully this will go away with couple of bladder uses.

i also wander if bigger 15l airborne fits the same way, i would assume the bigger the pack (loaded) the less effective the no bounce system is?


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## JimmyC (Dec 19, 2005)

I have the 9L (for quick summer rides), 15L (my primary pack) , and 26L (used primarily when carrying lots layers on my foul weather fat bike rides) USWE packs. There may be some differences in effectiveness but I find that the strap system works quite well no matter what the PACK size or weight is.


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

I've used almost every size in the four years I've been using them exclusively and they all seem to fit and wear the same. Which is fantastic. NEVER have the feeling that something is hanging off of my shoulders like Camelbacks, etc. I'm really surprised they haven't caught on any better. Everybody I know that's tried one said they'll never go back to the other, regular type packs.


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## cavo (Apr 18, 2011)

BmanInTheD said:


> NEVER have the feeling that something is hanging off of my shoulders like Camelbacks, etc.


this was a big surprise for me as everybody just talks about how the pack stays put, but i have not seen any mention of this before buying the pack. but i think the feeling of nothing hanging off the shoulders is equal feature to no dancing monkey system. they should probably market it as well, i would buy the pack just based on this.


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## Qfactor03 (Dec 8, 2005)

Anyone have any experience with these packs that are tall? At 6-5, I have had a really tough time finding a pack that works well. Current pack is almost seven years old (Osprey Raptor 9) and has worked better than anything else I have tried, but the new model is no longer offered in a tall version and it simply doesn't fit well. I purchased a Camlebak Mule on a closeout and it doesn't work at all. The concern I have is the fact that many have mentioned that these packs ride higher than most, so it may not work for the taller crowd.


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## cavo (Apr 18, 2011)

Qfactor03 said:


> Anyone have any experience with these packs that are tall? At 6-5, I have had a really tough time finding a pack that works well. Current pack is almost seven years old (Osprey Raptor 9) and has worked better than anything else I have tried, but the new model is no longer offered in a tall version and it simply doesn't fit well. I purchased a Camlebak Mule on a closeout and it doesn't work at all. The concern I have is the fact that many have mentioned that these packs ride higher than most, so it may not work for the taller crowd.


i am 6-2. I find the fact that it rides high on your back a big plus.
i cant stand the pack that covers my entire back. there is no venting system in the world of backpacks that is efficient enough in preventing your back from sweating. hip belts make it even worse. so having not covered entire back with backpack is good thing for me, as my lower back keeps open and "breathing"


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## Qfactor03 (Dec 8, 2005)

In Florida, so heat is a real issue with packs. I may give the Airborne 9 a go soon. Every pack I have ever tried on or used, the waist strap or belt is so high up it is just under my chest. Annoying to the point where I don't even use it and the pack always shifts and moves around.


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## cavo (Apr 18, 2011)

Qfactor03 said:


> In Florida, so heat is a real issue with packs. I may give the Airborne 9 a go soon. Every pack I have ever tried on or used, the waist strap or belt is so high up it is just under my chest. Annoying to the point where I don't even use it and the pack always shifts and moves around.


dont expect miracles as far as sweat goes. you will sweat under the pack. the good thing is it doesnt cover the entire back like most packs. i have also ridden with waist pack and its the best, as far as sweating goes, but it moves like crazy if you are an aggressive rider. i still use it for longer road rides though, as there is no issue with moving while on the road.


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## Vin829 (Mar 29, 2019)

I have an Airborne 15 and I loved it untill I packed it full. 3L of water tools jacket food. The pack was extremely heavy. I was going on a 6 hour ride and by the time I hit the 4 hours mark I was in pain. For what ever reason it was sitting weird on my left collar bone. To the point I had a bruise. No amount of adjusting made it better. For light loads it’s great. Anything heavy for big days then you might wanna reconsider


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## chawlawla (Jan 30, 2021)

I am trying to decide whether to buy an Osprey Raptor 14L or a USWE Airborne 15. There is a great deal of information on the Raptor, of course, and a bit of information on the USWE Airborne 15. But I can't find any comparisons of the two or any Raptor versus Airborne reviews. It seems like the two packs are comparable in some (but not all) ways. Anybody out there have any comparisons/opinions they would like to share? Maybe someone who has owned both and can give me a pros and cons overview ??? Thanks in advance.


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## Frantic29 (Apr 5, 2017)

Vin829 said:


> I have an Airborne 15 and I loved it untill I packed it full. 3L of water tools jacket food. The pack was extremely heavy. I was going on a 6 hour ride and by the time I hit the 4 hours mark I was in pain. For what ever reason it was sitting weird on my left collar bone. To the point I had a bruise. No amount of adjusting made it better. For light loads it's great. Anything heavy for big days then you might wanna reconsider


I have a camelback mule and I thought it was great until I went on a trip to Moab and I had it fuller than ever before. It was awful. I'm really going to change up my pack situation. It was tools and spares that did me in, the water and food is ok but everything else is going on the bike next time. I didn't think too much about it beforehand. I routinely ride with the water and food, but around home I usually leave the spares and things at home as I'm usually easy walking distance from the car or I know people along the route.

About 3 miles into The While Enchilada my friend took his saddle bag off because it kept hitting his rear wheel. He took all his stuff out and I filled it with everything I could and strapped it too my frame with zip ties. So glad I did. It was a game changer for that ride, and really gave me ideas an how to proceed next time. At the end of the trip we were all complaining about sore shoulders and the annoyance of the backpacks. It was a definite eye opener.

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