Mountain Hardwear Camp 4 28L Backpack Review
The Mountain Hardwear Camp 4 28L Backpack is without a doubt, my favorite EDC backpack I have ever used. The combination of materials, fit, and features is second to none honestly and it has been an absolute pleasure to use for the last few months. If you want to watch some more hands-on footage, feel free to check out the video review on Youtube.
The Camp Backpack comes in at $120 which I think is a more than fair price. It also comes in 4 pretty great colors. The one I have is the Washed Turq two-tone. You can purchase from the link here if interested. MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR CAMP 4 28 BACKPACK
FEATURES
Padded, brushed tricot-lined 15" laptop sleeve with a universal buckle for hydration compatibility
Haul bag inspired flat base, stand up design
Full side zip main compartment for easy loading and access to items packed at the bottom
420D nylon with special carbonate coating for additional durability
Large front zip compartment with internal zip pocket, stretch mesh pockets with pen slots, and a tricot drop pocket
Recycled polyester lining
Main compartment includes a secure zip pocket with key clip
Top access compartment has two brushed-tricot pockets to protect sunglasses and phone screens
Adjustable side bottle pocket
Oversized grab handles made with foam-injected tubular webbing
Wicking stretch-woven and dual-density foam padded shoulder straps and back panel
Dual front daisy chains
Reflective accents on shoulder straps, front panel, and zipper pulls
Removable sternum strap with emergency whistle
Measurements
Approx. Pack Weight Regular*: 1 lb 15 oz / 880 g
Pack Capacity Regular: 1709 cu in / 28 ltr
Pack Torso Regular: 16 in - 22 in / 41 cm - 56 cm
PACK LAYOUT AND ORGANZATION
The first thing you will notice about the Camp Backpack is the two grab handles on the top of the pack. These at first were a bit weird to get used to but I found myself going for them more and more over using the pack. The top one is great to be able to grab quickly from a lying position.
On the front of the pack, there are two lines of webbing that can be used for attachment points for carabiners, etc.
The Camp 4 28 has a pocket and slot for everything you need without being overkill or a mess. At the very top of the pack, there is a small admin pocket located with a red zipper track. This pocket has a soft lining along with 2 slots for smaller items. This pocket works well and holds my wallet, keys, lotion, phone, headphones etc. I love it.
On the very front of the pack, there is a larger admin-type compartment. On the backside of the compartment, there is a lined tablet sleeve that is suspended. This held my full-size tablet with room to spare. In front, there is a zippered pocket for smaller items you want secure. Finally, in front of that, there are a few smaller dividers that held my multitool, pens, knife, and flashlight. The dividers on this pocket were elastic material which allows them to hold pretty much anything you want. I don’t know how well these will hold up with time but they worked great for me. In front of all of these pockets, there is still more room that runs the length of the pack. I would hold my small first aid kit and other misc items in here.
The main compartment of the pack is simple.. and effective. There is one large laptop sleeve that is lined, padded, and suspended. This is standard on EDC bags nowadays and this one is just fine. There is one stretch mesh zippered pocket on the opposite side of the pack that is great for holding chargers and other items you don’t want falling to the bottom of the compartment.
FUNCTIONALITY AND FIT
The Camp is a unique pack in the fact that it is half clamshell opening while still having a full-size water bottle on the other side. Most “clamshell” style bags that have zippers running down both sides of the pack do not have water bottle pockets because they interfere with the zippers. This pack brings the best of both worlds in this aspect. It actually worked very well and I was able to zip one side all the way down and still organize my layout to my liking while being able to bring my full-size hydro flask with me at all times. Very very very nice Mountain Hardwear.
The bottom of the pack is durable ballistic nylon and actually structured to keep the bag sitting upright when set down. This work very well while the pack was loaded out and another great feature. Other self-standing packs that I have used were much too bulky and almost gimmicky in ways to keep the pack upright. The Camp does this without looking stupid or annoying the user.
The shoulder straps and back panel on the Camp are comfortable but a bit hard. They are not the softest strap and panel combo I’ve used but I actually ended up enjoying them a lot. “Wicking stretch-woven and dual-density foam padded shoulder straps and back panel” I did not really get to test the wicking of the straps but they are comfortable while having the pack fully loaded. The back panel does not have a ton going on in terms of breathability or any fancy mesh trampolines but that’s what I liked. For an EDC or School pack, I think this is the perfect combination of durability, carry ability, and breathability.
Overall the Camp 4 Backpacking by Mountain Hardwear is one of the best EDC bags I’ve used here at RMK and at a very reasonable price tag of $120. If you are looking for a backpack that can fit in pretty much anywhere and has some nice tech features while staying durable and functional look no further than the MH Camp 4 Pack. If you want to purchase the Camp 4 you can use my link here - MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR CAMP 4 28 BACKPACK
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PRICE
COLORS
LAPTOP SLEEVE/TABLET SLEEVE
SELF STANDING BOTTOM
RIPSTOP AND BALLISTIC MATERIALS
COLORED ZIPPERS
GREAT ORGANIZATION
GREAT PULL HANDLES
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CAN STANDOUT
NOT THE SOFTEST BACK PANEL/SHOULDER STRAPS