I'll soon be upgrading my old BOB to either the Condor II or the Baby Condor. and would like some input. The volume capacity seems to be about the same (1950 cubic inches vs. 2010.) The main differences seem to be:

1. Cost. The Condor II is $105 and the Baby runs about $75.
2. Hydration. The Condor II uses a bladder while the Baby uses a nalgene bottle.
3. The Baby Condor doesn't seem to have as much webbing to attach accessory bags.

For those of you who may have one or the other, am I missing anything else? Is the bladder system really worth it to a guy who has always been a water bottle/canteen user? And how often do you find yourself wishing for more attachment points? I don't mind spending the extra $30, but I'd like to make sure that the difference is worth it. I'd appreciate any feedback you may have.

Just to throw a curve at you, check out the Camelbak HAWG. It has a bladder pocket, and plenty of connection points. You could do bladder, Nalgene or both. I've always been a canteen person, but have found the bladder to be a great option. The base capacity is smaller, but it's less expensive (on ebay anyway) and allows for more variety of configuration.

Don't know what you plan on putting in there, but I ordered a Condor II and found I couldn't fit my laptop in there and sent it back.

Note the Maxpedition packs don't have an internal frame system.

It was a nice pack tho.

I recently ordered a Kifaru E&E pack. My goal is to use it for EDC (replacing my Jumbo) and "dock and locked" it to a larger pack like my Dana Design Bomb pack or the Kifaru Marauder, both of the latter do have a frame.

-john

Regular Condor owner here. I found that the "hydration bladder" pocket isn't quite as compatible as I thought it would be. I believe they've updated that in the Condor II, but it still might be a tight fit.

With all of the pockets, compartments, and webbing it's a great pack. I can only imagine that the Condor II is that much better. That was a big selling point for me; other packs go with the one or two compartment approach. Got tired of having everything rattling around and getting smashed.

I consider it more of a day hiking pack / BOB, not anything for overnights (unless you're super ultralight).

$105 is not a bad price at all. I think I paid that much for my Condor. Good luck whatever you decide! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I have a regular Condor that I set up as a BOB. Unfortunately, I find the pack heavy for its intended purpose and not that comfortable to carry. It's an awesome pack for storing stuff, very strong and well built, so it's used as a kit to keep in my truck. I'm looking to upgrade from the Condor to a pack designed for hiking rather than something battlefield rugged and heavy.

BTW, of the two, I'd go with the Baby Condor, I prefer bottles too and you can always store a bladder in the main compartment if you need to carry more.

YMMV

The Camelback Hawg has apparently been discontinued. It looks to be a little smaller than what I was looking for. Good to know they make a good product though.

That's pretty much what I'll be using it for. A BOB stored in the vehicle and occasionally used for 1-2 night stays in the mountains. You have me thinking that maybe the Vulture II (2810 C.I.) might be better suited for what I need.

I see that the Baby version is a bit lighter than the regular (37 oz to 48 oz.) Good point about the extra water.

Here's a crude comparison shot I took -- the Condor is definitely smaller than one would think. Here it is sitting next to a basic Jansport pack for size.

[Edit: I should add, although it looks like the Jansport is taller in the photo, they really are about the same height. Bad camera work on my part. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> ]

Wow, that pic is an eye-opener. The Condor is a lot smaller than I envisioned. It looked plenty big on the Maxpedition website. I guess they used a hobbit to model it. It now looks like the Vulture II or something similar is going to be the one I get. One thing about the Maxpedition line: they all look hell-bent for stout.