You can purchase a newer iteration, the Toolbox 2.0, here.
I love this pack, and was actually able to get it brand new for $35 from a woman who listed it on Craigslist after winning it at a charity auction. I was stoked on that deal since it retails for $100 in stores.
Its pretty big, which is the pack's biggest drawback as well as its biggest asset. The dimensions are 16" H x 12" W x 8.5" D, and it holds everything but the kitchen sink, and I'm pretty sure I could even cram that in there.
The Toolbox has a dedicated spot inside for my ID, an internal pouch to hold a hydration bladder, several internal small pockets and organizer slots , and is very comfortable to wear. It also includes a helmet holder on the outside as well as a padded sunglass case that I think is pretty cool. The valuables pocket on top has extra external padding to protect its contents, as well as a soft lining inside, but is a little smaller than I would prefer. The Toolbox also has well designed pouches on each side for holding knee pads or water bottles which is nice.
Its a great pack, and I recommend it to anyone who usually uses a Camelbak HAWG or MULE, which are of comparable size but not as nice. The only problem is its size, and the fact that it can get heavy if I load it with a bunch of stuff.
For that reason, I own another, smaller pack, that I use for shorter rides where I don't need to carry as much. That pack is the High Sierra Soak 2. I bought it at Costco last year for $15 on sale (usually $20) and it is awesome. Its smaller than the Toolbox, and is comparable to an average size Camelback, but has more features than a Camelback and is way cheaper.
The High Sierra Soak 2 is a hydration pack with three additional pockets for gear. The bladder slips into a separate sleeve in the main pocket lined with a special Thermo-Silver insulation. The main pocket has an additional long, slim sleeve with a Velcro strap at the top for a bicycle pump. The larger of the two front pockets has three smaller sleeves along the bottom with elastic across the center to keep longer items from falling forward when you open the pocket. There is also a mesh pocket with a zipper sewn into the front flap of this pocket. A small plastic clip is sewn to the back of this pocket for keys, etc. The front panel of the pack has the smallest of the pockets. It is accessed by the zipper on one side of the pack. This pocket runs along the entire front panel of the pack.
Additional features of the pack include:
- Drain hole in the bottom of the main pocket
- Elastic shock cord on the outside of the pack for more gear
- Plastic clip on the front of the pack
- Mesh panel that comes out of a zippered compartment on the bottom of the pack for carrying a helmet (attaches to the pack near the main pocket's zipper so that the main pocket can still be accessed when a helmet is carried on the pack)
- Reflective strip near the bottom of the pack
- Extra adjustable waist strap that comes out of the sides of the pack near the smallest zippered pocket
- Vapel Mesh Airflow adjustable shoulder strap
- Hands free water reservoir pressure valve with a dirt shield
- 2 Liter hydration bladder with Z-Valve is included with the pack
- Insulated water tube cover
- Adjustable sternum strap
- Vapel Mesh Airflow padded back for moisture wicking
- Zipped expansion gusset for increased capacity (runs along both sides and the bottom of the pack)
The bladder is easily removed from the pack by sliding it up out of the insulated pocket. There is a large easy to use lid on the bladder. The tubing runs from the bottom of the bladder up to the top on the outside and through a hole in the top of the bladder. There are holes on the top on both the left and right side of the bladder so that the tube can be used on either side of the pack. The pack itself also allows for the tube to be attached on either side of the shoulder straps. The shoulder straps have both a sewn in loop for the tube and a Velcro fastened loop. To drink from the bladder, the dirt shield is removed and water flow is controlled by biting down on the valve and sipping. The dirt shield is attached to the valve via a small cord.
This was my first hydration pack. I am very happy with the bladder and valve. The bite valve is very easy to use, just put it between your teeth and bite down lightly to get the water to flow. The dirt shield adequately keeps the valve clean, but I usually leave it off when cycling for ease of use, letting it hang by its cord. I put it back on when running to keep it from flopping around.
The pockets allow for plenty of gear storage. I have packed in the full 2 liters (70 oz), a light jacket, energy bars, keys, cell phone, and wallet with room to spare.
I noticed at my last trip to Costco that they have them again this year, and have made some minor improvements including changing the dirt shield location in a good way. If I can get approval, I may pick up another one to use as a backup. You can't beat the price, and its a great pack on the trails.
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