miller1... I do that, but it always falls to the bottom and then the tube is too short or gets pinched. I need to sew in a stuff sack or somthing to hold it in place. my other packs (non hunting) have bladder sleeves in the middle of the pack right next to the back. I so wish eberlestock would use this idea of putting the water bladder as close to the back as possible, since water is usually the heaviest item in a pack other than meat. instead on the blue widow the bladder sleeves are on the sides of the pack. When 3 liters of water are on one side of the pack it makes the load off balance and very annoying. Oh well I will fix this situation with a speedy sticher before summer roles around. So many parts of the pack are very well thought out, yet this oversight in design with respect to hydration makes me wonder just how much product testing was done before the packs went on the market. I still love it and the price difference between the blue widow and the mystery ranch is just not justifiable. I dont care if the pack shoots off fireworks when your arrow connects with a trophy, no backpack is worth $600++. especially when you cant even try it on first. MR Crew Cab will never be worth it to me, unless of course they want to give me a sponsorship and free gear. In my opinion hunting pack manufacturers are way behind the times in technology when it comes to the fundamentals like suspension and load distribution. maybe MR has it together, but at twice the price of any other pack on the market, hunting and non-hunting, I just dont get it. Or should I say wont get it.
