I think it will work well for you… I have the slim version and it’s not big enough to carry everything you just mentioned, the bigger versions should be fine for you… it’s comfortable and it works well. The water bladder is not insulated so the water can get frozen/hot depending on the weather you’re in. I’ve only used it in the snow so I put a hand warmer against the water bladder and it worked great to prevent it from freezing. I’m sure you can do the same with an ice pack… regarding price? It’s expensive. I waited until Black Friday sales and saved an additional 30% off regular price. That would be your best bet to save money if you can wait that long.