New Hydration Pack Idea!!

[chewie_52]

Okay...I just filed a bunch of papers with the U.S. patent office so I figured since my idea...or at least date of first conception is protected...I thought I'd share this with everyone and get some kind of feedback on this before I go any further. What do you guys and gals think about a prefilled, disposable hydration bladder? It would come package similar to bagged milk and juice in a sealed bag kinda like capri sun juice pouches, except it would have a nipple built into it that would be compatible with most popular packs. It would come in a number of different sizes to accomodate different size packs. This would eliminate the need to fill, clean and maintain the pouches...which I find to be a tremendous pain in the ass. You can keep them in the fridge pull it out use it and toss it...it would be prefilled with water...and maybe different flavored sports drinks in the future?

[TrailSquirell]

now thats really really good idea, you should even step it up to a combo deal with a new hose for like a lil xtra. make them vending machine style? or sell em at races or sumtin? i might have to chip in and buy some if this gets goin.

[KleinCrazy]

You could have the set up like the bladders for Nalgene that you get with the REI Packs. They have a quick connect hose that does not leak and allows the hose to swivel.

[Uncle Leo]

See the thread elsewhere about people throwing empty gel packs on the ground when they're done . . . . .

It's a novel idea but I don't see what's so hard about filling up my camelback ahead of time. I'm not a die-hard environmentalist by any stretch, but I do try to limit my "footprint" whenever I can.

[Matthew]

I don't really clean my bladder all that often because I only use water in it. you would still have to clean the hose which is the bigger pain in the ass. To make the disposable bladder thick enough that a hard fall wouldn't burst it sounds like it could be cost prohibitive. However being able to keep an extra bladder in the cooler while you do a couple laps would be cool. It's a very neat idea and if you got a distributor for them they might sell okay. Do any other sports but mountain bikers widely use hydration packs? Kudos for thinking up something like this.

[Kosk]

Sadly, people pay for bottled water already, so I don't see why this idea wouldn't be successful either.

You'd probably be best suited pairing up with one of the big bottled water companies and using there product to sell yours. I'm sure you'd get a bunch or those suburban-ite, suv driving, REI hiker and biker types that are already brain washed into paying for bottles, pre-filled with water, to buy a prefilled camel back bladder.

Me, I'll stick with good ol' tap water. Keeps the immune system tip-top, and we all already pay for it anyway.


(just cut me some royalties for the idea of using big h20 companies, if it works out;))

[MisterClaw]

What do you guys and gals think about a prefilled, disposable hydration bladder?

Something similiar already exists. (Well, prefilled with accelerade).

http://www.blackhawk.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=4413&d

I've heard of people who are doing unsupported rides of using disposable bladders in order to prevent bacterial buildup after several days of use.

Most people I know only use their camelbacks for water to prevent bacterial/mold growth, and so their water doesn't taste like last week's energy drink.

That said, the transportation costs are probably going to be the killer. shipping 3-6lbs of water/energy drink in a container, plus packaging is not going to be cheap, nor easy.

[qheuie]

See the thread elsewhere about people throwing empty gel packs on the ground when they're done . . . . .

It's a novel idea but I don't see what's so hard about filling up my camelback ahead of time. I'm not a die-hard environmentalist by any stretch, but I do try to limit my "footprint" whenever I can.

those were my thoughts, too.

question: how heavy would the plastic be for these? for duarability would it be almost as heavy as a regular bladder?

suggestion: flavors. gatorade, powerade, koolaid :), etc etc

[bigwheel]

Andy, that is an excellent idea, and has been on my "I wish some would make this..." list.

The idea goes way past hydration packs, though. IMO, this should replace the water bottles that we buy at the gas station or grocery store. You should have a reusable container that you simply drop the bag into, then poke the lid onto. Then, hydration packs would only be a different configuration that uses the same bags.

I am surprised (appalled) that in our throw-away society, we (myself included) buy water in a plastic bottle, then just pitch it. Same with pop, milk, etc. Yes, we all recycle, but that's still not nearly as good as not making the bottles in the first place.

A while back, they (rainbow foods and others) were selling milk that way. You buy milk in a bag, then drop it in a pitcher and cut the corner off. It was an excellent idea -- much better for the environment and cheaper for the consumer. For some reason, the idea didn't catch on, though. I'm sure the plastic bottle companies are happy.

Anyway, good luck with it. I hope you are successful.

[Heuy]

Sadly, people pay for bottled water already, so I don't see why this idea wouldn't be successful either.

You'd probably be best suited pairing up with one of the big bottled water companies and using there product to sell yours. I'm sure you'd get a bunch or those suburban-ite, suv driving, REI hiker and biker types that are already brain washed into paying for bottles, pre-filled with water, to buy a prefilled camel back bladder

(just cut me some royalties for the idea of using big h20 companies, if it works out;))


You should have Buck pitch it to Red Bull,

I personally don't think it will catch-on enough to hit critical mass, maybe if there was an industry standard quick connect like mentioned by Klien Crazy.

But just sell the idea for a lump sum.


BTW

I usually just empty my camelback hose and all and turn the bladder inside-out after a ride so that it can dry out. Never use anything except water and never not even once had to clean it. Am I the only one who does this or am I pushing the immune system a little too hard.

[qheuie]

I am surprised (appalled) that in our throw-away society, we (myself included) buy water in a plastic bottle, then just pitch it. Same with pop, milk, etc. Yes, we all recycle, but that's still not nearly as good as not making the bottles in the first place.

A while back, they (rainbow foods and others) were selling milk that way. You buy milk in a bag, then drop it in a pitcher and cut the corner off. It was an excellent idea -- much better for the environment and cheaper for the consumer. For some reason, the idea didn't catch on, though. I'm sure the plastic bottle companies are happy.


the "milk in a bag" bags are not recyclable are they? if not, i do not see how having them replace recyclable bottles can be better for the environment. ???

[Heuy]

A while back, they (rainbow foods and others) were selling milk that way. You buy milk in a bag, then drop it in a pitcher and cut the corner off. It was an excellent idea -- much better for the environment and cheaper for the consumer. For some reason, the idea didn't catch on, though. I'm sure the plastic bottle companies are happy.

Anyway, good luck with it. I hope you are successful.

Kwick Trip still does this to the best of my knowledge. It is noticeably cheaper. You can get Orange Juice this way also.

http://www.kwiktrip.com/m_eatsanddrinks/naturestouch.asp

[FarmerBEN]

screw red bull, someone online here has connections within summit,

[Don Youngdahl]

Please excuse the semi-hijack of this thread, but the discussion of hydration packs reminds me of an experience about 20-25 years ago. Camelback hydration packs had just been introduced, and a good friend of mine had just taken a buy-out from his corporate management job, was looking for something to do, and had the business opportunity to be the regional distributor for Camelback. That was before mountain bikes had gotten popular.

He asked me it hydration packs had a market in bicycle riders. I told him "no, serious riders don't carry anything on their body, just on the bike or not at all". So much for my marketing savvy.

Don Youngdahl

[soupboy]

Plain ol' water, no. Pre-mixed sports drinks (Haterade, Accerlerade, etc.) si.

[Paul Swenson]

Gel tabs are the cigerette butts of the sporting crowd.

Shippping and distributing liquids is a PITA.

Just my .02

[Nickel]

I'm sure you'd sell a bunch but I cringe at the word disposable.

I don't know where you guys shop at, but if you decide to support your local co-op you can purchase many items in bulk (I've seen it to some degree at Rainbow). Refillable water, cleaning supplies, cereals...I find it pretty amazing. I guess if they got a refillable beer container more people would pay attention to stuff like this :D

[Paul Swenson]

I guess if they got a refillable beer container more people would pay attention to stuff like this :D

Such a thing exists. It's known as a growler.

[stoneage]

Sport drink from a dispenser, like pop. I saw them out west (Tucson or San Diego) when I was traveling with the U or juniors. I must have thrown out eight quart plastic containers last Saturday on the K Krew Enduro. All I did was empty them into my water bottles.

[bigwheel]

the "milk in a bag" bags are not recyclable are they? if not, i do not see how having them replace recyclable bottles can be better for the environment. ???

Yes, there is still waste, but only a fraction of the amount of waste from a milk container. It is more on the order of the plastic that your sandwich is wrapped in.

[dostoy]

This whole idea that anything that's even remotely difficult should be made easier so that Americans have more time to work so they can buy more disposable crap is really going to screw us in the end.

The bladder is a cool idea, but it does support the throw-away culture that's ****ing up this planet. Maybe if they were biodegradable? There are plant-based plastics in development, but I've read there are issues with these needing really controlled environments to break down properly.

Even if they were biodegradable, they still have to be manufactured and shipped over and over and over, as opposed to a reusable bladder. Until we find cleaner/cheeper energy, that's kind of a bad scene too.

I don't know man....just turn on some nice music and clean your camelbak.

[SpecHR55]

See the thread elsewhere about people throwing empty gel packs on the ground when they're done . . . . .

It's a novel idea but I don't see what's so hard about filling up my camelback ahead of time. I'm not a die-hard environmentalist by any stretch, but I do try to limit my "footprint" whenever I can.

Make'em recycalable, (or how over you spell it). Who knows, the next time you sit on a park bench you could be sitting on what you drank out of. I like the idea, but the shipping would be a PIA.

[FarmerBEN]

I heard somewhere that only a small fraction of recyclable plastic is ever recycled due to logistical and financial constraints, so that pretty well got me to give on recycling plastic.

[Trevize1138]

Just to throw another wrench into the works:

Beyond environmental concerns but related to them, most plastics are made from oil. That means the cost of producing plastics is going to see the same exponential upswing we're already starting to see with gasoline.

Our "disposable society" is only partially due to sloth. So far it's been just too darn cheap to produce plastic containers for most manufacturers or people to bother "wasting their time" refilling reusable bottles.

Now, if you were to figure out a non-petrolium based material to make these disposable bladders out of you still have the following challenges:

* Must be at least as cheap as current, petrolium-based plastics
* Must be strong enough to endure the rigors and pressures of current CamelBak bladders

How 'bout a CamelBak cleaning service? :) Think of it, set up a van at the Lebanon parking lot with a sign on the side: "Hydration Service: $5" It'd work just like the propane tank service at SA: turn in your current, empty, dirty bladder, get a cleaned, sanitized, chilled, flavored ($1 extra) bladder to slip in and go.

At the end of your ride you could either turn the bladder back in and get your original bladder back or just let the hydration service person keep your bladder. You'll be back tomorrow when you can just trade in your bladder for another fresh one or you could refill it or clean it yourself if you wish.

Hmmm ... MY IDEA! I got dibs! :jumpy:

[Nickel]

I heard somewhere that only a small fraction of recyclable plastic is ever recycled due to logistical and financial constraints, so that pretty well got me to give on recycling plastic.

Recycling in general is very wasteful (energy-wise). I think there is only one thing that is worth recycling (some sort of paper-based product?)

[Pandl]

I have had my Camelback for a few years, and never washed it, maybe drained it for winter. Got a cleaner kit for my birthday and used it once. Water pretty much tasted the same. All I ever use is water. I have rinsed it, when I got some bad water, like at the last school rest stop during the Ironman.

[Tetreves]

I don't think this is a bad idea (referring to the original post).

As far as materials used in making the bladder, you can get the bladder material to be much thinner and lighter than a traditional bladder. It DOESN'T need to be as strong, as someone mentioned earlier, since you're only using it once. A medium thickness plastic would be plenty. Drink a box of wine (boxed wine) and check out that bag. Or maybe make sangria instead. A Caprisun bag would probably be durable enough as well.

But then the trick is getting something similar to be more environmentally friendly. Otherwise it won't sell at all to the athletic crowd (your primary end-user target). You could use a plastic that breaks down in UV (sunlight). It's in your camelback when you ride, right? (Can I collect royalties for this?)

You also need to have a sanitary way of getting to the water without leaving a cap or plastic bit that can be thrown away, like a "cigarette butt". Maybe a screw-on cap that's sealed, but kept on a leash, like some gas caps? (I should get royalties for that one...) That would keep the trash to a single large peice, which is less likely to be dropped on the side of the trail.

If you can send me $500 via Paypal, I'll sell you my ideas...:D