Hydration System

[SPR]

I am in the market for a new hydration system. I currently have an antiquated Camelback. (It looks that way compared with what is available today). It works well but the new ones look more comfortable. I normally use it for racing but want to start using one for any mb rides.
What are you using and what brands do you recommend?
Thanks

[yetirider]

I would stick with Camelbak! I have been using a Mule for the past several years... Great pack, everything that I need can be brought along and the bladders and valves work great!

[Kingbozo]

I will second the recomendation of the Camelback Mule.

[Daddy X]

I have the Camelbak Lobo model. It is two years old, the new design looks even better. It seems just the right size for me, not too big and not too small. It has the 70 oz bladder which works great for long island ice tea's also :) I haven't tried any other brands and I am completely happy with this brand.

[gopherhockey]

I also like the 70oz. lobo for many local trails where 100oz. isnt' quite as critical. Holds a fair amount of things, but isn't as bulky as the mule.

I use the mule when doing longer rides or when it gets really hot out.

I use the HAWG for patrol, when packing lots of stuff is important.

[TrailPatrol]

I use a Camelbak "UnBottle" 100oz. bladder in either a Salomon "Raid 300" pack for local riding, or a Trek "Flex Capacitor" for longer distance rides. Of course I am always carrying patrol stuff, the ten essentials, GPS, etc. so I probably overkill a bit. It works for me, and I have never not had something that I needed!

The CB HAWG is a really good pack for the money, with good capacity, too.

Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans

[TrailPatrol]

Originally posted by gopherhockey
I use the HAWG for patrol, when packing logs of stuff is important.

Uh, John....
We don't require you to carry your own logs while on patrol. You can use the ones that are already out there.

;)

Later,
:banana:
Hans

[Trevize1138]

I'm a HAWG user, too. Just got it this spring before the Maah Daah Hey trip. I got it with camping in mind and it worked splendidly. I carried the following in it:

* 6 Lipton noodle packets (not soup, the cheesy alfredo noodle stuff)
* 6 Ichiban ramen packets
* 10 instant oatmeal packets
* a boy scout canteen set
* water filter
* compact bike toolkit
* digital camera
* Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad (strapped to bungee cords on bottom of pack)
* rain jacket (warpped around Therm-a-Rest)

The 100 oz bladder is also waaaay nice. I rode with a 70 oz bladder for years and very often ran out, even just riding the metro-area trails.

Yeah, the Hawg's pretty nice for the money. If you need the extra storage it's got it, if you don't it compacts with the little strappy things nicely. ;)

[BrightYellow]

I like the CB Mule, I've been using it for the last few years and it works well. I have a 100oz bladder in there that has almost always taken care of me. I

t not only works well for mt. bike rides where you can carry all of your tools, tubes and pump, but also works great for hiking. I've scrambled up quite a few peaks and it's worked great!

John, do you have one of everything? :)

[gopherhockey]

The one thing I like most about the lobo vs. others is the quick-fill feature. You don't have to remove the bladder to fill it, you simply open it up and fill. If they had this feature on more of their larger packs (which they may someday or maybe do now) I'll probably start using them more often.

The one complaint I have with camelbak is that blue cap you use to close the bladder. If you make a mistake and wash it in a machine, they can sometimes warp a little and leak bad. If you don't tighten them enough they leak - and if you overtighten, it can be a huge pain to open them up again.

I have had some come with better caps than others.. I use one from a 2 year old model that works much better than the newer ones.

[manual63]

I saw some Camelbak imitations at a department store last week. They looked just like all the newer Camelbaks but for only $15 - $20. I then took one and looked at the bladder. It was a much harder and more brittle type of plastic. The outter pack part was pretty low quality after looking at it. I bought my original Camelbak in 1995. This year it had a leak and I replaced it with a new one. That old Camelbak not only went mountain biking, it went on long car trips, canoeing, and camping.

Good stuff. The size and weight you want to carry is up to you, but I suggest the Camelbak brand, if you want quality that is.

[zerpy]

Ahh this is a great thread! Being that I am pretty new to this, I recently learned that all a water bottle is good for on the mountain bike trail is to fill your mouth with dirt:)

Seriously, a friend I was riding with was showing me his MULE and it I thought it was better than sliced bread (Maybe, sliced salami now days - I'm on a low carb diet now!). I liked it even better when I got a pinch flat and he whipped out a tube, pump and tire levers. Never knew such a thing existed before that...

have fun
jas

[manual63]

I used to run two water bottles before I had a Camelbak. What would happen was that one or even both would fall out while riding rough stuff. The other issue was reaching down while hauling through some single track and riding with one hand while steering with the other. Using bottles was tricky business. Now, all I do is grab the hose for a sec and put it in my mouth. Now I am set to drink all I want while I have both hands planted on the bars.

[Trevize1138]

Yet Shad *still* wipes out when he reaches for the hose! :laugh:

Actually, this happened to both of us on the same ride. First I reached for the straw just before the sandy right turn dumping out of the long intermediate loop at Lebannon. I grabbed the straw at just the wrong time and the sand twisted the tire the wrong way, then the handlebars WHIPPED out of my hand.

I wish I had a tape recorder to capture the cool "OOugh!" sound I made when I landed on my hands and chest!

Later, I was following Shad through the X loop. By the time I get to this fall-away left turn I see shad lying on his side with his bike on top of him. He spits out his Camelbak straw and says "Damn Camelbak!"

Still, like he said, it's a huge advantage over the old bottle system. You also end up drinking *more* water than with bottles just because it's so convenient, which is a very good thing.

[SPR]

Originally posted by manual63
The other issue was reaching down while hauling through some single track and riding with one hand while steering with the other.

Ah, but this helps develop better bike handling skills.
:D

[socrates]

Hmm....wonder if the Band-Aid brand is the force behind Camelbacks?

[grizzly adam]

Has anyone ever had a Camelbak explode from landing on it? I don't ride with one - I guess I'm old school, water bottle in hand, jumping over Shad - and have wondered if anyone has had one blow up on impact or any tools leave a mark on your back.

As far as getting dirt in gulp of water, us old-schoolers (I just made that word up!:) ) learn that if you quickly squeeze a small amount of water out before you take a drink, it will dislodge most of the mud/dirt that has accumulated. It also helps if you don't put the bottle end in your mouth. Just get it close enought to spray water in and you're good to go!

[Trevize1138]

I remember hearing the urban myth known as "I landed on my back and totally ruptured my CB bladder!"

I've been riding with one since '96 and have never come close to that happening. You'd have to land *square* on your back, I think. And, if you're able to land square on your back due to a bike wipeout you've got bigger worries than a broken camelbak bladder! :shocked:

[gopherhockey]

I guess if I were to fall on my back at any angle I'd be happy to have that bladder there - explosion or no... :p

I have, however, gotten mine hooked up on branches etc. when riding. Sometimes you can duck and get your helmet under something, but the pack is sitting there saying "here, snag me.. please!"

[Crash]

Has anyone ever had a Camelbak explode from landing on it?

Adam - you saw first hand the impact mine took on Tuesday night without exploding :embarass:

I think it would take quite an impact to break and as John said, it would probably soften the blow.....

[grizzly adam]

How did I forget that so quickly!? :mad:

[ryno lite]

I did an endo one day with the camelback on and landed squarely on it and not a problem! Pretty impressive since I am not a light guy!

[ryno lite]

I'm with John on the multiple camelbacks for multiple uses subject. I recommend them also, because I haven't met a camelback I didn't like! I have a HAWG I like and a 50 ounce one I can use when I don't need as much water or weight! I use them biking, hiking and backpacking and have yet to be disappointed. I'll never be able to got back to the bottle!

[Crash]

Gaylon's has the M.U.L.E. on sale for 59.99 (regulary 79.99). Just stopped in an picked one up :D

My circa 1995 M.U.L.E. was getting a little skank.........:shocked:

[gopherhockey]

Mountain Bike Action just did a small shoot-out among popular models and had the CamelBak MULE as the winner.

I didn't read it all to see why they selected the models they did.

(thats if put much trust in the mags)

[jjrsds]

I love using my camelbak rouge. 70 oz and carries snacks, keys, tire levers and patchs with a pump port. I love using it so much that I put it on to cut the grass so that I don't have to get off the lawn tractor. :D

Thinking about getting a 100 oz unbottle and I am wondering if anyone has used one. Also looking at a bigger camelbak for longer trips and commuting to work with. Wondering if anyone has or used a Peakbagger, rimrunner, trans alp, or ethos model.

[SPR]

Just read a review of a new Trek product. They have a dual capacity water pack so you can carry 2 different beverages for a total 100 oz capacity.
However it got a bad review (but good concept) because it was difficult to operate. It was suppose to allow you to drink out of either reservoir or combine them.
When the reviewer consulted Trek about this matter they even realized the design flaw and were sorry they hadn't corrected it before it went to market.
Don't you love these companies who try to sell you defected products. Of course this is off the topic but is an issue I have about our free enterprise system.

[viv]

I use a Hawg for most of my rides. If If Im feeling daring At Leb I will use a water bottle and stop @ the car for refills and to look for hotshots. Ive got one of the Rimrunners for commuting. It can hold a ton, even my Doc M boots. Ive also carried a laptop in it. The only thing It could use are some cooler small pockets. It has one large and then some slots. Rides very securely, Ive forgotten its on my back until I take it off and feel the sweat. My favorite is the simplicity of one water bottle.

[funky-funky-chicken]

I have still been clinging to bottles, litterally. It is probably a throwback to my roots of riding primarily on the road. I also hate the feeling of having something strapped to by back and I find that monitoring my bottles it is relatively easy to know how much I have been drinking.

When riding at Lebanon Hills, there are enough places where a person can ride with only one hand while quickly grabbing a drink. I simply have been puting a Rubermaid tote full of bottles by the parking lot or near my car. (Don't anybody steal them from me okay.) When I complete a lap, I just swap bottles.

I might give riding with a Camelback type device a try for the 24hours of afton. I appreciate all of you who have provided your insight and comments.

[gopherhockey]

If anyone steals your bottles, you can always find more out on the trails. Seems like there are always 3-4 out there at any one time ;)

[Torpedo]

I use both bottles and a camelbak for different things.

I have a Camelbak Stealth for metro ride and skip the bottles. The stealth is 70oz., has no pockets and is wide with baffles. I bought it for military purposes because is made to wear under your pack or jacket. I like it mostly because of the small wide shape.

I still prefer to use bottles for mixing sports drinks (smartfuel). They are just easier to clean.

For adventure racing (12-24hr races) I will have both. I throw my bladder in the pack and mix up sport drinks in the bottles. I do think it is easier to judge how much your intake is with bottles. I like the new bottles with the vapor lock so you just have to squeeze and not have to forget to push the top back in. (wow, that really makes me look lazy.)