You all seem like a fairly knowledgable crowd so I put forth a question to you… I’m looking to get a hydration device. Any suggestions? Main use will be shortish Muni rides (15 km or so), but it will also double for mountain b*king and anything else I could possibly want one for. So the quesiton is do I go namebrand (Camelbak), which seems like the best thing to do. And what size/options? Do you ever wish you had a smaller one than you have? Bigger one? Do you often use it as a backpack? Or is it better to simply have it serve its purpose as water and enjoy the smaller size?
I’ve looked at the Mule, which seems to be a decent trade off for space and size and comfort. But the barebones “Classic” has it’s alure as well…
I’ve been using various hydration systems for years, mostly for backpacking. My old classic Camelbak was probably one of the best. I had a Blackburn recently and the cap always leaked. The only issue I had with the Camelbak was that it was a little difficult to clean and dry between uses. After a while things start growing in there and the water starts to taste funny. You’ll know right away when this happens. I just bought a Platypus with a ziplock type of closure figuring that this will be easy to keep clean. They guarantee that it won’t leak but I’m a bit skeptical. We’ll see. I don’t think you can go wrong sticking with Camelbak. I just like to experiment.
I also had a Blackburn. It was okay, but when it finally died I switch to the real thing (Camelback). I love the Bak! Mine is called the MULE. It carries 100oz of water and it keeps it cold for a long time. I usually have a lot of ice when I ride.
For me, the key to keeping it clean is to never let it get dirty. That used to mean drying it out after each use, but now I just throw it in the freezer. This method works great and it takes no effort at all.
The MULE was specifically made for MTB, so it has a low profile and just enough space to carry a snack and some tools. I would like to have a larger one for hikes and such, but I can always take the (100oz) bladder out and use it in my backpack.
There are other brands and some of them look ok, but for my money, I’m sticking with Camelback.
Daniel
EDIT: there have been several threads on this topinc in RSU. Try searching for them.
I see you’re in Canada, so I’d suggest making a trip to MEC and checking their stuff out. I think their 2L size is somewhere between $35 and $40. That’s what I’ve got and it works great.
Ive got an old platypus which has served me well in my lifejacket for kayaking and in my pack for hiking. I recently took the plunge and purchased a camelback trailblazer, which is going really well. I was surprised, camelback actually make some pretty comfortable backpacks.
I now use my camelbak bladder for most things - i like the lock off valve.
but hey, for the ultimate hydration system, you cant go past an old milk carton duct taped back up. mmmm, mmm, mmm. milky goodness.
I currently use a CamelBak Bandido lumbar style pack. It holds about 70 oz, but is discontinued and no longer available. When my Bandido dies I will replace it with a Hip Sip 70.
I like hip style packs for muni because they are more stable as you jump around. The downside is that they don’t hold as much water and gear as a backpack style. When I need to carry more water or more gear I wear an Ultimate Direction XSpurt backpack style pack.
CamelBak’s are the most popular and well known packs, but they aren’t necessarily the best available. The Ultimate Direction XSpurt fits on your back better and is more stable than the CamelBak packs.
