Hydration Packs

We have written in previous blogs, newsletter articles and in the notes section of our packing list about hydration packs. But now that it is summer, and hot outside and we really will feel more thirsty I wanted to emphasize again why this piece of equipment is superior to water bottles.

For those of you who are not familiar with this - a hydration pack is a water bladder (usually 50-100 oz./1.5 -3 L ranges) that fits inside a lightweight backpack and has a long tube that stretches from the water bladder, through the pack and around to the front of you (when you wear it). There is some type of bite valve on the tube that allows you to "bite and suck" when need be, but it closes off when you want it to just hang loosely. I got my first Camelbak hydration pack for bicycling, but now I carry it for hiking and sometimes even bring it for kayaking as well.

1) You will drink more, drink more regularly and stay better hydrated. With the tube in easy reach of your hands and mouth, you can drink as you move along, as often as you want or need to. You don't need to stop and get your water out of your pack, take your hands off the handlebars of to get your bottle out of its cage or even stop paddling very long for a quick drink.
Plus it is fun to drink from a long straw!

2) The fact that it is fitted in a fanny pack or backpack, means you also have extra room to carry camera, wallet, rain jacket, bike tools, snack, etc. The packs vary in extra cargo sizes, so pick one that is right for you. Some people object to wearing a pack while they bicycle, but honestly I hardly notice mine, and being better-hydrated makes it worth a bit of sweat on my back.

3) The water stays cold/cool longer. How many times have you stopped to drink out of your water bottle on a hot hike only to find it the palatability of bath-water? The hydration pack keeps the contents of the water bladder cold for quite a while, especially when you put ice in it. You can also freeze the bladder when it is half full, take it out the following day, top it off with water and the ice chunk will melt even more slowly than ice cubes throughout the day. The top layer of water is not always cold, but there is nothing more refreshing than sipping through that layer and hitting icy cold water in the middle of a 50 mile bike ride or 10 mile hike. You can also try and blow the water in the tube back into the bladder after drinking.

4) You can carry a larger quantity of water. Getting a 70 oz or 96 oz. bladder allows you to carry a lot of water pretty easily and all in one space. You would need 3 to 4 water bottles to equal that. You don't have to fill it totally full if you don't want, but I have been on several hikes and bike rides where I drank everything in the pack. And as you drink, the bladder empties, as opposed to drinking out of a bottle - you still have to carry the bottle around once it is empty. Better for traveling on a plane as well - takes up less space in your luggage for the equal or more water capacity.

5) Though I find that my bladder has stayed much more clean and less smelly than any of my water bottles, they do need to be cleaned, as does the tube. It is inadviseable to put flavoring in your water in the hydration bladder due to the difficulty of thoroughly washing the tube. In that case bring a smaller water bottle for your Elixir/Gatorade/Crystal Light/etc. and leave the bladder for water only. Most bladders have wide mouth/ziplock-type opening which makes it easier to clean as well as to fill with ice and fill in a variety of water sources (though many bladders are not compatible with water filters)

The hydration pack is certainly not suitable for every situation (like winter sports or high altitude trekking). But more often than not it is the ideal choice for staying superbly hydrated while being active in the outdoors. Won't you convert today? -- deb