camelback questions

[crl2010]

i have an osprey pack with a camel pack incert i was wondering for a through hike would a camelback be dangerous as in growing mold. and wouldent it be a huge pain to always try to keep it clean?? but the down right convienence of having that hose right by ur face would be great

[Mongoose2]

I have been section hiking with the same camelbak for 4 years.....I really like the convenience. Good question about the mold, I have not had issues, but a week on the trail is different then a few months.

[take-a-knee]

i have an osprey pack with a camel pack incert i was wondering for a through hike would a camelback be dangerous as in growing mold. and wouldent it be a huge pain to always try to keep it clean?? but the down right convienence of having that hose right by ur face would be great

If you only put water in it you'll be fine. Put gatorade or anything else sweet into it and you'll have to bleach it to keep it from growing fur.

[DrRichardCranium]

yep. save the gatorade for a separate bottle. Only put water in the camelback & you'll be fine just giving it a rinse now & then.

[Many Walks]

I use the Camelbak Elixir tablets and never had a problem. They provide electrolytes and don't gunk up the bladder. A good hot rinse occasionally has kept it clean. We also keep a separate bottle for Gatorade and other sugar based drinks. Works for us.

[garlic08]

That's one reason I stopped using hydration tubes. The one I used on the PCT lasted a couple of months before it turned splotchy black and red in the summer heat. It never had anything but water in it. I threw it away and never replaced it. The other reason I stopped using it was the unreliability of the valve--snagging on brush and loosing it, getting small debris caught in it, and setting the pack down on top of it and loosing water.

The hot rinse would probably help, maybe some bleach once in a while, and it looks like most new valves are a better design than the one I had.

[SMSP]

I have used CamelBak's for several years and have been pleased. I too, only put water in mine. I use a Platypus 1 Liter for drink mixes. I cleaned my CamelBak for the first time the other day with an actual brush designed for cleaning the tube. I cleaned mine with baking soda mix. I will continue to use CamelBak's or similar. I would like to try a MSR bag down the road.

SMSP

[Erin]

Ditto Take a Knee. I used Camel backs for biking and anytime I used it for anything but water, it got furry fast. The tubes are hard to clean. I have tried to use them for backpacking but for me. too much hassle to fill the resevoir from a trickle, so I went back to bottles and a platy. So I will use my camel back for water only on bike rides and they are wonderful on the bike.

[300winmag]

When I refill my hydration bladder on the trail I ALWAYS use Katadyn MicroPur chlorine dioxide tabs in it. this keeps the bacteria contamination to virtually zero, even from the mouthpiece.

At home I always rinse my hydration bladders with a water/Clorox mix & hang 'em to dry. No problems in 12 years.

Also I hace a black Camelbak mouthpiece cover to keep the bite valve clean. Works well.

Eric

[Rick500]

I have an Osprey pack and I use a 3 liter Camelbak in it as well.

I only put water in it, and it's been fine so far.

I'm a homebrewer as well as a hiker, so I figured this out quite by accident -- StarSan is a sanitizer for homebrew equipment. Go to your nearest homebrew supply shop and get a bottle for $10 or so...it'll last you for years. Rinse out your Camelbak bladder with a solution of StarSan every 2-4 weeks and you'll never, ever have a problem.

StarSan is also non-toxic and environmentally safe.

[psyculman]

I have always wondered why Camelback does not make a cover for the sip tube, because, yes, it is always getting dirty. Camelback thinks of everything else.

[JaxHiker]

They do make a bite valve cover. However, mine doesn't work with the ergo bite valve, just the straight one.

[chiefduffy]

I never had problems with mold, but I ended up switching to aquamira bottles because I kept running out by accident. I still drink as much, but now I can always see how much I have left in the bottle...

- Duffy

[crazyonelost]

I had the cabelas Hydration system for years,but with the lack of proper care. I had to throw it away and I bought myself a Walmart brand Platy. Works great. But the only thing that worries me is the slider lock on top failing on me if I try to stuff my Back pack. Any problems with failure cause of this. I only filled my about 1-1.5 quarts since I was a little nervous.

[The Crisco Kid]

Does soda water mix help remove the plastic taste in the camelback?

[skinewmexico]

Hard to clean, hard to tell how much water you have left, expensive to replace compared to a Dasani bottle. Plus I like stopping and getting a drink on occasion.

Watching some people use a camelback makes me wonder if they have mommy issues.

[Rick500]

My Camelbak has worked out very well for me. I like being able to take a drink anytime I'm hiking without having to mess around with a bottle and lid. (Okay, I know it's not very much trouble to deal with bottles.) I don't have a handy place to stow bottles where I can reach them without taking my pack off.

I do carry a single one liter bottle of water as well, so although I don't know exactly how much is in my Camelbak, I do know that I always have at least one liter left when the Camelbak runs out.

On the other hand, it is a bit of a pain to take the bladder out of my pack, fill it, then put it back in. But it's three liters, so I don't have to do it very often. (If I know I don't need three liters plus an extra liter in the bottle, I won't fill the Camelbak all the way up.)

[sparky2009]

On the other hand, it is a bit of a pain to take the bladder out of my pack, fill it, then put it back in. But it's three liters, so I don't have to do it very often. (If I know I don't need three liters plus an extra liter in the bottle, I won't fill the Camelbak all the way up.)

I got the quick disconnect for my Camelbak so I can remove the bit valve, connect my water filter and pump directly into the bladder through the tube without having to take the bladder out of my pack. I'm pleased with how easy it is to refill it. The whole setup seems to be well made but time is the true test of these sorts of things. We'll see how it holds up. Also, still doesn't solve the problem of knowing how much water is in the bladder but I try to keep it full by refilling whenever I find a water source.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I'm a section hiker so I can't comment too heavily on long term continued use of the Camelbak, but I am a big fan of them and wanted to add a couple of comments:

- Internal bladders allow you to take a sip every couple of minutes, instead of getting dehydrated in between water breaks and then trying to make up for it by chugging. I actually use less water and feel better using my mine.

- I use the 3 litre bag in my pack and I like that the holder keeps all of this weight in the middle of my pack and close to my back, instead of carrying all of the water weight in the bottle pockets.

- I only fill my Camelbak with water and I usually use aquamira, which I think helps keep it sanitary to an extent. With the Camelbak I have, the fill opening is large enough for me to fit my hand in and scrub the inside of the bladder once I'm back home. I imagine you could do this every couple of weeks at a hostel or the like which will probably be more than enough to keep it sanitary.

- The only problem I have had is that the standard bite valve can take a beating and start to leak after a while. If you decide to use one on a thru hike, it might be worth the couple bucks to buy an extra valve to keep with you.

[Harley&Me]

I carried my camelbak for most of my thruhike last year and didn't have any problems with gunk buildup. I ended up sending it home to shed weight and just carried two 32 oz Gatorade bottles. That was more than enough water for me.