# CamelBak alternatives?



## crashwins (Oct 7, 2009)

Just has an epic weekend with some pretty advanced riders and we talked a lot about hydration. Almost none of them had heavy camelbaks like me, more bottles on the frames or Evo waist packs with a small bladder in it. Interesting to see this. In one sense, having the pack encourages excess water. There are opportunities to refill, for example. I don’t like the idea of a bottle on the frame, but considering maybe a smaller cambelbak that’s basically just a smaller bladder or using a Salomon trail running vest that keeps evethung pretty snug. Any ideas? Would love some help! Thanks


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## toadmeister (Sep 24, 2017)

Tagged for interest.

Personally I don't like any extra weight on my back when riding. I also have neck/upper spine issues so....

Always interested in better ways of carrying water.



Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

These USWE packs DO NOT MOVE on your back and fit high and tight (some don't like that) but I've used them for years and always have some tasty, cold refreshment at my disposal no matter what the terrain w/o having to stop or wait for a smooth spot (what a PITA!).
https://www.uswe-sports.com/us/packs/run/outlander-2


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

+1 for USWE.


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## blaklabl (Mar 14, 2011)

Recently I have transitioned to carrying 2 bottles on the bike for rides around 2 hours in length; if I need additional water I have a Dakine waist pack with a 2L bladder in it that works good. I am so happy to not have a heavy pack between my shoulders, I also realized how over-watered I was all these years. I don’t drink nearly as much as I thought I did.


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## DNW (Mar 11, 2006)

It all depends, and don't get hung up on what everyone else is wearing, hip bags are trendy now...

What does your ride look like, then pack accordingly. Come up with systems that work for you.

I start with a bottle on the bike on every ride with electrolytes, then pick a pack based on what I need. I have a 3 liter hip bag, a 9 liter pack, and a 20 liter pack. For a couple hours out, close to civilization, reasonable temps, I use the hip bag. If I need more water, first aid, food, or clothing, based on ride duration, location and weather, I pick a pack based on what I need to carry. For an all day backcountry ride at higher elevation I would be using the 20 liter pack. If I know I can refill at regular intervals I would carry less water, if not I would rather have an extra liter at the end of a ride than run out.


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## Shredmonkey (Jan 24, 2013)

Why against the water bottle on the frame? Seems like a great solution to your predicament. I went to a hip pack years ago and haven’t touch my Camelback since. It also helped me realize I was drinking and lugging around way too much water for 90% of my rides. Can’t express enough how much more enjoyable riding is Without weight on your shoulders and a sweaty back.


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## OldHouseMan (Dec 7, 2006)

I prefer a bladder system over water bottles. I find that I drink less if I carry just a water bottle.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

BmanInTheD said:


> ... refreshment at my disposal no matter what the terrain w/o having to stop or wait for a smooth spot ...


Sums it up for me. I don't like stopping and trails are rough enough that I couldn't really drink from a water bottle while in motion. Road or gravel def water bottles.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

I don't usually carry a pack, most weight it's on the bike, but when I do, I only carry water and 1 Gatorade. Tools/spares are all on the bikes. I have 2 smallish packs.

Dakine 6l and a new CamelBak Hatchet which is narrow and super light.

I also hate carrying crap on my back. (Exception is group rides)


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## gfourth (Apr 12, 2009)

After a decade+ of backpacking (eventually ultralight), tons of multipitch climbing, hiking, and cycling I can safely say I hate camelbaks and eventually cut them out of all activities. I've had too many mouthpieces break, fall off, or simply land in the dirt. The hose is always annoyingly long, too short, or somehow strangling you. They are a ***** to keep clean or store. They awkwardly take up space in your pack and you're limited to water only. You always end up carrying too much water and over drinking (it's the reason why my trail name was Mr Peebody on the JMT). I do hold onto one for MTB because it is useful for hands free but it pretty much just sits in the freezer. The second I do any spirited riding it flings my pack in all directions like a sail. Luckily majority of my rides only need 1-2 bottles and can ride sans pack. And if I am doing an all day epic I'd rather just throw more bottles or a platypus bag in the pack.

edit: and I think carrying water, especially a bladder full of it, in a hip pack is an incarnation of the devil himself. Just wear a pack at that point.


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

Never been a fan of bottles on the bike. I put a lot of money and effort to make my bike light and don't want to add another pound or two. Hip packs are cool and I see why riders like it, but don't work for me. They are uncomfortable on my waist and bounce too much. Hydration pack is still the best solution for me.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

Just because a hydration bladder has a fluid capacity of 3L (in my case) doesn't mean you have to fill it to that level every time. I'm carrying tools, snacks, first aid, and a rainjacket in my pack so it's a single point grab-and-go for me. I personally despise those under the saddle seat packs and I'm not particularly fond of water bottles either.


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## dompedro3 (Jan 26, 2004)

I'm with Baldblur here. I carry an osprey hydration pack because I carry more than water. 
Also, old hernia surgery makes waist packs incredibly uncomfortable. 

In my bag I have:
1. Water (fill up bladder halfway if short ride)
2. Multitool
3. tiny flashlight (in case I get caught after dark) - Fenix E01
4. First aid kit (fits in altoid tin, has most of what I need)
5. small pump (gave up on C02 when I realized two C02 canisters and a Co2 pump weigh more and take up more room than a small pump)
6. granola bar (in case I, or one of my riding buddies bonks)
7. one tire lever because I have yet to find a decent tire lever on a multitool
8. One tube
9. patch kit (backup for when your now tubed tire gets a snake bite)
10. toilet paper or wet-wipes
11. card with emergency contact info

I started biking years ago with just my wallet in my pocket and a water bottle, got my first camelbak that could just hold a patch kit and a bladder. Everything else has been added over the years as situations came up where I needed them 

I could fit it all on my bike or in shorts pockets (underseat, awesomestrap) and I admit, riding without a bag feels great, but inevitably, the time I go out for just a short ride with just a tube strapped to my seatpost, is the time I need a chainbreaker, or some toilet paper, or a patch kit.

But I'm not you. To avoid the pack altogether I see a lot of people with the osprey Savu on my rides and the specialized SWAT system looks pretty cool.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

Surprised no one has said it. I wear my camelbak as protection. It carries water too, sure, but so do frame bottles. I keep the pack to protect my back! 

Its paid off a few times. I cut a big gash in my pack crashing into a sharp rock, through the thick material part of the pack, pretty close to my spine. I was injured anyway, but I wasnt cut. I'd imagine that could have damaged my spine and left me bleeding all over judging by how bad it cut through the material.

Camelbak makes some pretty lightweight packs that hold little more than a few small items, and water. The HUGE h.a.w.g style packs are a bit much, but they make tons of other options that basically just carry water.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

crashwins said:


> Any ideas? Would love some help! Thanks












I carry two bottles and all my tools on the frame. Nothing on my body. Heck in this pic I have a folding saw attached to the frame as well for trail maintenance.

If you are buying a new bike you can narrow down the selection by the designs that meet your performance/fit needs and carry the water/gear you want on the frame. If you are just tweaking an existing bike there are a bunch of ways to attach frame bags and bottles to the frame.

OP post a pic of your ride that'll help with suggestions.


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## Jetta2010 (Jan 15, 2012)

crashwins said:


> Just has an epic weekend with some pretty advanced riders and we talked a lot about hydration. Almost none of them had heavy camelbaks like me, more bottles on the frames or Evo waist packs with a small bladder in it. Interesting to see this. In one sense, having the pack encourages excess water. There are opportunities to refill, for example. I don't like the idea of a bottle on the frame, but considering maybe a smaller cambelbak that's basically just a smaller bladder or using a Salomon trail running vest that keeps evethung pretty snug. Any ideas? Would love some help! Thanks


Camelback is so '10ish. Waterbottle/fanny pack is now in vouge (or full backpack with water bladder for the outlanders).


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## BmanInTheD (Sep 19, 2014)

One Pivot said:


> Surprised no one has said it. I wear my camelbak as protection. It carries water too, sure, but so do frame bottles. I keep the pack to protect my back!


This. They've saved me a few times from getting my back scraped up pretty good or maybe even worse.

And these arguments of hoses being too long/short (seriously? try a tape measure and scissors), hoses strangling you (haha, how can that happen?), you can only use water (I use Tailwind in mine all the time; rinse it out and throw in the freezer), packs flopping around (USWE packs WILL NOT MOVE if properly fitted) sound like people just not using them correctly or not having the right ones. If you just absolutely don't want something on your back, ok I get that. But that's the ONLY negative IMO. Which is EASILY outweighed by the PITA of having to reach way down for a bottle with a nozzle full of mud, cow manure, sweat and God knows what else.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

One Pivot said:


> Surprised no one has said it. I wear my camelbak as protection.


Between a Camelbak and an IUD you and your lady should be pretty safe. No glove, no love!


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## jamesaustintexas (Oct 3, 2018)

I like my Dakine Hot Laps hip pack. I used to ride with a camel back, but this feels more comfortable. And it stays put better when jumping, for me at least.


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## scatterbrained (Mar 11, 2008)

BmanInTheD said:


> This. They've saved me a few times from getting my back scraped up pretty good or maybe even worse.
> 
> And these arguments of hoses being too long/short (seriously? try a tape measure and scissors), hoses strangling you (haha, how can that happen?), you can only use water (I use Tailwind in mine all the time; rinse it out and throw in the freezer), packs flopping around (USWE packs WILL NOT MOVE if properly fitted) sound like people just not using them correctly or not having the right ones. If you just absolutely don't want something on your back, ok I get that. But that's the ONLY negative IMO. Which is EASILY outweighed by the PITA of having to reach way down for a bottle with a nozzle full of mud, cow manure, sweat and God knows what else.


This^^^. A properly fitted Camelbak isn't going to flop around on your back. Assuming you're buying a pack with a sternum and waist strap. I ride pretty aggressively and I have no issue with a Camelbak. I've been wearing them since they came out. It was such a relief to get rid of muddy water bottles. To know that when I needed a drink I wouldn't be wondering if my water bottle had fallen out on that last gnarly decent, or if it was covered in mud. I've never been "strangled" by a Camelbak hose. I've never had the mouthpiece fall out. The occasionally leaky mouthpiece is easily dealt with by replacing it when it starts to leak; which is cheaper than replacing water bottles that magically disappear.

I always run a mixture of Gatorade and water in my bladders, and clean by filling them with hot water and dropping a denture tab in (that's all the Camelbak tabs are). Sooooooo hard. Hang them from a pot rack in the kitchen to dry. Not an issue.

I also have a hip pack (Evoc Race) with a 1L bladder in it. I'm of two minds about it though. It feels a bit weird at times to have all that weight flopping around on my lower back, and I have to pretty much stop what I'm doing to take a drink from it. Fitting my phone in there is a struggle, and I now have nothing protecting my back, which is causing me to look into spine protecting vests like the Alpinestars Paragon. Taking the Camelback off, only to replace it with a vest seems to kill the main issue most people have with Camelbaks in the first place; something on their backs.

All in all, I just find it humorous that we've gone from "Camelbaks are revolutionary" 30 years ago to wanting to switch back to dirty water bottles. :skep:


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