# The Do's and Donts for Camelbaks



## bug08 (Mar 18, 2010)

I just purchased a camelbak and I have been doing research, how to clean, fill, etc... I seem to be find a lot of conflicting information. 
Camelbak says it's ok to fill the bladder half way and freeze the night before a rideand the fill the rest with water the day of your ride. Some say that true and it can damage the bag, etc... What does everyone do? 
Do you freeze with water in it? If so, how much water. Do you inflate the bladder before you close it to allow room for water?
Do you leave the tube and bite valve on or remove?
Is there a particular time left in the freezer? Overnight, a day, 2 days, etc...

Lastly, what are the chances of damaged the bladder and hose and bite valve from freezing?

Thanks


----------



## GrayBeard Pirate (Dec 26, 2009)

Personally, I put ice and water in it right before I go out the door, and then I empty it, rinse it out, and leave the bladder open and expanded to air dry when I am done with it.


----------



## Cday1616 (Oct 12, 2009)

Do: fill with beer of choice for epic after ride drinking...


----------



## vaelin (Sep 3, 2009)

I freeze with half full, but with bladder flat, and make sure water isn't in the tube. The major problem with freezing is expansion; if you have water in the plastic section where the tube meets the bladder and it freezes, it could crack there. Otherwise I don't see how a flexible bladder and tube could have much problems.

Don't leave the bladder in the freezer though; it CAN eventually dry out and crack.


----------



## Garasaki (Apr 7, 2010)

I personally don't like ice cold water during/after a ride.


----------



## Guest (May 3, 2010)

I ALWAYS fill mine half full the night before and freeze it. If water does manage to make it into the tube, just be cautious when you pull it out of the freezer not to jam it on the counter or anything. Ill take it out usually an hour before i ride and fill the rest with water before i walk out the door. It keeps 3liters cold for a day. Make sure when you freeze it though you stand it up somehow so only the bottom half freezes, not the whole bladder. I love my Mule, its been tough so far. 

Do's: put beer in pack, enjoy after favorite trail. Pack your favorite "greenery" and enjoy thoroughly. 

Dont's: Light on fire. Throw down stream. Let a bear pis on your pack.


----------



## dstruct (Sep 6, 2009)

When I do clean my bladder (maybe once a month) I use a tsp of baking soda and 1/4 water, shake n rinse. After that, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 bladder of water, shake and rinse. Then I fill it up a and throw it in the pack. I ride a couple times a week so fresh water is cycling through the bladder, and It's only water.
Iv tried the freezer storage, but when its early in the morning and you're running late to head off for a ride, it was often left in the freezer.


----------



## DParks (Oct 3, 2009)

The 70 ounce packs hold just under 2 liters of fluid. This is a nice convenient number. Take a 2 liter soda bottle after it is finished and fill it and keep it in the fridge. It's easy and you don't have to keep removing the bladder from the pack. Just dump any extra after your ride. I have put gatorade in mine but after I did that I put water in it and rinsed it out, then flushed out the drinking tube and bite valve.

Do: Wash your hands after using the restroom and before returning to work, use properly colored and labeled containers for gas, diesel, and kerosone, rewind videotapes before returning, use only water based lubricants with condoms

Don't: Run with scissors, share a kleenex, pour oil down storm drains, drink bleach/oil/gas/drain cleaner, roll through stop signs.


----------



## Selftest (Jun 3, 2009)

Cold water saps more energy from you than normal water. I never, ever freeze water when I hike, bike, run, walk...

That being said, freezing it will sit really messed up on your back, I would imagine. Having a solid block of ice back there seems uncomfortable. Like carrying stones. If you must have cold water, use ice cubes.


----------



## firstcut (Jun 16, 2006)

i just put a shot of vodka (per another post) every time i fill mine.


----------



## louisssss (Jun 24, 2009)

i leave mine in the freezer overnight (empty) then fill with ice cubes & cold water in the morning.


----------



## DParks (Oct 3, 2009)

Honestly, a beer every now and again would probably do you good during a ride. You sweat out so much sodium that it would be like an electrolyte drink.

A shot or two of vodka would work pretty well to keep the bladder and drinking tube clean. You might do a bit better and get some of the higher proof stuff though.


----------



## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

DParks said:


> .................................
> Do: Wash your hands after using the restroom and before returning to work, use properly colored and labeled containers for gas, diesel, and kerosone, rewind videotapes before returning, use only water based lubricants with condoms
> 
> Don't: Run with scissors, share a kleenex, pour oil down storm drains, drink bleach/oil/gas/drain cleaner, roll through stop signs.


You forgot one. Don't: masturbate as god kills kittens everytime you do so.

As long as I don't back wash into the tube, I just keep topping off the water in my pack. No growth or weird taste/smell yet. I've only cleaned it once in the winter in the 2 years I've got it.


----------



## dstruct (Sep 6, 2009)

the-one1 said:


> You forgot one. Don't: masturbate as god kills kittens everytime you do so.
> 
> Now I feel bad...LOL!!!


----------



## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

I fill mine up the night before and put it in the fridge. During the hot days, I'll add ice cubes before I ride. 

If I still have water left in it, back into the fridge it goes. Keeps the creepy krawlies away.


----------



## AZ border pig (Apr 6, 2010)

Am I the only person who just drinks room temp water?!?!


----------



## savagemann (Jan 14, 2008)

AZ border pig said:


> Am I the only person who just drinks room temp water?!?!


Nope. I guess there are 2 of us here.


----------



## Dopaminer_09 (Oct 23, 2009)

savagemann said:


> Nope. I guess there are 2 of us here.


I drink room temp water too, actually more like body temp after I have been riding a while with it.

Another don't: Don't let your two-year-old drink from it because he might bite a hole in the bite valve, like mine did.


----------



## dstruct (Sep 6, 2009)

AZ border pig said:


> Am I the only person who just drinks room temp water?!?!


Mines usually truck cab temp (warm). I'm sure it is the ultimate breeding temp for whatever may live in there. Still tastes good when you're thirsty.


----------



## Garlock (Jul 9, 2008)

*Don't* buy one.


----------



## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

i fill mine with water and throw it in my garage when im back from my ride. never had funky water.


----------



## b_heald (Feb 23, 2009)

i like on cool days when the hose water cools off, its a nice refresher.

and am i the only person who leaves water in the bag for a few days?


----------



## moldau94 (Aug 16, 2009)

I keep mine filled in the fridge all the time. When I clean it (or rather, if), I through a denture cleaner tablet in overnight. It's the same thing as the cleaning tablets from Camelback at a tenth the price. I'll probably have the box I have now until I lose my teeth!


----------



## dhambrick (Mar 30, 2010)

Garasaki said:


> I personally don't like ice cold water during/after a ride.


Its actually not healthy for you when your body temp is high. I think it has something to do with your body needing to cool the liquid to a temp similar to your internals and the shock of going from one extreme to the other. I used to know this but I lived in LA for too long. Damn lenient pot laws. I put ice in my bottles before I leave and by the time I need them they


----------



## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

dstruct said:


> When I do clean my bladder (maybe once a month)I ride a couple times a week so fresh water is cycling through the bladder, and It's only water.


^ ^ ^

I do the same. I never put in anything but chlorinated tap-water. I just hang the pack on a hook after a ride. Usually I'll dump the water and refill before the next ride. That's it. Simple.


----------



## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

AZ border pig said:


> Am I the only person who just drinks room temp water?!?!


I run with whatever comes out of the tap. Our tap water is on the cool side. It heats up during a ride. That doesn't bother me. I can ingest room-temp water faster than ice-cold water, so no need for ice.


----------



## loydfl (Jan 5, 2006)

b_heald said:


> i like on cool days when the hose water cools off, its a nice refresher.
> 
> and am i the only person who leaves water in the bag for a few days?


Nope! I have never cleaned mine going on 3 years. Nothing ever in it besides water...if I need to cool it off I put the opening under the Ice dispenser on the refrige and fill it up. Top off with tap water and hit the road. Still ends up luke warm a couple of hours later in the FL heat.


----------



## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

loydfl said:


> I have never cleaned mine going on 3 years.


Same here.

On a warm day I'll take the coldest I get from the tap. On freezing days, I use room temperature. Never anything but water. After a ride, I empty the bladder via the hose, if there's anything left.


----------



## bug08 (Mar 18, 2010)

thanks for the responses! I am going to try to freeze it tonight to see how it goes on my morning ride. Should i freeze flat or find a way to stand it up? I was thinking of freezing flat and just blowing through the tube until the bladder is inflated so the next morning i can add water. 
I should be good as long as i keep water out of the tube and bite valve. If there are drops of water, etc.. thats fine, but not a tube full and bite valve full.

Thanks again everyone


----------



## jdgang (Oct 1, 2009)

GrayBeard Pirate said:


> Personally, I put ice and water in it right before I go out the door, and then I empty it, rinse it out, and leave the bladder open and expanded to air dry when I am done with it.


^^+1^^^


----------



## Farmguy (Mar 4, 2010)

dhambrick said:


> Its actually not healthy for you when your body temp is high.


 Read the last article in Bicycling on LA's new training and wearing ice vests, drinking slurpee's to keep you core temp under control. You body can over heat, its need to be cooled, I have never read about ice water being bad for you. I freeze my water bottle as well as my camelbac all the time, 1/2-2/3 thirds full of my drink of choice. The nice part of a frozen camelbac is that the pack rests right along your spine and does a great job keeping yo ur body cool while you sip.


----------



## musthavemuzk (Jun 7, 2006)

this is helpful as i bought a camelbak but have not use it yet. been sticking to the caged bottles i have.
in my bottles though i put tap water in and away i go.


----------



## bug08 (Mar 18, 2010)

Farmguy said:


> Read the last article in Bicycling on LA's new training and wearing ice vests, drinking slurpee's to keep you core temp under control. You body can over heat, its need to be cooled, I have never read about ice water being bad for you. I freeze my water bottle as well as my camelbac all the time, 1/2-2/3 thirds full of my drink of choice. The nice part of a frozen camelbac is that the pack rests right along your spine and does a great job keeping yo ur body cool while you sip.


I am assuming you freeze it flat? Do you inflate the bladder after you fill with water so you can add water after it's frozen and before you ride?
I would assume you make sure the tube and bite valve are not filled with water? My big fear is going to be damaging the tube and bite valve


----------



## Garasaki (Apr 7, 2010)

Farmguy said:


> Read the last article in Bicycling on LA's new training and wearing ice vests, drinking slurpee's to keep you core temp under control. You body can over heat, its need to be cooled, I have never read about ice water being bad for you. I freeze my water bottle as well as my camelbac all the time, 1/2-2/3 thirds full of my drink of choice. The nice part of a frozen camelbac is that the pack rests right along your spine and does a great job keeping yo ur body cool while you sip.


I've also read that ice water when your core temp is high is bad for you. Or perhaps what I read was that ice water is not as good for you as room temp water when your core temp is high.

I'm not a doctor or a scientist so I can't argue wether one is true or the other. I do, however, know that ice water "hurts" when I drink it after strenous exercise.


----------



## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

dhambrick said:


> Its actually not healthy for you when your body temp is high. I think it has something to do with your body needing to cool the liquid to a temp similar to your internals and the shock of going from one extreme to the other....


Sorry but this is balderdash, ask Martin Lawrence. Cold water on a hot day is just a really good thing that most people accept. On a really hot day the ice in your pack melts fairly quickly anyway. So the hotter the day, the more ice you start out with-- the coolness also helps inhibit bacterial/mold growth within the hydration bladder.

After all variations on freezing my hydration bladder caused problems, now I do exactly what the first guy suggested-- ice and water just before riding, then empty, rinse, and expand for air drying after. Sanitize occasionally with a vinegar solution or the tablets.


----------



## Maadjurguer (Mar 22, 2008)

I've been placing my bag as is, after a ride, into the fridge. Sometimes I have a lot of water left over, sometimes none....the cold of the fridge has significantly reduced the growth of the slime so that I only need to clean it twice a year. As for freezing the bag....I've done that as well with water in it....I've just left room in the bag for the ice to expand....so I did not plump it up with air before hand. No damage experienced......I tend to go through a bag once a year with use about 6 days a week all year round.


----------



## tsmosher (Mar 30, 2010)

I'm no Camelback expert, but an important consideration is the type of water you are putting into it.

If you are putting filtered water (i.e. no minerals at all), the Camelback will grow bacteria if you leave it out overnight. It is important to note that most bottled water and Pur/Brita filters still leave some minerals in the water; this is only a problem with a R.O. (reverse osmosis) system or the new ZeroWater filters.

Most people here seem to be filling it with tap water which has chlorine which will kill the bacteria.

Just some food for thought.


----------



## bug08 (Mar 18, 2010)

Yeah I mostly put regular tap water in mine.


----------



## schneidie (Aug 30, 2008)

Fill it with the coldest water that will come out of the tap (which is usually pretty warm) and drink all of it during the ride (gotta stay hydrated and I don't wear my pack unless it's going to be a long ride anyways). Hang it from a hook and repeat for the next ride. No creepy crawlies here.


----------



## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

GrayBeard Pirate said:


> Personally, I put ice and water in it right before I go out the door, and then I empty it, rinse it out, and leave the bladder open and expanded to air dry when I am done with it.


+1 on all this. More or less ice depending on how hot the day will be -- I like my water cool but not cold.

My bladder opens completely at the top (uses a plastic doohickey to clamp it shut when in use), so it's a breeze to clean and dries fast. I soak the tube in a weak bleach solution.

Do: drink

Don't: let the bite valve contact the ground, particularly where horses, livestock or other animals have been. I've read that's one way to get giardia or other nasty ailments.


----------



## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

I mix stuff in mine (Heed or gatorade if I'm out of powder mix) because I don't like to bring water bottles if I don't have to.

Very important to rinse/wash thoroughly if you do use anything other than just water....or it will grow. I had to buy a new bladder once because I forgot to clean it ....it was gross.


----------



## AZ border pig (Apr 6, 2010)

dstruct said:


> Mines usually truck cab temp (warm). I'm sure it is the ultimate breeding temp for whatever may live in there. Still tastes good when you're thirsty.


Yeah, during the winter in AZ truck cab temp is good. During the summer I can use the water to boil some eggs haha.


----------



## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

This is probably a "Don't"


----------



## Kneescar (Feb 26, 2009)

I fill mine and freeze it everytime. Usually I'll fill it about 1/3 of the way and throw it in the freezer laying flat so it will conform to my back. I could care less if water freezes in the tube or mouthpiece, I'd never had any issues with cracking. I left my bladder in the freezer the entire winter and have never had problems with cracks, mold, or anything else besides room in the freezer. I know people that will stick a can of whatever beverage (energy, recovery, beer) they enjoy in the bladder and bust that out mid-ride but I'm happy with ice cold water. 

Do: Join the IMBA and any state or local mtb clubs. 

Don't: Obsess over the minor stuff.


----------



## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

highdelll said:


> This is probably a "Don't"


Which part? Throwing it off a cliff or not leaving any water for the trip back down? :skep:


----------



## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

random walk said:


> Which part? Throwing it off a cliff or not leaving any water for the trip back down? :skep:


I was talking abpout putting it on the ground - It could get dirty.


----------



## Farmguy (Mar 4, 2010)

Just a thought for all the room temp guys, do you only drink warm beer after a ride as well or do you like it really really cold?


----------



## kukulkan (Aug 31, 2009)

I fill mine then put ice cubes and a beer almost frozen for mid-ride every time I go for a ride, it stays, cold and the beer in a nice spot definitely hits the spot fro me


----------



## DeepseaDebo (Oct 20, 2009)

reading these post someone might guess owning a camelback is rocket science, just fill the damn thing with ice water and suck. easy day


----------



## chris1911 (May 26, 2009)

GrayBeard Pirate said:


> Personally, I put ice and water in it right before I go out the door, and then I empty it, rinse it out, and leave the bladder open and expanded to air dry when I am done with it.


I do this. I only use water in it.


----------



## YoungerNow (Nov 10, 2006)

Farmguy said:


> Just a thought for all the room temp guys, do you only drink warm beer after a ride as well or do you like it really really cold?


Why is that relevant?

What's enjoyable after the ride doesn't tell you anything about what works during the ride. Or would you also suggest that we fill our hydration packs with beer?


----------



## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

DeepseaDebo said:


> reading these post someone might guess owning a camelback is rocket science, ...


Hey! We're mountain-bikers. We make a mountain out of every molehill:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/chainclean.html


----------



## blue_monarch (Apr 16, 2010)

Hydrapak Big Sur showed up yesterday. Seems like a winner.


----------



## davendrt (Aug 1, 2009)

Fill with Brita water, lil salt, ride, drink, rinse, hang up, repeat.


----------



## Maadjurguer (Mar 22, 2008)

tsmosher said:


> Most people here seem to be filling it with tap water which has chlorine which will kill the bacteria.
> 
> Just some food for thought.


OK....it will kill things that kill you...but the chlorine in the tap water has nothing to do with the green-black slime that WILL grow in your camelback despite the tap water which contains chlorine.


----------



## JonathanGennick (Sep 15, 2006)

Maadjurguer said:


> OK....it will kill things that kill you...but the chlorine in the tap water has nothing to do with the green-black slime that WILL grow in your camelback despite the tap water which contains chlorine.


I've never had slime grow in my water bag, not even when I've left it sit for a month or two hanging in the basement, or on a hook in the hall. Maybe I've just been lucky. I hear about other people having trouble with that, but I just never have. I use only water. I rinse and refill before a ride. That's pretty much all I've ever done.


----------



## insanitylevel9 (Sep 23, 2009)

don't put juice in it, and don't wash it out with soap, my friend did that and was tasting soap for about 10 rides after.


----------

