Hydration Pack in the Back Country
 

Anyone out there have experience using a Camel Bak type hydration pack
for multi-day ski tours or day trips?

Do the insulated hoses and bite valves work reliably?

I ski in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it doesn't get super cold.

Thanks for your feedback -

Arco wrote:

Anyone out there have experience using a Camel Bak type hydration pack
for multi-day ski tours or day trips?

I don't have experience with using them with multiday tours but I use a
Camel Bak for day skiing, BC and on-piste. The hoses and valves do
freeze. This is rarely a problem in the spring but happens pretty
quickly in the winter. The insulated hose kit they sell helps a lot but
is not a cure all for really cold weather. Sipping frequently helps.
Blowing air back down the tube after sipping helps, but is a pain.
Putting everclear in helps, but is not good for your state of hydration.

If I were bringing mine on an overnight (an I think that I would because
I am a thirsty mofo and like to sip constantly) I would make sure to
clear the tube (by blowing into it) if I were not going to use it for a
few hours (such as at camp). I also might keep it in my bag overnight.

One other tip. Wrap a piece of duct tape around where the nipple slides
over the hose. You can catch the edge of the mouthpiece on stuff,
pulling it off, possibly losing it and your water. This is a pain (or
possibly a disaster) if you are skiing or climbing and can't retrieve
it. One piece of tape will make it solid.

-Greg

I have used my camelback repeatedly on multi-day trips including on a climb
of Rainier after the guides suggested not doing so. The insulating sleeves
work quite well, but the outlet at the bottom of the bag is a problem spot
on very cold days, the mouthpiece can freeze quickly too if you don't put
the insulating cover back on right away. I have had success with putting
the hydro-pack as close to my back as possible (arranging the inside of the
pack so that the hydration pack is less than an inch from my warm body). As
for stopping for long periods of time, I drain my hydration bladder and
refill it as necessary to avoid freezing. If I have to melt water for
cooking, drinking or otherwise in the morning, I'd just as soon melt some
extra for my bladder rather than sleeping with a wet/cold bladder just to
keep it from freezing (not to mention avoiding any potential leaks which
could be disastrous inside your bag on a winter outing).

Vinnie


"Arco" wrote in message
...
Anyone out there have experience using a Camel Bak type hydration pack
for multi-day ski tours or day trips?

Do the insulated hoses and bite valves work reliably?

I ski in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it doesn't get super cold.

Thanks for your feedback -

http://www.bcaccess.com/

These seem to work the best of any. I have the Stash and the only time I had
real icing problems it was 10F with steady wind. That day I also got
frostbite myself. I have never used it on overnighters.

Adk Keith

"Arco" wrote in message
...
Anyone out there have experience using a Camel Bak type hydration pack
for multi-day ski tours or day trips?

Do the insulated hoses and bite valves work reliably?

I ski in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it doesn't get super cold.

Thanks for your feedback -

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In article ,
Arco wrote:
Anyone out there have experience using a Camel Bak type hydration pack
for multi-day ski tours or day trips?

_ Lot's.


Do the insulated hoses and bite valves work reliably?

_ IMHO, insulating the hose just delays the inevidable
freeze. Bite valves vary greatly, I like the MSR ones
with the spring or the Camelback ones with the little
valve. I also use a quick connect on the hose so I
can drink when the valve freezes up.

_ I've heard the BC Acess packs with the hose in the
shoulder strap almost never freeze. I bought one on
sale this summer, but haven't had a chance to test
it yet.


I ski in the Sierra Nevada mountains, where it doesn't get super cold.


_ Lucky you, I've found that if the sun's out it will eventually
get warm enough to melt ice-ed up valves. The only time they
permanently freeze is powder days....

_ Booker C. Bense


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[ ]

Anyone out there have experience using a Camel Bak type hydration pack
for multi-day ski tours or day trips?

I've never done overnight (cold) winter trips with one, but use it on
most daytrips, both lift-served and bc.

Do the insulated hoses and bite valves work reliably?

I don't have insulated hose. I've blown air back and that has worked
pretty well, except for one leaky valve -- the Blackburn one I got
with my bladder (in a bicycle pack). The Blackburn valve was hard
plastic, which is probably the reason it started leaking. I now have a
Platypus valve which seems really good, simple design, but no leaking
yet.

I don't think blowing back is _that_ much of a hassle. Some water will
stay in the valve and might freeze, but thaws pretty easily in your
mouth.

Get a pack that places the bladder against your back, and lets the
hose out in the top (less exposed hose). The model Booker mentions
with the hose in a shoulder strap seems really interesting. Another
option if you have a really small pack (some friends of mine carry
shovel, probe, skins and a couple of chocolate bars with their water
in a Camelbak Rocket) is to carry the whole rig under your jacket.


Martin
--
"An ideal world is left as an exercise to the reader."
-Paul Graham, On Lisp

Don't know about insulated hoses, but mine froze as soon as it got below
freezing on a trip up San Jac near Palm Springs.

In article ,
wrote:
Don't know about insulated hoses, but mine froze as soon as it got below
freezing on a trip up San Jac near Palm Springs.



The freezing worry is way, way overstated:

(1) The blow back thing works fine;

(2) Even if you forget and the tube freezes, you can thread it between
your back and your pack and it will thaw in about 5 minutes;

(3) In the meantime, if you're in a bind, you can drink out of the bladder
itself.

I like the Camelbak mouthpieces, with the closure valve, best in colder
weather (soft plastic, no springs). If I were being super careful, I'd
bring along a spare just in case I snagged it on something and lost it.

cheers,
john

John Red-Horse wrote:
If I were being super careful, I'd
bring along a spare just in case I snagged it on something and lost it.

Duct tape prevents this problem.

-G

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 14:54:32 +0000 (UTC), (John
Red-Horse) wrote:

In article ,
wrote:
Don't know about insulated hoses, but mine froze as soon as it got below
freezing on a trip up San Jac near Palm Springs.


The freezing worry is way, way overstated:

(1) The blow back thing works fine;

(2) Even if you forget and the tube freezes, you can thread it between
your back and your pack and it will thaw in about 5 minutes;

(3) In the meantime, if you're in a bind, you can drink out of the bladder
itself.

Depends a bit on where you are, and if you have other water
containers.

In northern New England, while many days are above zero F, there are
also some days in the mountains where the daytime high barely gets
above zero. I have been out on days of -30F (granted not that common).

Water containers of all types, even insulated, can freeze solid.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom