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bjbkkb
May 3, 2012, 9:12 AM
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I did a Mont Blanc trip last year where I carried a 1 litter bottle in a side mesh pocket that I could access without taking my bag off. I have read not to use a camel back because the hose will freeze. I am wondering what others do. Any thoughts? Thanks.
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sungam
May 3, 2012, 9:57 AM
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bjbkkb wrote: I did a Mont Blanc trip last year where I carried a 1 litter bottle in a side mesh pocket that I could access without taking my bag off. I have read not to use a camel back because the hose will freeze. I am wondering what others do. Any thoughts? Thanks.
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bjbkkb
May 3, 2012, 10:24 AM
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Sungam, thanks, do you carry the bottle in an external pocket or inside your pack?
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sungam
May 3, 2012, 10:38 AM
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Oh, inside the pack for sure. I don't actually have any pockets on the outside of my pack, and if I did I would probably cut them off. Water is too important to risk it getting knocked out of a pocket on and awkward move. I guess if you were just hiking it really wouldn't matter, but if there is climbing involved I find it best to keep things inside the pack.
This may be dude to the fact I'm super clumsy/unlucky when it comes to things like that happening, though.
I'm sure someone is going to tell me that the water should be super accesable so you drink more of it, and they would be right, but like I said, I just don't like having stuff on the outside of my pack.
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eric_k
May 3, 2012, 11:00 AM
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I use a MSR dromlite for my water. Like sungam I always carry my water inside my pack because I hate things attached outside my bag. If the hose on a hydration pack freezes it is really annoying to thaw it while climbing so I never use one if there is a chance of freezing temperatures.
Eric
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granite_grrl
May 3, 2012, 11:36 AM
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I've carried a small camel back when out biking in the winter. Had the bag within a few layers of clothers, the hose running inside my clothes. The hose still managed to freeze when I forgot to tuck it back into my shirt the one time.
I suposse it could work if you're extra dilligant, but it doesn't take much to end up with a frozen hose.
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shoo
May 3, 2012, 2:03 PM
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Used to use camelbaks. Between the leaking due to holes, the valve coming off, and other things, I have stopped.
Winter is wide-mouth nalgene all the way. Bomber as hell and won't freeze. Winter for me also means way more sharp things, (screws, picks, crampons, etc.) so I want something more resistant to stabbing. I would NEVER use a camelbak in the winter due to freezing and leaking. The possibility of stuff getting wet can be pretty dangerous in the winter.
Water bottle almost always goes IN the pack. More insulated, no chance of falling out.
Recently picked up a few platypus bottles. So far, have LOVED them for rock. Thusfar no leaking, way lighter, don't take up as much room, more convenient to travel with.
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petsfed
May 3, 2012, 3:11 PM
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I always plan on drinking the camelbak dry during the approach. That said, I also do the blow-out trick to keep it from freezing.
Just blow the air out of the tube after every time you drink. Nothing to freeze the tube!
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sandstone
May 3, 2012, 3:57 PM
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I find the narrow mouth Nalgene easier to drink from, and if I accidentally turn it over with the top off, less spills out in the time it takes me to grab it.
http://store.nalgene.com/...20narrow%20mouth.htm
For normal rock or ice cragging, the bottles go in the pack.
For long approach hikes, and long moderate alpine climbs, it can be very beneficial to be able to drink without taking the pack off. Sipping on water mixed with an energy supplement every 30 min or so really helps me keep my hydration/energy up on long steep stretches. For those situations I'll hang a bottle off my pack belt.
Somewhere between 20 and 30 years ago I bought a simple little nylon pouch that is made to hold a Nalgene bottle. I still use it to this day. It has a beefy side loop made of webbing that you can clip to biner to for hanging it off an anchor, or slipping a belt or strap through. The top is a simple elastic rimmed opening, you can either slip the bottle out of the pouch, or drink from it still in the pouch. The elastic firmly holds the bottle, there's no way it will fall out of the pouch. What I like most about the pouch is that since it has a belt loop the bottle does not flop around when I'm walking or climbing.
https://picasaweb.google.com/...#5738329637927281810
The company that made the pouch was named SierraWest, but apparently they are long gone. I wrap my bottle with a thin layer of foam & duct tape, and the pouch is just big enough to hold the wrapped bottle.
The insulation is just enough to keep the contents from freezing in the winter, and in the summer it really extends the time your water will stay cool, especially if you put some ice in there in the morning.
Sadly I only have one of those pouches, so my second bottle is wrapped with foam, then a couple of layers of Gorilla tape (i.e. good good quality duct tape, not the junk stuff). Near the top of the bottle the tape wraps through one of those little lightweight aluminum descending rings. The ring gives me something to clip the bottle to (I don't trust the flimsy plastic loop that retains the bottle cap). The duct tape can be taken off and used for emergency repairs or first aid, and of course the descending ring can be cut off and left behind on a rap station (both of which I have done).
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climbingaggie03
May 3, 2012, 4:09 PM
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I use a camel back in the summer because I find that I drink more water when it's easier to get to, but if there's any chance of it freezing, then I roll with a wide mouth nalgene.
Also on long trips, I've seen people's bladders burst, if you don't have a back up water bottle you're screwed. I like wide mouth bottles because they work better with my water treatment system.
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meanandugly
May 3, 2012, 5:14 PM
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I use a wide mouth with a bottle parka attached to the waist belt of the pack. It has worked great for me in all packing situations and helps prevent the freeze up of your water as well.
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EWRookie
May 3, 2012, 5:39 PM
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i would recommend a wide mouth bottle. although I have had them freeze up also in very low temps they are less prone. Also they make more sense for refilling on the fly if you run out.
I have tried camelbacks but the hose will freeze up unless you use the blow and stow trick. (blow the water back in to the blatter and then put the hose under your jacket / shirt). More pain in the ass than its worth.
They do make camelbak insulated tubes that seem to help but in really cold temps it will still freeze.
(This post was edited by EWRookie on May 3, 2012, 5:40 PM)
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shimanilami
May 3, 2012, 8:16 PM
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Camelbaks are a novelty item that REI likes to sell to clueless outdoor neophytes. Everyone I've ever known to use one - including my 6-year old son - has concluded that they are more trouble than they're worth.
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iknowfear
May 3, 2012, 8:24 PM
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shimanilami wrote: Camelbaks are a novelty item that REI likes to sell to clueless outdoor neophytes. Everyone I've ever known to use one - including my 6-year old son - has concluded that they are more trouble than they're worth.
I just usually go with a 1.5 liter PET Bottle. And, sometimes a thermos.
And I have learned the hard way that a water bottle on the outside of the pack can and will follow the laws of physics...
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altelis
May 3, 2012, 9:35 PM
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Wide mouth nalgene. One addition though is top throw it in your pack upside down. The top of the water will freeze first, and putting it in upside helps to prevent the water in the threads from freezing, or from getting that "ice cap" in the bottle.
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petsfed
May 3, 2012, 10:18 PM
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shimanilami wrote: Camelbaks are a novelty item that REI likes to sell to clueless outdoor neophytes. Everyone I've ever known to use one - including my 6-year old son - has concluded that they are more trouble than they're worth.
I swear by them for backpacking but I guess the stop-to-pull-a-bottle-out-of-a-holster thing makes more sense if you're not willing you and 80 pounds of crap back into motion after every time you go for a drink.
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summerprophet
May 3, 2012, 11:04 PM
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I have had a long standing love hate relationship with camelbacks. This is about the only durable solution I have come up with.
MSR 4 liter Dromedary bag (NOT dromelite)
1/4" Hardware store hose
Camelback "Bite Me" bite valve
I have done extensive climbing in extremely cold weather. The trick is to add gatoraid mix (or other salt containing substitute) to the water to prevent freezing. In extreme temperatures DO NOT put the camelback under your jacket.... as I had a friend who ended up with a cold in his spine!!!!!! he was out for a few weeks.
Short trips I will grab a wide mouth nalgene.... rescue missions or moving fast, I will have a bladder.
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Durin
May 11, 2012, 5:57 AM
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summerprophet wrote: The trick is to add gatoraid mix (or other salt containing substitute)
Vodka works way better.
shimanilami wrote: Camelbaks are a novelty item that REI likes to sell to clueless outdoor neophytes.
Dean Potter did one of the first Nose in a Day solos with one.
+1 for blowing out the hose.
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patto
May 12, 2012, 12:54 AM
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shimanilami wrote: Camelbaks are a novelty item that REI likes to sell to clueless outdoor neophytes. Everyone I've ever known to use one - including my 6-year old son - has concluded that they are more trouble than they're worth.
I would agree with this in many situations. However sometimes they are very useful. When exercising in hot temperatures it is very easy to not drink enough water. A camelbak or similar is a good tool to make good water consumption easier.
I have a couple that I rarely use.
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