CamelBak Hydration Backpack

by Chris B. for webBikeWorld.com

wBW Reviews Home  |  Owner Comments (Below)

For many riders “Old Man Winter” is playing an evil trick by hanging around with freezing temperatures and dangerous riding conditions.  But the days are getting longer, portending the approach of warmer weather.

My favorite temperature for riding is around 60 to 65 degrees F.  At that temperature I’m comfortable, neither hot nor cold, when wearing full protective gear. 

I’m not a big fan of riding in hot weather because it tends to wear me down faster.  But if it’s going to be hot, I’d at least rather ride in "dry heat"  than the soggy, humid days that are typical here in our Mid-Atlantic summers, because the natural cooling effect via evaporation is far more effective in low humidity.

I have found that using water as a cooling agent can have a dramatic effect once I’m moving.  Extreme methods like soaking my shirt or wearing a cooling vest under my gear with all the vents open are sometimes necessary, but this works much better when the air is dry enough to evaporate all that moisture (Editor's Note: See the wBW reviews of the Silver Eagle cooling vest and the Joe Rocket Sahara vest).

Using water to stay cool on the outside is good planning, but what about the inside?  It's important to take the necessary steps to keep your body properly hydrated.  Do you pause often enough in hot weather to keep the intake of water greater than the amount that’s being drawn out of your body by the wind?  This is especially important when wearing a mesh jacket over a T-shirt.  You’d be amazed at how much water can be drawn out of the body with such a steady flow of air over exposed skin.

Dehydration can be defined as “an excessive loss of water from the body”.  But what are some of the signs of dehydration?  The most obvious are feeling dizzy or lightheaded, nausea, confusion, dry or sticky mouth, or at the extremes, producing less or darker urine. 

There are more, but we’ll just note the primary ones here and, by the way, you can start to get dehydrated long before any of these symptoms appear.  You really don't want to get to the point of feeling dizzy due to dehydration, and things can go downhill fast, with a hospital stay or worse if not heeded.

As motorcyclists, we can not afford degradation of any mental or physical processes while riding.  Therefore it’s imperative to ensure a proper intake of water.  And remember that this isn't just restricted to hot temperatures; the body can also become dehydrated in cold temperatures.

Keeping properly hydrated will require the occasional rest stop, but there is a system that allows motorcyclists to safely consume fluids while riding without diverting attention from the road.

Long-distance motorcycle riders have known about this for some time and they usually have hydration systems that allow them to put in 1,000 or more miles per day for several consecutive days.  I’ve always incorporated my hydration stops with other necessary stops when riding two-up (read, “Honey, I’m thirsty, can we stop NOW?”), but with the opportunity to take a solo ride to Florida, I wanted a system that would allow me to stay hydrated while on the move.

My requirements were that it had to be simple and also have the flexibility to easily move between either of my bikes, so I chose to use one of the “backpack” style hydration systems commonly used with hikers and mountain bikers.  While exploring hydration systems in a local sporting goods store, I noticed that the CamelBak hydration backpack system was the most prominent brand on display.

CamelBak claims to be “the originator and world leader in hands-free hydration systems”.  In addition to supplying outdoors enthusiasts, CamelBak has products designed for use by the military, law enforcement, government and industry.

I remembered that my daughter used one of their hydration systems while in the Marine Corps, especially during her grueling weeks at Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia one hot August.  The Marine Corps must have been convinced of the usefulness of the system, because they supplied CamelBak hydration units to the soldiers on their deployments.

Visit the CamelBak website and you'll find an unbelievable array of various hydration backpacks, bottles and other water storage units for hikers, climbers, bicycle riders, military use and more.  There are four pages just for the "Bike" category alone! 

I chose to go with the CamelBak "Classic", a 2.1 liter (70 ounce) backpack unit designed for bicyclists.  In addition to its liquid holding capabilities, it features an external zip pocket for keys or other small items and a wraparound bungee cord system to hold a shirt or sweater on the back.  It also has a low profile; mesh shoulder straps and even a few bits of reflective tape.

I didn't have experience with a CamelBak and I didn't have my riding jacket with me that day, so I had to imagine how it might work while wearing protective gear and a full-face helmet.

While trying various CamelBak units on for size I noticed that some of them had shoulder straps that would probably be much too short to fit around a riding jacket.  But the “Classic” version seemed to have straps that would be long enough to fit. 

Many of the units on display had straight “bite tubes”, but this particular model had a 90-degree bend that would prove to be crucial when passing it between my jaw and the chin bar of a full faced helmet in route to the mouth.

For those of you unfamiliar with hydration systems with “bite tubes”, the tip that goes into the mouth has a valve that requires a gentle bite to allow the fluid to flow.  This prevents or minimizes drips or fluid loss from the pack.  The owner can either choose to either keep the end of the bite tube in the mouth or simply let the tube hang until it's needed.

Since the tube is routed through the CamelBak's right shoulder strap, it’s always within easy reach.  CamelBak doesn't seem to provide very much information on the material used in the construction of the hydration pack, but if I had to guess I’d say it’s some type of rip-stop nylon with padding for the carrier body.

The stitching is nicely done and the entire unit appears to be well made.  For safety and improved visibility, CamelBak has incorporated sections of reflective material into the back area and shoulder straps which are evident in the pictures.  This is a good thing since chances are it’s going to be covering up some of the reflective material on your jacket.

For ventilation, CamelBak uses an “Air Mesh Harness” and “Air Director” back panel to “keep air moving across the back and sweat under control”.  There’s also a small strap across the chest that keeps the shoulder straps in place.

The separate, removable reservoir is made of “burst resistant” polyurethane and carries a Lifetime Warranty.  Filling the unit is easy via the large opening that’s a whooping 3 ¼” (82mm) in diameter.  This should also make adding ice on those hot days a simple matter.  The top seals with a screw lid.  The included literature claims the reservoir is easy to keep clean because it includes something called "HydroGuard Anti-Microbial Technology", whatever that means.

The fact that the fill port is so large should make it easy to keep the unit clean.  When it's filled to capacity with water, the entire backpack weights in at 5.40 lbs (2.45 kg). 

The small zippered pocket is perfect for keys, and ID or a wallet should you choose to use the CamelBak unit when walking or hiking.

I was relieved to find that the 90-degree bite tube did work as I had hoped, easily passing between my jaw and the chin-bar on my HJC SyMax modular helmet (wBW review).  Not only did it pass this requirement with flying colors, but once in the mouth, the bite tube does not interfere with the chin bar in any manner that makes it uncomfortable.  Of course, this is going to depend on the style helmet or the rider's head or jaw shape.

Obviously, I needed to try this thing out, prior to my trip, to work out any problems.  So I loaded it up and used it during my 100 mile round trip commutes.  By experimenting with leaving the bite tube in the mouth or letting it hang, I decided leaving it in the mouth was an annoyance and chose to just let it hang until such time I wanted a sip.

Passing it up through the helmet with the left hand is no problem and requires virtually no concentration.  I have some thoughts about wearing the CamelBak unit underneath my jacket and routing the tube outside somehow.  I'll have to work on that. 

If the CamelBak is filled with ice and water, I'm guessing that it will act like a big “heat sink” against my back on a hot day.  Note that some motorcycle jackets have a provision for a hydration bladder; see the wBW review of the REV'IT! Cayenne jacket and the M2R Rally Cross Enduro jacket for more information.

Conclusion
Staying properly hydrated while riding is an absolute must.  To not do so is tempting fate in the form of serious health issues or injury.

If you prefer to “keep rolling” when you're riding, or even if you just get thirsty on short rides, a hydration system can help.  CamelBak’s “Classic” is a simple solution.

It's easy to fill, easy to clean and operate and it has the flexibility to move from bike to bike.  It can also be used in other outdoor activities, such as hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing and more.  This is a big plus in my book.

The CamelBak Classic hydration backpack is well constructed and obviously designed by persons requiring fluids on the move.  It also seems to be easily adaptable to the motorcycle environment.  I believe this is also going to a valuable addition to my riding gear when we head to the southwest later this year.

Product Review:  CamelBak Classic Hydration Backpack
BUY IT!  Get your Motorcycle Gear at Revzilla and help support webBikeWorld!
Available From:  CamelBak	Suggested Retail Price:  $40.00
Colors:  True Blue/Graphite, Black/Charcoal, Red/Gunmetal.	Made in:  Carrier - Philippines.  Reservoir - Mexico.
Review Date:  April 2007