Camelbak

[tattoogoddess]

What would be a good one to get that is not going to break the bank. I want the one that you wear on your back. Don't have one so give some input.

[AntiM]

We bought cheap, off brand ones, then purchased really good camelbak bladders with wide mouths (easier to fill) and insulated drink tubes. I get tired of wearing mine, so it rides in a basket most of the time, I rarely wear it except on walkabout.

Offbrand showed up in our local grocery store for $7. Be sure to upgrade the bladder, it is all about the bladder. And never put anything but water or the camelbak powders in it, the taste never comes out again.

[5280MeV]

I wouldn't waste my time with the civilian gear - but that is just me.

I have a 100 oz water beast omega bladder with a bite valve cover and a neoprene cover which I can put into either a CamelBak MULE sorta-thing or in a Maxpedition Kodiak.

If you really want to get some desert-ready gear and not spend a fortune, go to the nearest army base. There should be a number of seedy looking surplus stores dotting the road across from the base. This is how it is at the local base in Kentucky at least. There you ought to be able to get a used 100 oz Omega Bladder for around $15 or so. You can probably find one that is tricked out too. The stores without price tags generally have the best prices - and you can haggle! They will have compatible backpacks for a very low cost - CamelBak brand is very good. If you don't like digital camo you can decorate the bag later.

They also have very nice used goggles for next to nothing. Better get it before we leave Afghanistan and the surplus party ends!

If you don't have a nearby base Amazon might be your best bet.

[theCryptofishist]

I'm a steel waterbottle sort of fish. Never adjusted to those overpriced need lots of babying things.

[tattoogoddess]

I don't like to carry crap so want to do the bag route.Plus when booze is around I will set stuff down and forget it lol.

I will have to see if there is one around here. I am in Iowa so not sure on the luck there lol. Would reno have a surplus store?

[gyre]

I've always just carried bottles around.
Water is water.

I have a milspec camelbak model.
There is one other milspec version, but it has a narrower mouth.
Either one is good enough.

There is a milspec mouthpiece that can be rebuilt.
Worth upgrading to that if you can.
Both tubes are quite different, but very good.

The military throws out tons of these things.

[gyre]

I don't like to carry crap so want to do the bag route.Plus when booze is around I will set stuff down and forget it lol.

I will have to see if there is one around here. I am in Iowa so not sure on the luck there lol. Would reno have a surplus store?

Daratheresa suggested these.

http://www.bradleyssurplus.com/

http://www.afmo.com/

[motskyroonmatick]

Costco will sell one for around $20 in the spring. I have 2 of them with upgraded bladders. The last bladder I got the entire top opens up to fill it. It ROCKS! I like it very much. I think I got the bladder off of amazon.

[jkisha]

Have one, never use it.

[ygmir]

I've found some of the bladders taste like plastic, and the taste does not seem to leave.

[AntiM]

I've found some of the bladders taste like plastic, and the taste does not seem to leave.

You get this less with insulated tubes.

[Token]

Whenever someone writes or says "Camelbak", this weird imagery goes through my mind ...

... it involves dogie-style and a midget ...






Am I sick?

[ygmir]

Whenever someone writes or says "Camelbak", this weird imagery goes through my mind ...

... it involves dogie-style and a midget ...






Am I sick?

does it involve and insulated tube?

[Bob]

How much tequila can you fit in a midget, er, little person?

[theCryptofishist]

Dogie style? How did orphaned calves get into this?


mmmmmmmveal...

[BlackRockCityPimp]

I use a camelbak hawg, seen lotsa people use the mule and other smaller versions.

I chose the hawg to be able to tote minor medical, food, hobo stove, and gifts about.

[5280MeV]

I use a camelbak hawg, seen lotsa people use the mule and other smaller versions.

I chose the hawg to be able to tote minor medical, food, hobo stove, and gifts about.

I had the MULE last year but would have preferred the HAWG. Even though the MULE is nice and small, you cannot fit much in it, and once you add 3/4 a gallon of water, the difference in weight is not much of a difference, and at that point a backpack is a backpack. Better to have the extra space if you want it.

I thought about getting the Condor 3 Day Assault Pack, or the Maxpedition Condor II, which are similar packs, but a little less pricey if you already have the bladder.

Ultimately I decided to take a chance on something different and got a Maxpedition Kodiak Gearslinger. It is very strange at first - it only goes over one shoulder, and as a result you are considerably more limited in the weight you would want to put in it. What really works well is that you can sling it around to the front and root around in it without having to take it off or even stop walking. I really like it for everyday stuff, and we will see how it goes on the playa.

Be careful with this military gear - if you get obsessed like me you will end up spending all of your money on it!

[ygmir]

do they make one with toes?

[jella]

I use a camelbak hawg, seen lotsa people use the mule and other smaller versions.

I chose the hawg to be able to tote minor medical, food, hobo stove, and gifts about.

suddenly I feel so unprepared

[Dr. Pyro]

I've always just carried bottles around.
Water is water.

I agree completely. Camelbacks? Unless you intend to troop across the playa on foot, a canteen of some sort (I use a discarded Gatorade bottle) works fine. If you're on a bike, you're never more than 10 minutes away (or less) from where you can get all the water you want. As long as you have a pint of water with you, there's no place on the playa you can get to on a bike where you'd run out of water. Come on people, let's not get paranoid out here.

<shush, what's that noise?>

[jella]

sshhhhh.... they're listening right now Doc..

[Elorrum]

[5280MeV]

Camelbacks? Unless you intend to troop across the playa on foot, a canteen of some sort (I use a discarded Gatorade bottle) works fine.

We're playing army out here, goddammit.

Furthermore, I hate bikes. (Am I still allowed on the west coast after saying so?)

[AntiM]

I have a camel saddle. No camel though.

My camelbak is basically my "purse", a place to carry the spork and lipbalm and sunblock and handkerchief and cups and notebook and lights and crap.

[BBadger]

Buy a CamelBak at REI, use it, return it.

Feel bad about it? Don't. They've built their business around their gold-plated return policy which brings them more customers, and their prices are always higher than other places anyway to make up the difference.

[ygmir]

Buy a CamelBak at REI, use it, return it.

Feel bad about it? Don't. They've built their business around their gold-plated return policy which brings them more customers, and their prices are always higher than other places anyway to make up the difference.

dissapointing............

[BlackRockCityPimp]

Buy a CamelBak at REI, use it, return it.

Feel bad about it? Don't. They've built their business around their gold-plated return policy which brings them more customers, and their prices are always higher than other places anyway to make up the difference.

dissapointing............

It shouldnt be...

In another thread he condones theft of locked personal vehicles. Criminals dont think the same way us normal folk do.


Housemate just upgraded to a hawk for 90 bucks via amazon. They found that the smaller 70oz just didnt cut it on the playa when you are very active and dont like to return to camp often.

[Ano]

Had a Mini-mule 40oz last year. It felt too small, had no carrying capacity, and ran out of water too quick for my tastes. Bringing a bigger one, 100 oz MULE, this year. It's not that much heavier, a little over 2x the water, and has a good amount of carrying capacity.

I like having a camelbak because it's a lot of water, it's painless to carry around, easy to drink from, and also functions as a small backpack. Such a wonderful accessory.

[graidawg]

i used my 3liter camelbak for a few days then got fed up carrying 3k of water around so i put a couple of bottles in each pockets that way i had a selection of flavors, and no sore shoulders, seriously i agree with doc and i was walking

[Fufa]

I think I spent $30 or so on my store brand hydration pack from Mountain Equipment Co-op. Came with a removable bladder. Get a smaller cheapo backpack you like, then buy a good brand of bladder to use inside. I'm a fan of the big zip Platypus ones. I usually do 2 bladders, both half full. One has water, one has spiked lemonade