HYDRATION/BACKPACK MEGATHREAD - all questions on packs for riding asked/answered here

[link1896]

What's in your Camelbak

I do 90% of my riding at night solo, hence so many lights. There is nothing like a major mechanical failure in the rain, 15km from home at 11pm in 6 degrees, on a Monday night, in a national park. I try to not lighten the pack during daylight or summer rides so I don't grow accustomed to a light pack. All this crap plus a full 3L bladder does get rather annoying. I don't like the way the Mule sits on my back. I replaced the drinking tube long ago because the one it came with was so inflexible it was annoying.

contents:
chain joining links
pump
29" tube even though I'm running stans. Gave my second spare to some poor soul who snapped the valve off his spare.
tyre levers
crappy multi tool
allen and torx keys
zip ties and side cutters
head torch
2 x water proof yum cha "dive torches"
First aid kit stuffed full of bandages, etc.
money
iPhone

 

[stirk]

Absolute minimum in my pack:
-Water of course
-Multi tool with crappy chain tool
-Good chain tool
-2 x chain quick links
-Tube
-Pump
-Puncture repair
-Presta schrader adapter
-2 x compression bandages for snake bities
-Lighter
-Licence
-Phone

And the most important, post ride beer money!

Might also pack:
-Rear dérailleur hanger
-Cable ties
-Personal Locator Beacon
-Tissues

 

[Camdyson]

Water.........

Oh, plus:

First Aid kit
Multi tool
Chain link
Tyre levers
CO2 x3 plus inflation tool (run Stan's)
Spare tyre - usually 26" if I need 27.5" and vice versa.....
Rear dérailleur hanger for my other bike.....
Paper $
Car key
Energy bars
Phone in ziplock
And SPOT tracker if a big solo ride

 

[mitchy_]

Water.........

Oh, plus:

First Aid kit
Multi tool
Chain link
Tyre levers
CO2 x3 plus inflation tool (run Stan's)
Spare tyre - usually 26" if I need 27.5" and vice versa.....
Paper $
Car key
Energy bars
Phone in ziplock
And SPOT tracker if a big solo ride

If you have 26 and 27.5" bikes and only pack one tube; just make it a 26", will easily work in a 27.5" wheel. I've used a 26" tube in a 29" wheel in a pinch.

 

[MarioM]

Water and gels . Will now be tube and tools after too much complacency with tubeless and tearing a sidewall .

 

[pink poodle]

gotta be prepared!

My bottom bracket came loose on a ride once, so now I take that along. Nothing worse than the constant of a loose shell.

 

[Knuckles]

haha, this resembles mine more often than not, just add a random road tube and a pump that doesn;t work.

Found that my bladder had a leak, I bought a newie. Now have a brand new empty bladder. Found a 19mm socket in there while I was changing them over.

Why? :noidea:

 

[johnny]

Source bladders are ace! but the bit valves are shite IMO,

Picked one up on the weekend, 2L for $35. And my word isn't that bite valve an utter piece of shite?! I'll replace that when I stumble across another (cheap) design that I like.


Mine didn't come with a dust cover, strangely enough. Not that it bothers me, the warm water in the tube annoys me more.

Anyone got any good DIY designs for sheathing the tubing from the heat? I know you can buy neoprene sheaths but they can jam them up their arses for the price they ask.



You know what was weird though? The 2 & 3 litre bladders were cheaper than the 1.5 litre. I guess it may have something to do with demand.

 

[Rob_74]

Johnny i thought you were such a hard nut that you didn't need water. Never cramped...

 

[johnny]

I am a super, mega-hard nut, doesn't mean I don't want water though.

Last Saturday it was about 35 here. I rode up Black Mountain without water, was a one and a half hour ride. Survived without even a headache but I sure was dry and fucking thirsty. I would have carried water with me but my old bladder grew mould in it and I forgot to fill a bottle. bought the bladder the next day when I found it on sale, would have otherwise waited until I found another on sale, given my tight arsedness.


Still don't cramp either.

 

[John U]

Picked one up on the weekend, 2L for $35. And my word isn't that bite valve an utter piece of shite?! I'll replace that when I stumble across another (cheap) design that I like.

Got a picture of the valve? Is it one of the ones that you can twist to shut off?

 

[johnny]

Not handy but yes, it's a fat thing that you twist to open/close and the bite valve is super-sensitive in that you have to bite it in exactly the right spot with exactly the right amount of pressure, and I'm sayin the increments in pressure being referred to here are remarkably small. It's really quite difficult to use when bombing a trail. Today I just clipped it back on to my shoulder strap and worried about drinking when I got to the end of the trail instead (hard nut).

Pretty annoying and to be honest I think most of the valves that I come across today are over-engineered. I had one of the first ever camelbaks in the 1990s that had the very basic bite valve and it was very near perfect. The only thing that let it down was that if it got caught between your shoulder strap it would leak. A simple push/pull cut off is all that was required to make it 100% serviceable. However, nowadays we have space shuttle technology in bloody valve systems like each manufacturer is trying to out-sophisticate the other guy.

 

[D.HILL817]

Good riding packs/backpacks?

Hey guys,
I'm looking at investing in a riding pack, just wanted to know what you guys recommend in the way of riding packs?
I'm interested in something that hugs the back well and dosen't have much movement and is small but does has storage from the essentials on a ride.
Thanks!

 

[Zaf]

EVOC packs are hard to go past for quality. Light, fitted to your size, big belt areas and straps that secure it properly, plenty of storage and well laid out. I've got nothing but praise for it, they're expensive though. The new Camelbak KUDU's seem to run pretty well also.

 

[moorey]

Been running a Crumpler for many moons. Still going strong. 2lt source bladder with conduit in shoulder strap to feed the mouthpiece close and keep it there, 2 outside zip sections, big internal section with separate front internal section. Padded back, holds on firm and very comfy.

 

[aRogue]

I use a Rig 700 Ballistic from Geigerrig. It's gets the job done and the Hydration pack is godly.

http://www.geigerrig.com/hydration-packs/rig-700-ballistic.html

 

[link1896]

I hate my Camelbak MULE.

 

[demodv8]

Lobo

Camelbak Lobo light and fits well not a lot of storage

 

[empee]

I have been using the new Shimano Enduro 4L bag & have found it really good. Super stable on rough trails & plenty of storage space for food, tools, jacket ect. They were what I didn't like from my previous bag so have been super happy with it.

 

[JTmofo]

Camelbak Lobo light and fits well not a lot of storage

^^^^ what he said.

I love my Lobo, 3l water capacity, a few pockets for essentials but deffo not an all day backpack.

Fits me well, doesn't move around too much ( only a little when full of water on bigger drops and jumps).