Thursday, March 3, 2011

Gulp...gulp....gulp: A CamelBak Review

Do you like running?  Hiking?  Biking?  Or any kind of outdoor activity that lasts more than an hour away from fresh drinking water?  You may want to invest in a good hydration pack.

My hydration pack of choice is the CamelBak Pakteen. Why invest in a hydration bladder?  Why not just recycle your bottled water bottle?

First of all, the material is different.  They may both be plastic, but disposable water bottles are not made from the same high grade plastic used for hydration packs and reusable water bottles.  Most disposable water bottles contain toxic materials that leak into your water.  Although deemed 'insignificant amounts' by the FDA, I'd rather not risk it.

Second, hydration packs save space.  They store flat when empty and conform to your body when filled.

And third, hydration packs usually have drinking tubes that make it more accessible than a water bottle.

What I like about the Pakteen is that even the drinking tube is insulated.  In the summer, this means that first sip isn't hot water!  It's also just a hydration pack, not a backpack.  That means I can throw it into any bag I'm bringing.  The quick release connector, bite valve cover and flow control also make it more rugged and dirt free when using it in the beach or hiking.

Although it's one of the smallest hydration packs out there, holding only 1.5L (50 oz) of water, it's more than enough for a day hike or an average run.  Find out more about proper hydration here.







**Unfortunately, the Pakteen is not available here in the Philippines.  I already asked Camelbak if they have it here, and I think it's not allowed for sale outside the U.S.

The irony...


2 comments:

  1. where can u buy this CamelBak Pakteen here in the metro? :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Mikko, unfortunately, the Pakteen in not allowed for sale outside the U.S. (At least according to CamelBak) it is part of their US Military/Tactical line. You can, however, have a cousin or friend coming home from the US order it from Amazon.com and bring it home.

    Alternative, is that CamelBak does offer the components separately. You can get the insulation tube and bite valves as add-ons for their regular hydration packs as well. Since CamelBak doesn't have an office here, maybe you can request/order it from any specialty shop that carries the CamelBak line.

    ReplyDelete

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