Camelback or Seat pack

Scum City Rocker

Anybody got any ideas...use a camelback for carrying water and tools or do the bottle on the frame and saddle/seat pack thing? Fors and againsts?

jadamson

camel back every time! does water and storage in one light package. also doesnt ruin the image and can put jumpers etc in.

llamafarmer

Camelbak! I hate having stuff strapped to my bike and Camelbaks are just a brilliant tool!

You won't get 3+ litres of water in a bottle cage either

Joe_Pineapples

My seat pack contains a spare inner tube, a set of tyre levers, a multi tool and my car key when I park it.

My hydration pack (a Karrimor Rush-Air with a Source 3L bladder) holds my shock pump, mini pump, spare clothing and some food.

As for the bottle on the frame? No thanks, that is SOOOOO old school, I have my image to think about!

BlackSpur

Everything in my Camelback Hawg. However 90% of the local cyclists are roadies first, ergo they use waterbottles and put tubes and pumps in their rear jersey pockets.

Camelbaks - Hold more water and can carry a lot more stuff that seat pacls, water is secure, easy to reach, having weight off the bike makes it easier to manouver. Can get sweaty/tired back and shoulders with an ill fitting or overly heavy pack.

Water bottles - allow you to have nothing on your back but don't hold much water, weight is on the bike, bottles can come loose, mouthpiece gets covered in mud and crap.

RIKO

Camelback everytime they're so useful

KonaMike

I use a Camelback,got a cheap version from Tesco for £10,it holds loads and you forget your wearing it after a while!

darren636

for me , a hydro pack is a pre requisite for life... cheap or expensive- you have to have one. or two.

Northwind

Camelback is hard to fault. I've got a nifty wee seat box from Ortlieb that I can stuff a basic toolkit into to make rucksack space, and I use it quite a lot, but if I can fit my kit comfortably in a rucksack that's where it goes.

GT Destroyer

Camelback for me too - I think its quite a conclusive answer to the question then.

Eranu

I just changed over to a camelback, it's much better than bottles. The main plus is that the tube doesn't get covered in mud/crap unlike bottles.

.blitz

Scum City Rocker wrote:

Anybody got any ideas...use a camelback for carrying water and tools or do the bottle on the frame and saddle/seat pack thing? Fors and againsts?

I always used to use cages and a seat pack thing but a Camelback is way better, even if I do feel a bit of a fraud when I'm only going out for an hour. The Kriega Hydro 3 is very good if you're looking for something a bit different.

fandangus

camelback.. just bought one, great bit of kit, wont do bottles on frame as I caught E coli 12 years ago off a dirty bottle after riding down a farm track. been using bottles in rear pocket, bum bag etc since, Camelback or simmilar are better, even the larger packs are light weight and you forget you have a pack on your back... plus if you ride more than one bike you pick your pack up throw it on and no worries about having all your kit with you.

Daz555

I have a small seat pack for spare tube, tools etc but prefer a Camelbak for water. Also handy for carrying extra layers and a ham and cheese roll.

llamafarmer

.blitz wrote:

Scum City Rocker wrote:

Anybody got any ideas...use a camelback for carrying water and tools or do the bottle on the frame and saddle/seat pack thing? Fors and againsts?

I always used to use cages and a seat pack thing but a Camelback is way better, even if I do feel a bit of a fraud when I'm only going out for an hour. The Kriega Hydro 3 is very good if you're looking for something a bit different.

£69K? Seems a bit steep! Nice pack though!

Camelbaks are one of those great products that just plain work. No fuss, just a pleasure to use*. Love 'em!

*Except when you forget to lock off the bite valve, then dump it on the carpet while you get changed and come back to a gradually expanding puddle in your hallway....

darren636

69 thousand! :shock: you can employ small boys to follow you with golden goblets overflowing with prune jiuice for that amount!!!!

Captain Turok

I bought a Camelback for long rides, great things. But I find it a pain to clean properly and its a bit too big.
Most of the time I just use a cheap Karrimor Run. Its a "bumbag thingy" with a protective back and good padding. They hold a 800ml bottle on the outside, with room for a tube, levers, pump, minitool, phone and pac-a-mac style top.
All I need for a couple of hours and I prefer how they sit lower on my back, more comfortable.

.blitz

darren636 wrote:

69 thousand! :shock: you can employ small boys to follow you with golden goblets overflowing with prune jiuice for that amount!!!!

Yeah it was kindof expensive but I think I'm worth it

Anderzz

I just recieved my Camelbak Mule this morning. Looking forward to giving it a go ..

Is there anything i should know before filling it up etc?

ednino

If your a racer, bottle in a cage

BlackSpur

Anderzz wrote:

I just recieved my Camelbak Mule this morning. Looking forward to giving it a go ..

Is there anything i should know before filling it up etc?

The water bladder may give the water a "plastic" taste to start with. My first snowsports Camelback did nut my newish Hawg did not.

If it does, there are many different remedies - leave water with bicarb of soda for a few hours, or water with lemon juice, or boiling water....

maximus69

i put boiling water and a load of sugar in mine to get rid of that awful taste but as above lemon juice is suppose to be the best thing to use

Northwind

Anderzz wrote:

I just recieved my Camelbak Mule this morning. Looking forward to giving it a go ..

Is there anything i should know before filling it up etc?

The new ones are pretty foolproof... I filled mine once and emptied and dried it before using in anger, just because that's generally good practice with anything you eat or drink out of, but there was no nasty taste or anything. The most important thing is draining it after, and keeping it clean- you don't want a camelbak full of stagnant water.

Anderzz

Thanks for the advice guys.

I was thinking, once its empty / drained would it be a good idea to plonk it in the freezer until next use?, that way whatever water was left in, cant go funky

BlackSpur

Get, if you have the space, freezing it in between uses keeps it fresh. If it does start to get a bit iffy then the baby bottle sterilising tablets work a treat!

TonyWard

Don't really like things on my back but.... are there any bottles that don't get the nozzle covered in sh1t but can still be opened one-handed while riding?

BlackSpur

TonyWard wrote:

Don't really like things on my back but.... are there any bottles that don't get the nozzle covered in sh1t but can still be opened one-handed while riding?

I believe Camelback bottles may do exactly that

TonyWard

OK thanks. I looked at the website and wasn't sure. Does that bite valve fold down out of the way?

robertjmiller

I use my Camelbak for water, snacks, cell phone, and keys. I also use the seat pack to hold an extra tube and bike tool so I don't have to remember to bring them. Good point on the useless water bottle cages, I need to remove mine.

robertjmiller

I use my Camelbak for water, snacks, cell phone, and keys. I also use the seat pack to hold an extra tube and bike tool so I don't have to remember to bring them. Good point on the useless water bottle cages, I need to remove mine.

robertjmiller

I use my Camelbak for water, snacks, cell phone, and keys. I also use the seat pack to hold an extra tube and bike tool so I don't have to remember to bring them. Good point on the useless water bottle cages, I need to remove mine.