 Poster: A snowHead
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OK. So you've just whizzed round the corner and found a fellow snowhead honking at the side of the piste. Looks like blood at first - on closer inspection turns out to be something like goulash soup - and extras 
When he's finished he's OK-ish. Sickness cause by migraine headache. But he could do with water. You have some in camelback. Seems only decent think to offer it.
Now what? You don't have a camelback cleaning kit with you. Well, I decided not to use it again until I had cleaned it. Then I did not use soap because of tainting. Instead, I took of the mouthpiece, then washed it as best as I could with hot and cold water. Then I flushed through the camelback, including the tube with hot and cold water. And that was that.
Except that, that night, I through up violently - and then had some sort of bug for the rest of the holiday.
I am (really) glad to say that the Sicky Snowhead at the beginning of this story was fine after his episode - and I do knot know that the 2 sicknesses were linked. My unfortunate room-mate went down with a similar bug after - but his lurg cleared in 24 hours.
The camelback (actually a Dakine model) had been out of use for over a year before the holiday, but after last use had been allowed to dry out thoroughly, with cap undone and held open with a coat hanger. Before use this holiday, I had inspected the bladder for signs of mildew (none found) and flushed through with clean water before use.
But I would like to know:
1. Is there anything more I should have done to my camelback before taking it on holiday.
2. Is there anything more I should have done to my camelback after offering it to Sicky Snowhead?
3. Apart from throwing up, my problem was different from Sicky Snowhead's, as I had problems with high temperature (38.5 deg C) and loss of appetite. And, after a couple of days or so, I had a touch of the runs. Problems were greater or lesser over 4 days. Given the differences, maybe my problems were unrelated to Sicky Snowhead's. Or maybe not. Can any snowhead medic advise? I didn't think to ask the doc at Wengen about that. BTW, I have absolutely no intention of getting back at Sicky Snowhead on this - he had a problem at the time, and I knew I would have to sort out the camelback hygiene when I got back to the hotel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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achilles, How about using a sterilising solution as used for baby feeding equipment/beer and wine making - you can buy them as sterilsing tablets from most chemists.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I could use a hydro system but I just prefer the convenience of a bootle altho' its not convenient to drink on the hoof, i agree.
I carry a metal one and use a plastic one from the shops re-filled with tape water.
I have suffered from lurg this season and it hung round almost into the 2nd holiday disrupting any fitness work so it is something you don't want to invite. I tend to aviod complicating things by having to take anymore kit that I have to. A boiled water clean is as much as I'd want to do, maybe stretching to sterile tablets in the 1st aid kit or something and I can always throw away the plastic bottle if infected by sickie 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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achilles, just another reason for avoiding these ghastly contraptions.
Carry a bottle of water like any sensible person.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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1. rinse with bleach
2. rinse with contents of hip flask.
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This is interesting and seems to confirm my thoughts about these things and that is the seeming impracticality of getting them clean. Note before I go any further - I've never used one or seen one to examine. However, that notwithstanding, even if you only fill them with tap water have you seen what plain tap water does to a Sports bottle used for many days without a proper clean?
When my kids were tiny I used hypochlorite sterilising fluid (you can also get in tablet form) - I found when used on plastic feeding bottles that the smell soon rinsed out. You can also steam sterilise in a microwave (2-3 mins on high) - I don't know what these camelbacks are made from but they might stand microwaving with water in them or in a dish next to them (I leave it to other folks to decide if this might wreck the things). The other thing I would give attention to is the mouth piece - if they are anything like a sports bottle then it might be worth using a small brush to remove any mouth generated debris from around the mouthpiece.
I take a refilled squash bottle in my rucksack.
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Milton sterilising fluid does the trick. You can get in in liquid form from any chemist / supermarket, is used for sterilising babies bottles. Its also very cheap! Its sold in concetrate form so will make gallons (in old money),Litres for you youngens.!
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Jonpim, there's nothing ghastly about the Camelback - far more convenient than rummaging for water bottle. I use mine for motorcycling, mountainbiking and skiing and find it helps me to drink little and often, rather than necking a litre of water in one go when things have startted to go all dark! They're also far less bulky then a bottle considering the volume of water they carry - a bottle stays big even when it's empty, and with 6 of us skiing it's more convenient to share a couple of 2 litre Camelbacks rather than 2 x 2 litre bottles or 4 x 1 litre bottles or whatever.
As for cleaning - rinsing it out and making sure it's properly dry are the best things to do. Proper drying kills off waterbourne nasties so you really shouldn't have a problem. I'd guess that you didn't get fellow snowHead's lurgy - most likely unfortunate coincidence. Don't suppose your accommodation had a dodgy gas boiler? Or did you eat some rough ham? After letting a sick person use mine I would probably have bunged the mouthpiece in a pan of boiling water (not just hot tap water) and rinsed the bladder and tube out in boiling water too. The sterilising tablets sound like a good idea though, or, as Comprex said, some bleach and a rinse out with contents of hipflask (bit wasteful there though!)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for your replies, guys. Being lardier than Jonpim I do dehydrate easily when skiing - and appreciate the water being "on tap". Getting boiling water in the hotel room was not possible. Maybe I should have taken some Milton with me, though. Also a case for taking a small travelling kettle, I guess. I shall clean the thing out carefully taking the guidance you lot have given me. Oh, and I agree that the timing of my lurg could have been a co-incidence. The point was that camelback hygiene became an issue once I had offered it for Sicky Snowhead's use.
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Megamum's experience here folks - most shops do an 'own brand' steriliser (usually liquids and tablets) - cheaper than Milton and does just as good a job
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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petemillis, absolutely agreed. And if the roommate went down with similar the problem sounds as likely to be some viral gastroenteritis, even Norwalk if lots of people had it. If sickly snowhead had vomitting related to a migraine it is far more likely that he later got something from achilles than vice versa. Temporal linkage is not causation. I have felt my ability to ski consistently throughout a day has improved since I was able to rehydrate more easily during the day skiing.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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stoatsbrother, thanks for that helpful note. The doctor at Wengen was very thorough, and though she could not be certain what had caused the problem her diagnosis was "gastro intestinal tract infection".
So, in answer to my questions:
| Quote: |
1. Is there anything more I should have done to my camelback before taking it on holiday.
2. Is there anything more I should have done to my camelback after offering it to Sicky Snowhead?
3. Apart from throwing up, my problem was different from Sicky Snowhead's, as I had problems with high temperature (38.5 deg C) and loss of appetite. And, after a couple of days or so, I had a touch of the runs. Problems were greater or lesser over 4 days. Given the differences, maybe my problems were unrelated to Sicky Snowhead's. Or maybe not. Can any snowhead medic advise? I didn't think to ask the doc at Wengen about that. BTW, I have absolutely no intention of getting back at Sicky Snowhead on this - he had a problem at the time, and I knew I would have to sort out the camelback hygiene when I got back to the hotel. |
1. Yes. Sterilise with Milton.
2. Yes. Sterilise with Milton, or clean with boiling water ( although see note 3).
3. There is nothing to link my problem with Sicky Snowhead.
There is, of course, no reason to believe that the Camelback caused my problem. But I did want to find out best cleaning practice.
Interesting to see medical advice clashing on the merits of hydration packs - think I'll stick with mine.
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Like the other poster I just rinse mine with household bleach.
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You know it makes sense.
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Try to avoid sports mixes, etc., as these eem to grow green furries at a hell of a rate. Yes bleach and Milton do work but will send the bladder and hose brittle soon enough (but I do use mine most if not every week).
The magic solution - freeze it. No need to worry about drying or sterilising it. Just rinse and stick in freezer. You need to remember to get it out a few minutes before you next use it, so you don't split anything unfolding it.
I thank you 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Diet soft drinks do a really good job of cleaning also.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| sproggski wrote: |
Try to avoid sports mixes, etc., as these eem to grow green furries at a hell of a rate. Yes bleach and Milton do work but will send the bladder and hose brittle soon enough (but I do use mine most if not every week).
The magic solution - freeze it. No need to worry about drying or sterilising it. Just rinse and stick in freezer. You need to remember to get it out a few minutes before you next use it, so you don't split anything unfolding it.
I thank you |
Can't do that in the hotel either.
Next time you need to offer water, how about just squirt it out by squeezing the valve peice into the mouth of Sickly?
I just don't think the bite vavle contaminate so easily. Unless Sickly actually spite back into the drinking tube, causing the contaminated water back into the blader, once you wash the bite valve, you should be ok.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, to continue to stir things up a bit, I think this present fad with water lacks any evidence or science.
If humans evolved as orthodox opinion suggests (hunter-gatherer) we are used to exercising in hot places without a water supply strapped to our backs.
Humans seemed to have survived quite happily without a constant supply of water.
But then some clever guy found he could sell something that came freely out of the tap for a small fortune.
And so the great Water Bottle Business was born. And following on from that the Sports Rehydration Business. And so on to the likes of Camelthingy.
Brilliant marketing. Dodgy science.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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was it tap water from a ski resort!!!!!!!!
many water supplies in resorts have a high mineral content that as a tourist you cannot handle without making you sick, the locals seem to be ok as they have an imunity or tolerance to the minerals...Val dispair is a classic place for this
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Jonpim, I've seen many people collapse through dehydration when taking part in the DawnToDusk off-road motorcycle enduro. If the body is working harder and sweating buckets more than it's used to over a long period of time then it will dehydrate. And I wonder if humans on the whole are starting to unevolve due to the sedentary lifestyles that most of the population seems to live now.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Jonpim wrote: |
Well, to continue to stir things up a bit, I think this present fad with water lacks any evidence or science.
If humans evolved as orthodox opinion suggests (hunter-gatherer) we are used to exercising in hot places without a water supply strapped to our backs.
Humans seemed to have survived quite happily without a constant supply of water.
But then some clever guy found he could sell something that came freely out of the tap for a small fortune.
And so the great Water Bottle Business was born. And following on from that the Sports Rehydration Business. And so on to the likes of Camelthingy.
Brilliant marketing. Dodgy science. |
I use a Camelbak for mountain biking all the time and believe me I really NEED it. No marketing fad there I can assure you. I can easily get through 3 litres on a hot summer day. But for skiing in bounds I've never felt the need to carry fluids. I don't really see the point, skiing is nowhere near as tiring. Only exception would be back country touring.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I was told this thread was all about sterilising camels, but it obviously isn't.
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David Goldsmith, I think you're looking for the bit about 2 bricks? Does it hurt? Only when you get your fingers in the way etc........
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Sterilising fluids such as Milton's are not so easy to find on the mountain but thankfully schnapps has amost as many uses as duct tape.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Jonpim, that's why they all died off at age 19.
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I think table salt is a good way to clean water bottles, part fill with an over-strong solution of salt, cover the opening and shake vigourously; you'll have to be more inventive to clean the tube and mouthpiece but I would still use salt. I believe the salt is both abrasive and cleansing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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achilles, baby sterilising solution is best bet if you can find it
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
sproggski wrote:
Try to avoid sports mixes, etc., as these eem to grow green furries at a hell of a rate. Yes bleach and Milton do work but will send the bladder and hose brittle soon enough (but I do use mine most if not every week).
The magic solution - freeze it. No need to worry about drying or sterilising it. Just rinse and stick in freezer. You need to remember to get it out a few minutes before you next use it, so you don't split anything unfolding it.
I thank you
Can't do that in the hotel either.
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You might not be able to do it in the hotel, try hanging it out of the window let it freeze overnight, i use mine all the time for mountain biking couldnt go without it, as long as its cleaned after use, throw it in the freezer ( or hang it out the window) then next day rinse it through with hot water and refil.
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micky, a plain old toothpick suffices for the bite valve. Salt is good, but diet Coke is better.
I think the whole freezing thing is a bit of a red herring though, it may stop algal, fungal and bacterial spores from flourishing, but it does NOT kill them.
Interestingly, the bleach doesn't really affect them much, except for the goofy black rubber O-gasket around the fill cap. I still have 3-4 from 1997, in spite of using them 5 times a week or more.
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