 Poster: A snowHead
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I am looking for a new backpack and would welcome any advice and recommendations please
Key things I am looking for are
light weight
hydro pack
not much storage space
Basically I am looking for something small that can hold water to keep me from dehyrating. I stick to the pistes so ne need for ABS, ski carrying etc. I have loooked around a bit and Camel back seems to be quite popular and ticks most boxes. Budget is £40, but would prefer less for what is basically a water carrier on my back.
Cheers
Smag
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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smagsmith, try Decathlon - I got a Camelback for my daughter on her MTB, then realised that Dec have their 'no name' for about 1/3 the price and just as useful. OK, so not insulated/work down to minus stupid, but unless you are looking for the Dogs Bs and the poser name, they do just fine.
1l bladder, plus a small amount of carry space (spare tyres, toolkit, waterproofs, wallet, spare lights, phone, snacks, all fit in... when biking)
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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 have a vango rapide 20, having previously had a gelert bag that was similar. The thing that I would recommend is buying cheap and then ditching the bladder that is included and buying a platypus or camelback. I've had a number of leakage issues with cheap bladders.....one involving a. Now ruined camera 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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smagsmith, I've a couple of spare ones kicking round at my house. But they're about 20L or so capacity so they might be too big?
I'm just over the M62 from you.
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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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| Arctic Roll wrote: |
| smagsmith, try Decathlon - I got a Camelback for my daughter on her MTB, then realised that Dec have their 'no name' for about 1/3 the price and just as useful. |
that^^
I got an older version of this one. The bladder is 2L. I even found an after market neoprene sleeve for it, which helps a bit but it'll still freeze when it get below -5.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Bear in mind that it's not uncommon for the water to freeze in the tube running to the mouthpiece. You can help stop that by blowing the water back into the bladder so the hose is empty, but then the risk is you inflate the bladder over the day, meaning it's more likely to burst if you fall heavily on it. Also, even if the hose is empty, the mouthpiece can still freeze.
I just put a Sigg bottle in my pack now. A litre of water is ample for a day out, and I can always refill it at lunchtime or a coffee stop if needs be.
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cran
cran
Guest
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get a small size bottle of water and put it in your pocket...
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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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There are bags which have an insulated channel in one of the shoulder straps, and you can zip the bite valve away when it isn't in use. Still won't be as freeze-proof as a bottle, mind you. These sorts of bags tend to be marketed towards skiers and snowboarders, so you will probably end up paying a wee bit more.
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| Serriadh wrote: |
| There are bags which have an insulated channel in one of the shoulder straps, and you can zip the bite valve away when it isn't in use. Still won't be as freeze-proof as a bottle, mind you. These sorts of bags tend to be marketed towards skiers and snowboarders, so you will probably end up paying a wee bit more. |
That's what I have, it still froze up, even when it was zipped away.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| cran wrote: |
| get a small size bottle of water and put it in your pocket... |
Then fall over onto it, the water looks lovely as it freezes on your pants. 
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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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I use a water bladder in my rucksack now, with the hose coiled up in the bag opening. Even that's had ice in the hose once. Been the most convenient way to pack a decent amount of water into a small, low-profile bag. Still have to take the bag off for a drink, but it is at least operable with big dumb mitts on and there's no bottle lid to lose.
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You know it makes sense.
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I use a bladder, on a fall water is forced back into the tube which will then freeze if you forget to blow the pipe empty. Frozen mouthpieces are easy - just take it off and suck it for a while.
I've skied with two people who have found a burst bottle in their pack at the lunch stop.
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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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I was knocked flying by a skier overtaking me, squeezing past at the edge of the piste. The thermos flask of coffee I had in my pack was broken, dented, and I had sore ribs for a while.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| I was knocked flying by a skier overtaking me, squeezing past at the edge of the piste. The thermos flask of coffee I had in my pack was broken, dented, and I had sore ribs for a while. |
to be fair, I wouldn't carry a thermos, that's too big and solid and could do some damage. My Sigg bottle is thin-walled aluminium and it'll crush before it does any serious damage to me. Admittedly it'll leak the contents all over the inside of the bag too, but I can dry off some damp spare layers and the inside of the bag quicker than bruises can heal.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cheap and cheerful in D W Sports, what used to be JJB - mine is a running backpack with bladder, so very small, onyl room for a few essential bits and pieces so makes it compact and doesn't flap around unnevessarily. Think it was about £15.
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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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Nalgene wide-mouth bottle:
Doesn't freeze in the pipe
Doesn't have a habit of emptying it's contents in your sack
Doesn't take an age to clean and dry
Does let you see how much is left
Does let you sit on your sack for lunch
Easy to fill and handle
Compatible with all sacks
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I would go with a camelback or a similar priced alternative. The cheaper ones dont have anti bac stuff in the tubes and bladders and can mold up very easly. I have had cheap ones and expensive ones and I think its worth paying extra for a good one - it will last for years. If you get a slim enough one just wear it under your jacket. I do that and it never freezes up. You might look like you have a bit of a hump back...but who cares. £40 should get a camelback on special.
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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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Thanks for all the replies and advice. I want to keep it low profile. I have a mid range pack at the moment and the tube has never frozen once. It must be the excess heat I give off from all the effort I put in 
Amyone seen any good offers out there?
cheers
Smag
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Mon 4-02-13 23:01; edited 1 time in total
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The military Camelbaks are stronger and have a insulated tube as standard, plus the bite valve takes more abuse, you can also retrofit something similar to the cheaper versions. I've used one of those for years the advantage of being able to drink on the move far outweighs the PIA of dealing with cleaning it. Currently it's ill because I lost the seal from the lid somewhere so am experimenting with those folding water bottles instead. Currently it's a PIA to have swinging around or stop and drag it out of my pack. 
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meh, shame on you. 2 x '57 pattern plastic water bottles in carriers on a web belt, shurley, none of yer namby pamby 'Camille-backs' and the like? And nice matched '57 pattern tin mug n' all. Might make crashing a bit more exiting but at least one would be 'suited' correctly.
p.s. they do replacement seals .....
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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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That's cool I'll order a replacement.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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RattytheSnowRat, err, yikes a 2 grand backpack!
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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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meh, made my package tighten a bit, I can tell you. Mind you, it is 51 litres, but still ......
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surely the 2k price tag is wrong. Who would pay 2k for a camelback that is effectively a normal pack with a bladder in it!
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You know it makes sense.
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BMG, m8 - it's a typo OR a super aggressive seller. Given the military nature of the item I would not care to guess which. Mind you, it could be there as a price ref for the MOD. 'Look Geoffry - it's £1950 on ebay, I'll do you 250 at £1500 a piece. That means you are saving £112,500!!' 'Spiffing!' {Large G&T's all round}
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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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Quite a few big ebay sellers do that sort of thing when they don't actually have any stock; possibly by keeping an auction page alive like that they can maintain their search engine ranks or somesuch. If you keep an eye on it, it will return to a sane price in due course when they actually have stock they want to sell.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have a Camelback Snoblast and it work really well - the tube is in neoprene and in the shoulder strap. The mouthpiece froze for the first time since I bought it about 5 years ago on Sunday, but it was really cold and it took 1 second to clear. The tube has never frozen, unlike a friend's whose tube is exposed to the elements.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
The tube has never frozen, unlike a friend's whose tube is exposed to the elements.
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Trousers would help with that. And a zipped fly.
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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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If you are only skiing on piste and therefore not doing any hiking, can't you just wait until lunch for a drink? Humans aren't balanced on a knif edge of hydration/dehydration - you can go a few hours between drinks.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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kat.ryb, I could wait, but I like to have the option. Esp if it the day after a heavy night.
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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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Rule 5
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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feef, Rule number 7
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kat.ryb, experience has taught me not, I get incredibly dehydrated at altitude. Waiting until lunch, or the whole having to fish a bottle of water out from your bag - much prefer the bag I have with a small-ish bladder to keep me going.
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smagsmith, yeah rule feaking 7, feef!
Despite have a Camelback and an older water bladder, I just bought the Dragon's den/collapsible water bottle/aquatina. Despite some reports elsewhere it seems to be air-tight, let alone water-tight, and, I assume, given that it is desgined to collapse, it has a better than average change of surviving a fall.
I like the idea of having bottles that will fold down out of the way when they are not being used. It also means you can carry a specualtive one for during-the-day refills without much downside and much reduced haemotoma possibilites. Mind you, same could be said of a Camelbak. I suppose cleaning the bottles is easier.
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FAQ
