Freezing Camelbaks - packs??

[Red Rock]

A strange but true question....it has been mentioned here many times. I was just wondering how you all actually do this. Do you keep the draw tube attached and throw the whole thing in the freezer? Or do you take the draw tube off, close it with something and then reattach it after you take it out of the freezer.

Thankyou,
Red Rock

[Veronica]

I throw the whole thing in. Well, not the pack part. :p

Veronica

[Red Rock]

Thankyou V.

I will have to give this one a try seeing as how it is over 100 degrees now. I am also assuming not to fill it to full capacity so there is room for the water to expand. Something like 3/4ths full?

Red Rock

[withm]

I fill mine about 1/2 to 2/3 full with water. Then blow air into it via the hose to balloon the reservoir to full capacity, then keep it in the freezer.

Then when I need it, I open it up and fill it the rest of the way with water. That way I have nice cold water right away when I start the ride, and between the ice and the insulation of the camelback itself I have nice cold water for 3-4 hours depending on how hot and/or shady my ride is.

One other trick, when you sip from the hose, blow air back into the hose when you are done. That blows the water in the hose back to the chilled reservoir - so your next gulp of water will be cold, not sickeningly hot.

It may be dorky to the other roadies out there but I love my Camelback at this time of year.

[Red Rock]

Thankyou withm. Thoise are all good tips, I will have to remember them.

Red Rock

[Lakerider]

when you sip from the hose, blow air back into the hose when you are done. That blows the water in the hose back to the chilled reservoir - so your next gulp of water will be cold, not sickeningly hot.

It may be dorky to the other roadies out there but I love my Camelback at this time of year.[/QUOTE]

Thanks withm! I hadn't thought about blowing air back into the hose after drinking from my Camelbak. I'll be sure to do that tomorrow so I won't get a gulp of hot water.
YUCK!

I do love my Camelbak!

[tulip]

I store my empty camelbak bladder and tube in the freezer to keep nasties from growing in it. A little different than the topic being discussed, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.

[HappyTexasMom]

It may be dorky to the other roadies out there but I love my Camelback at this time of year.

I was just telling my dad the other day (while on a trip to a major water park, with me donning an old lady full brimmed hat) that I've reached the age where I really don't care what people think of me; if something makes me feel comfortable/better, I will do it. I love my Camelpack, too!

[Tri Girl]

I wasn't sure freezing it would work at keeping the moldies from growing, but it DOES. I empty all the water, throw the whole thing in the freezer (outside pack and all) and it's not gotten moldy once since doing that (and the outside pack doesn't smell as bad because I guess freezing it kills the sweaty germs, too). I only ever use water in it, but I'd still get mold in there. Not any more. Thanks ladies for the tip!!!:)

[Lakerider]

when you sip from the hose, blow air back into the hose when you are done. That blows the water in the hose back to the chilled reservoir - so your next gulp of water will be cold, not sickeningly hot.


Yeah, I blew air back into the hose the last time I rode and I didn't get that gulp of hot water. Great idea - Why didn't I think of that myself?
Thanks withm!

[limewave]

So, I froze my camelback over night for an Adventure Race. It was 87 degrees and very humid. I wish I had left room in it to add some water in the morning.

There were several times throughout the race I couldn't get water because it was STILL frozen! Even after 8 hours of racing in the sun on the beach. Fortunately they had set up aid stations with water--which they don't normally do for an AR.

Next time I will only fill it 1/2 way before I freeze it.

[lauraelmore1033]

I tried this technique for the STP ride and it was simply a life-saver! I am such a heat wimp and that steady supply of nice cold water really saved my bacon on the first day when the temps rose over 85 degrees (although my thermometer read 93 degrees...) I trained in temps around 65 degrees, so this was quite a difference.

[csr1210]

I've started freezing my camelbak, too. I fill it between half and two thirds full. When I'm ready to use it, I run it under tempid water for a couple of minutes (seconds -- just until I can open it), and that thaws it enough to get the lid open and release the bladder from sticking to the ice. Then I top it off with water until it's full. This works pretty good. Running it under the faucet thaws it just enough so that the ice can shift and is not blocking the outlet.

The suggestion about blowing air into it so it freezes puffed up sounds pretty good -- I think I'll try that
HTH,
Christy

[sundial]

when you sip from the hose, blow air back into the hose when you are done. That blows the water in the hose back to the chilled reservoir - so your next gulp of water will be cold, not sickeningly hot.


LizardSkins (http://www.lizardskins.com/products/view_product.html?type=mountain&product_line=accessories&product_id=28&name=Tube%20Insulator&name2=&page_number=2) makes a tube insulator so you'll always have a cool sip from the tube. :cool: I just recently put it on my Camelbak but haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

When the temps start soaring well into the 90's (and along with it the humidity) I like to ride with my CamelBak on my road bike. I think of it as insurance against dehydration. :)

[shellabree]

Oh wow! I had read in a gazillion places that you shouldn't freeze the Camelbak resevoir! But now I see that there is success in doing so!

I normally always freeze my bottles, but with the Camelback I've been resorting to refridgeration, lots of ice cubes and a mylar wrap before I stick it in its pack.

So freezing is a go, huh? Nobody has ever had any problems with seams coming apart or anything?

[OakLeaf]

I've never tried it. But I would point out that different brands of reservoirs are made of different plastics. I definitely would not try it with my older (1990s vintage) Platypus Big Zip, which has gotten brittle over time just by normal use. Drink tube materials have changed over the years too; typically they are laminated, and freezing could cause delamination. So be careful!

[Aggie_Ama]

I try to make a weekly women's ride after work on Mondays, so Sunday afternoon I fill my 100 oz LUXE up with water, wrap the bite valve in foil (so no germies from the freezer attach and freeze it. In the morning I just stuff the bladder in the pack (doesn't always zip). It sits in my black car in 100 degree temps all day but by wheels down at 6:00 it is still cool.

I never use Gatorade/Cytomax, etc in my Camelbak. Just good ol' tap water, not sure that may make a difference.