Camelbacks

[bikemad1]

Hi all! I'm thinking about purchasing a Camelback but I have a few questions about them. I 'd like to know how many of you use them and which style you use? I'm also curious if your back sweats a lot when you're wearing it (could be my imagination!!!) and is it heavy when it's full of water? Do you use it for mountain, road, or commuting riding?

[Fredwina]

I have the Dream, which I use for everything. Never had a problem with sweating - but I know some people do.
Wieght, I usually don't notice it, but this agian is a personal observation

[Bikingmomof3]

I have the Charm and love it. It is small, there is not a lot of carry space, but that is what I wanted.

[Trekhawk]

I have the Magic that I use when Im mountain biking. Its a larger Camelbak and has plenty of room for tools, tubes, food and lets not forget the first aid kit.....trust me when you fall off as much as I do mtb you need room for that.

[colby]

The only Camelbak I've tried is the waistpack, Flashflo, which on the website says 1.3L but I swear the one I got said 1.8L. I wear it running and biking, and bought a clip to add on so I can clip it to my jersey.

I did not get a backpack mostly because I sweat so much running that an entire pack would be too much for me in the summer. I have used it several times riding, and it's great, though I'm pretty sure it covered up my jersey pockets. I carried gels, my cell phone, keys, a couple of other things. No huge cargo capacity, but I have a frame pump and bag on my bike for tubes and tools, too.

I had to buy the clip to put it closer to my mouth (otherwise I have to reach to my waist to get the valve), I believe the backpacks come with them. The capacity is perfect for me for about 2 hours of riding/running in the sun, much more if it's a cool/shady day or low intensity ride, less if I'm super thirsty or it's a warm/humid day.

As for weight, I didn't really notice it biking, but I notice it a lot running. I fasten it as tight as I can to my waist for running (or it's really bouncy), but I can wear it more loosely for riding. I think a backpack would be similar on that front, but a little better distributed. As your ride goes on and the camelbak empties, the weight becomes even less of an issue. I usually forget about it entirely within a few minutes.

Sometimes I put mine in the freezer 30 minutes before I'm going to go to make the water super cold. Having it against my body can make either my body colder or the water warmer. Sometimes, I empty a bottle of filtered water I always have in the fridge into the camelbak and restock the fridge. I would store mine in the fridge, but then it picks up the "Fridge Smell" if we have leftovers in there Sometimes water out of the tap is cold enough, but I find that when I'm exercising I like my water COLD, colder than I do otherwise.

I really prefer it to reaching for bottles for water, I can carry much more this way, and it means I can put cytomax or something in my polar bottle instead.

[Kalidurga]

I also have the Dream. It's a great size for most rides, holding 2 liters of water and a snack or two. I don't feel at all encumbered by the weight, and I only sweat under it on really hot &/or humid days.

I did decide, though, that I wanted more compartment space so I picked up one of the new Chaos models. It's a cool golden brown color, which I way prefer to the usual Camelbak shades (a great big thank you to you mtb'ers out there who convinced Camelbak to go earthy ). It's a men's model, though, so the straps are a tad wide and the length of the pack might be a bit long. I have yet to actually use it, but I'm thinking that being able to carry my camera and stow cold-weather gear will make up for the not-quite-right fit.

[guanajagirl]

I have the day star. Its a women specific pack and super comfy IMO. It has a lot of carry space but if its not full its really light. I havent taken it on the bike yet. Just lots of hikes. But i dont anticipate any problems. Camelbacks are just great products whichever modle u may go with.

[emily_in_nc]

I also have the Camelbak Flashflo waist pack. It carries about 48 oz of water, not nearly as big as most of the shoulder models, but perfect for most of the road and mtb rides I do (I can supplement with a bottle of Accelerade if needed). It seems heavy around my waist when I first put it on, but once on the bike, I never even notice it. Recommended!

Emily

[love2bike]

I now use a Camelbak for every ride - I prefer it because I don't have to grab for a bottle, so I take sips more often. I have a "Dream" (70 oz w/ compartments) for trail rides and a "Blue Wave" (small 50 oz. $15 at Bass Pro Shop) for road rides. It has a nice cool feel on your back when you fill it with ice, or for hot days, I freeze my water in the blatter and it stays nice and cool for hours.