I would like to purchase a camelback...not the huge ones that you carry on your back but the ones you put on your waist. I have a few questions:- 1) What is the carrying capacity (water) of this bag? 2) Since its on your waist...is it tedious to drink water from it since the hose would be very long has to go all the way up to your mouth? 3) Whats the price tag like?Reasonable?

Thanks for all the help!!

-- Terjin (terjindhillon@hotmail.com), June 06, 2003

Answers

I am using a bum bag type of Camelbak called the Ridgeline which has apparently been discontinued. It has the capacity for 2 litres and plenty of pockets and room for mini pump, spare tube, patch kit, 1st aid and the like. The ones on sale at KSH now are much smaller with a capacity of only 1 litre. I am also looking for a replacement bum back of similar capacity to the Ridgeline. As for ease of use, I have not found it to be a problem at all, so long as you are not the type who likes to sip water on technical descents. I think I paid rm180 for it back in 2000.

-- amir (amirfaezal@hotmail.com), June 08, 2003.

Hah! At last people are catching on! I have been using a fanny pack with a drink bladder since 1996, when I first saw the price of a camelback and nearly fainted. (I'm very cheap!) I could see all the advantages a camelback offered like being able to carry more water, having the weight on me instead of the bike, and being able to drink when I wanted rather than fumbling with a bottle in rough terrain. But even better, with a fannypack and bladder I don't have my back covered which means I have more surface area to radiate heat, plus my centre of gravity is lower than if I am wearing a camelback. I have never noticed much effort required to drink even though the tube is longer.

The setup that has worked the best for me holds about two litres of water plus space for tools, phone, first aid, etc. More than two litres gets a bit heavy on the hips after a while. I bought mine from Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada, but any good quality bag should do. Mine has three different sized enclosures, the largest of which fits a two litter bladder nicely. The important thing to look for is good hip padding, a good wide belt and sturdy construction as you are going to beat the daylights out of it.

I use Platypus bladders and drinking tubes from a company called Cascade Designs in Seattle. They are cheap to buy but good quality. They are somewhat less flexible than the bladders used in Camelbacks which means that they can fatigue and wear out sooner, but on the other hand they don't fold up and trap water like a soft bladder can which is more likely to happen in a waist pack. Also they are less prone to absorbing flavours if you put something other than water in them. And did I say they were cheap? I even saw somebody selling them locally. (Unfortunately I can't remember who!) If all else fails try www.mec.ca as they will do online transactions.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_listing.jsp?FOLDER%3C% 3Efolder_id=580823&bmUID=1055775282850

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Regards, Pat Brunsdon

-- Pat Brunsdon (p_brunsdon@yahoo.com), June 16, 2003.

Buying from the MEC (Mountain Co-op) might not be a cheaper way tp go, unless you know someone up here in Canada to purchase the product and then ship or bring it back to Malaysia. I, for one, do not make that trip often.

One has to pay the one-time $5.00 Canadian membership fee, and then you have the taxes and duties. MEC is a retail consumer co-operative.

-- Andrew Annuar (aannuar@shaw.ca), June 16, 2003.