Hydration packs has become very common in almost all sports
that require a lot of constant hydration while on the go. Being basically a
backpack with a specially designed water bladder that can be strapped on, the water
can then be access via a hose that runs from the bladder to the athlete’s
mouth. At the end of the hose, there is a bite valve that allows the athlete to
turn on or off the water supply without using his or her hands at all, allowing
hydration on the go. This provides a considerable competitive advantage over
others who must stop to access their water.
Since really taking off in popularity in the 1990s, the
global leader in the design and manufacture of hydration packs has been the
Camelbak company based in California.
Although technically it is “Camelbak”, many people add the additional “c” and
refer to “Camelback hydration packs”. Thanks in large part to its adoption by
the U.S.
military, Camalbak Inc. has stayed on top of the industry and has designed a
whole series of recreational Camelback hydration packs designed for specific
sports. After listening to customer feedback and sport publication reviews,
they have taken account of the concerns of various sports and designed packs
meant to work with specific sports.
Hydration packs first gained their popularity among mountain
bikers and motocross riders that required a means of drinking without using
their hands or stopping. Not surprisingly this means that camelback hydration
packs specifically designed for mountain bikers remains a key product line, as
any pack that works well for mountain bikers also works well motocross riders.
By far the most popular Camelbaks for mountain bikers have been the M.U.L.E.
and the H.A.W.G. In 2010, both of these popular models have also been improved
by adding the N.V.I.S.™ back panel which draws the pack away from the biker’s
back , allowing for better air circulation and comfort. These new and improved
models are denoted with “NV” being added to the name.
For 2010, Camelback presents some eighteen models specifically
designed for mountain bikers. Of these the Calamity, The Capo, Chaos,
Consigliere, H.A.W.G. NV, Havoc, H.O.S.S., Lobo, Mayhem, Mini-M.U.L.E.,
M.U.L.E., M.U.L.E. NV, Octane 18X, Octane 24, Octane XCT+, Uproar, and the XLP
are all designed primarily for men riders. At the same time, the L.U.X.E. and
the Magic are specifically designed for women mountain bikers. There are also
many packs designed for road cycling that also work for mountain biking,
including the Blowfish, Classic, Fairfax, Hydrobak, Rogue, Ruckus, and the Velocity
for men; and the Annadel, Aurora, Charm, and Oya for women.
There are also a lot of Camelback hydration packs
specifically designed with hikers and mountain climbers in mind. These include
the Alpine Explorer, Cloud Walker, Fourteener, Rim Runner, Vantage 35, and the
Trail Blazer for men; and the Aventura, Day Star, Helena,
Trinity, and the Vista 32 for women. These
packs tend to have a lower center of gravity, which makes them easier to carry
while on foot as opposed to those models designed for people on bikes.
Camelback hydration packs have also become popular with many
people that enjoy winter sports. While some skiers and snowboarders like to use
them, they are almost essential for people that like endurance sports like cross
country skiing and snowshoeing. Most of the other hydration packs can be
modified to operate under winter conditions, but there are several Camelbak
models that are specifically designed for inter sports. These include the Menace,
the Snoblast and the Zoid, for men and the Ice Queen, Muse, and Snoangel for
women. There is even the Kicker designed for young children out in the snow.
Tapping into the market for hunters, who generally prefer
functional gear modeled on military equipment, there are four Camelback
hydration packs specifically designed to accommodate this market: the Commander
XT, Raider, Ranger XT, and the Striker XT. These are basically modeled on
Camelbak’s military models, though they feature additional options that are
more appropriate for civilian hunters. Bear in mind that Camelbak also has a
huge range of military hydration packs designed to various military
specifications, many of which are available to the general public though they
cost a bit more than the civilian models.
There are also several models which are defined more or less
as general purpose and are not sport specific. For men these include the Hellion,
Scorpion, and the Scudo; and women the Day Star. Since children are usually
smaller and need smaller packs, there are three models specifically designed
for small children: the Antix and the Skeeter for general usage and the Kicker
for the winter use.
What about runners? Camelback hydration packs have become
very popular with marathon runners, trail runners, and other endurance runners
and walkers as well. However, most of the hydration packs designed for running
and walking are not full backpacks as this puts additional strain on the
athlete’s lower back. Instead, most of the Camelback hydration packs designed
for running and walking are waist packs, allowing the weight to be carried on
the hips as opposed to the back. Since this article is primarily concerned with
the backpack types, there is no need to list the many different waist packs
that Camelbak has for runners and walkers.
Also keep in mind that these are just the models available
new for 2009/2010. There are many other models that have been discontinued but
are still readily available from retailers. A comprehensive Camelbak outlet
retailer or website may have many other makes and models designed for various
purposes. Further, since these other models are discontinued, the savvy
customer may be a able to get a good close out price for an excellent Camelback
hydration pack.
