[brmena101]

Hello everyone,
I will be purchasing my first camelbak for future riding and hiking and noticed that the popular sizes are 1.5 L or 3.0 L. Which size would you recommend @ first? I'm a complete rookie with MTB riding. Thank you all!

Brian M

 

[Raybum]

3 liter...you can always partially fill it. You'll need that much water as temps rise.

 

[Grunion]

Bigger is better.

 

[zul]

Osprey packs ... check em out, they have tons of great features.

 

[DesertCrawler]

3.0L, no question. You'll burn through that easily in 2-3 hours if you're drinking anywhere near what your body needs, even less time on rides with bigger effort.

You can put less water in a bigger container. The inverse of that equation doesn't work so well.

 

[KavuRider]

Based on the majority of hikers I've encountered at PMP in the summer, all you need is a vending-machine size bottle of Aquafina.

 

[chongoman]

Before you buy a Camelbak go to REI or somewhere that has a selection of different brands and try a few on with a little weight in them.
If you're tall you might not like how Camelbaks fit. I love Osprey packs because they fit great, but hate the Nalgene bladder they come with. So I ride with an Osprey pack and a Camelback bladder. lots of people like Dakine packs too.
Camelbak might be the best choice for you, but do youself a favor and try a few on so you don't end up buying another one next year.

 

[Hardluckhero]

If you don't like the fit or the selection of hydration packs (Camelbaks), try a day pack and purchase the bladder separately. It cost me <$25 to make and its the best pack of the four I've had so far.

 

[tplace]

You can put less water in a bigger container. The inverse of that equation doesn't work so well.

Then why does my boss always want me to fit 10 pounds of shat into a 5 pound sack?

 

[DesertCrawler]

Then why does my boss always want me to fit 10 pounds of shat into a 5 pound sack?

What people want or think they want may or may not be aligned with physical reality.

 

[5bravobravo]

If you know of anyone in the military, get a Camelback from the local PX. They are awesome.

My GF just got me a HAWG for my B-day. It can hold a ton of stuff, has adjustments for all body types, and can hold a second 3liter bladder (I have been searching for this feature for a while).

The bladder is different than the civilian ones, way easier to use and stronger.

Plus it is almost invisible to IR, and has all sorts of extra tactical features.

Not for weight weenies

 

[elrancho66]

Osprey packs ... check em out, they have tons of great features.

+1 on Osprey. Check out the Viper series,new contoured bladder and mucho features. The Zul ain't no fool

 

[Maadjurguer]

All good comments....buy based on the pack, not the bladder. For AZ riding 3L is a must...you can always put less in. One thing about bladders I find: Less is more. Valves get screwed up, frozen, hard to clear if you use it in the winter - extra features like a rigid structure to keep the bladder upright, etc not necessarily a good thing - driven by marketing....the simplest design along with a good CONOPS for keeping the funk at bay is the best option....IMHO. This means always putting your bladder in the fridge after use.....if you do this right, you only need to clean twice a year and won't have funk....and I used my camelback 2 out of every 3 days last year...so take that for what it's worth.

 

[Javelina]

CONOPS? I think the OP is putting in water not tequila

 

[Dash Riprock™]

Camelbak-Octane 24

Camelbak-Octane 24. Large capacity at 100oz/3L, very lightweight, and Made in USA.
Dash

 

[FireLikeIYA]

Made in USA.

Really??

 

[dunerinaz]

I've been really happy with my hydrapak big sur. Plenty of storage, 3L, and I like the bladder design. Being able to turn the bladder inside out to clean is a nice feature. It's also easy to dump ice into the bladder because of the large opening.

 

[Maadjurguer]

Really??

Only the items sold under the MIL line, the rest are made in China.....and just because you sew on a bunch of daisy chains to every square inch of the pack does not make it better....it just makes it heavier and functionally absurd.

 

[FireLikeIYA]

I prefer the Camelbak Blowfish. It is light, has a 3l resevoir, and can expand for extra room. You can find them for around $40 if you shop around.

 

[brmena101]

great tips. thank you everyone!