Hydration packs for mountain biking

[Corey]

Bringing this older thread back.
I like my Camelbak Lobo the one I bought in the first post here, but it is a little to small.
For summer it was OK, but now with winter almost here I need more room for clothing such as a light weight rain/wind proof jack (I have the Specialized Deflect Trail Jacket) and a polar fleece top to wear over a jersey and under the jacket if it is really cold outside.
The Lobo pack is simply to small, in fact as light as that Specialized jacket is, I doubt it would fit with the other gear I carry in it.

So I picked up a 2010 Mule yesterday in the same color.
http://www.camelbak.com/sports-recreation/hydration-packs/2010-mule.aspx

This is the pack I probably should have gone with first.
Lots more room inside, 600 cubic inches.
They have another model too that has a back barrier in it to keep air flowing over your back, but it cuts the capacity down to 520 cubic inches.
It is called the Mule NV.
http://www.camelbak.com/sports-recreation/hydration-packs/2010-mule-nv.aspx
I read a few complaints on that model with the straps/barrier ruining a few jerseys, so I stuck with the tried and true proven model, the basic Mule.

Question on how long can you leave water in the bladder in these during the cooler months.
I would like to leave the smaller Lobo pack in my rig with the bladder full and a few items in the pack such as energy bars, first aid kit, ect.
I have my bugout kits too on the rear door of my rig, but they are not backpacks in a sense like the Camelbak is.

Would the water get bad say after sitting in the rig for a few months?

 

[DaveInDenver]

Would the water get bad say after sitting in the rig for a few months?

Not sure if being in a bladder makes it much different than any other storage, but a few drops of bleach or whatever method you use on your regular stored water is probably how I would deal with it. The upside is that in a bladder it's a lot easier to get all the air out which is important to long term storage stability.

 

[mcgovski]

I have stopped using camelbacks. The packs are ok design, ok quality, less than ok on performance and terrible for fit. The biggest problem with the camelback when riding a bike is that the pack creeps up your back, to your neck and on to your helmet when descending. no good. I have no problem with the CB when on my moto or hiking, but the bike...the pack needs to stay put. Ergon packs fit excellent, perform excellent. I love the Ergon

 

[DaveInDenver]

I have stopped using camelbacks. The packs are ok design, ok quality, less than ok on performance and terrible for fit. The biggest problem with the camelback when riding a bike is that the pack creeps up your back, to your neck and on to your helmet when descending. no good. I have no problem with the CB when on my moto or hiking, but the bike...the pack needs to stay put. Ergon packs fit excellent, perform excellent. I love the Ergon

Legitimate problem, same here. Been considering different brands but I have to admit my old HAWG just keeps ticking along and I hate to replace it until it fails. But you are right, mine does this too.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Just a heads up for anyone thinking of getting a new hydration pack for next year - Osprey backpacks is launching a new hydration line in 2010 with a hydration bladder design that was a joint project with Nalgene. It looks to be a really nice system and a real contender to Camelbak. There won't be a huge offering of sizes, but two models will be geared towards riders.

I'm in line to get the first delivery. Can't wait. That said, I love to hate any hydration system and use a hydration pack on about 1% of the rides I do.

Bottles work fine for me and I really try not to lug around more than I need.

 

[Corey]

I have seen the Osprey ones, there is a write-up on them somewhere over at MTBR.
These Deuter packs are suppose to be good too.
http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/deuter-hydration-packs-deuter-compact-exp-8-hydro-lite-30-pro-review/

I am just the opposite, I like having a hydration pack with me to carry stuff.
I have two water bottle cages on the bike, but I drink far more than what they can carry.
Heck at work during the summer I can go through two 40 oz Kelan Kanteen bottles in an eight hour shift.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I have seen the Osprey ones, there is a write-up on them somewhere over at MTBR. .

Those MTBR reviews are for the current line of hydration "compatible" packs, namely those in the Talon series. In 2010 they'll have an entirely new line of pacs with new Osprey reservoirs.

The Deuter stuff is pretty nice. I like their reservoirs and most of their packs are nice, just a tad on the heavy side.

 

[Corey]

I read somewhere about the marriage between Nalgene and Osprey with the new pack, it may have been in one of my numerous MTB mags I get each month instead of mtbr.com