Tips To Choosing A Hydration Backpack
An important aspect of enjoying outdoor activities like hiking, walking or cycling is to stay hydrated. Traditionally this has been achieved by carrying a water bottle from which to drink whilst on the move. However, there are a number of obvious disadvantages associated with carrying a water bottle, such as the weight of the bottle in your hand whilst running or having to stop to pull out the bottled water when carried in a ruck sack, particularly on day long activities. This has led to the introduction of so called hydration packs in recent years.
A hydration backpack is a revolutionary way of carrying and taking in liquid without having to stop whatever activity you may be engaged in. It consists of a reservoir or "bladder" to store liquid and a hose that allows the user to drink hands free whilst on the move. The liquid is administered through a "bite valve" that opens when the user bites on it.
Advantage and Disadvantages of Hydration Packs
Although the idea of a hydration pack may sound appealing, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of their use, before committing to purchase.
As already alluded to above, the main advantages of a hydration pack are:
- You do not have to stop or interrupt your activity to take a drink as is the case with bottled water. You are able to easily take in liquid even whilst engaged in some activity such as bombing down a trail on your mountain bike. A positive consequence of being able to drink easily and consistently is that you remain well hydrated
. - Hydration backpacks also allow you to carry more fluid. Typically the liquid carrying capacities of hydration packs ranges from 1.5 to 3.0 litres, making them suitable primarily for hiking, cycling and other outdoor activities.
The downsides of hydration packs are:
- There is a cost involved in their acquisition - a water bottle is free
- keeping them clean can be difficult, particularly if you drink a lot of sports powders with your water.
- Spillage and leakage can be a problem,
Choosing A Hydration Backpack
Having pointed out some of the advantages and disadvantages of hydration backpacks, one of the main reasons to buy a hydration pack is that they offer more comfort and stability than ordinary backpacks. They are generally more streamlined and even the largest hydration packs are relatively narrow and hug the weight to your back and lower body.
When it comes to buying your hydration pack, you will find that they come in all sorts of styles, shapes and sizes. However, your main consideration when choosing one should be the use to which you want to put it. For example, a cyclist will want a lightweight, vest-style pack whilst someone going hiking would require a backpack style with greater capacity.
Ease of use is another important factor. Ideally your hydration pack will have a bite valve on the end of the hose which allows you to take a drink whilst on the move simply by biting down on the valve.
Finally, you need your hydration pack to be a comfortable fit, particularly for day-long activities like hiking.
A hydration backpack is a revolutionary way of carrying and taking in liquid without having to stop whatever activity you may be engaged in. It consists of a reservoir or "bladder" to store liquid and a hose that allows the user to drink hands free whilst on the move. The liquid is administered through a "bite valve" that opens when the user bites on it.
Advantage and Disadvantages of Hydration Packs
Although the idea of a hydration pack may sound appealing, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of their use, before committing to purchase.
As already alluded to above, the main advantages of a hydration pack are:
- You do not have to stop or interrupt your activity to take a drink as is the case with bottled water. You are able to easily take in liquid even whilst engaged in some activity such as bombing down a trail on your mountain bike. A positive consequence of being able to drink easily and consistently is that you remain well hydrated
. - Hydration backpacks also allow you to carry more fluid. Typically the liquid carrying capacities of hydration packs ranges from 1.5 to 3.0 litres, making them suitable primarily for hiking, cycling and other outdoor activities.
The downsides of hydration packs are:
- There is a cost involved in their acquisition - a water bottle is free
- keeping them clean can be difficult, particularly if you drink a lot of sports powders with your water.
- Spillage and leakage can be a problem,
Choosing A Hydration Backpack
Having pointed out some of the advantages and disadvantages of hydration backpacks, one of the main reasons to buy a hydration pack is that they offer more comfort and stability than ordinary backpacks. They are generally more streamlined and even the largest hydration packs are relatively narrow and hug the weight to your back and lower body.
When it comes to buying your hydration pack, you will find that they come in all sorts of styles, shapes and sizes. However, your main consideration when choosing one should be the use to which you want to put it. For example, a cyclist will want a lightweight, vest-style pack whilst someone going hiking would require a backpack style with greater capacity.
Ease of use is another important factor. Ideally your hydration pack will have a bite valve on the end of the hose which allows you to take a drink whilst on the move simply by biting down on the valve.
Finally, you need your hydration pack to be a comfortable fit, particularly for day-long activities like hiking.
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