PWSX3 Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 Went snowshoeing yesterday & hope to do some hiking this summer so I'm looking into getting a camelback/backpack combo. What do I need to look for? Recommendations of a good brand? I looked on the net and there are ALL KINDS out there & all kinds of pricing so I figure you pay for what you get but I don't want to pay more then I have to & I don't want to overkill as well. Just need something to hold water, food, & a few extra cloths and that's about it.
johan Posted March 18, 2007 Posted March 18, 2007 I see that you're located one mile high, which I assume is the Denver area, where I also am. I spend a lot of time on the trails running. I've never had a backpack style Camelbak, by choice. My ex had one and I was glad I never got one for one reason: no air gets to your back so it ends up soaking with sweat. And I hate that feeling. For the sake of versatility, here's an idea: get a Camelbak (or other manuf.) that you can wear around your waist. Then also get a light backpack. I have two Camelbaks of this design, one called the Flashflo and the other called the Catalyst. I don't remember the capacities of them, but they do hold less than the backpack-style ones. But they last me for 3+ hours. That way, depending on the length of the hike you can determine how much bulk you want to be carrying around. There is still a bit of a sweat problem around your waistband, but it's nowhere near as annoying as the soaking back. If you're going for 90 minutes or less, you really shouldn't need to carry water at all. EDIT: You said you wanted to carry food: I can get a couple powerbars or some trail mix in zipper pockets on the Camelbaks or in the compartment with the water bladder. Cargo-style pockets on shorts are good places to carry things like this, too.
Author PWSX3 Posted March 18, 2007 Author Posted March 18, 2007 Thanks for the ideas, I will look into those as well. Sounds like we do share the same Rocky Mountains. I used to hike some when we first moved out here & I wouldn't take water at all, just wait until I got back to the car but then you are so thirsty you drink to much and feel bloated. I use a fanny pack now that hold two bottles of water and room between for the food, but then there isn't much extra room for cloths if you get hot. I also don't like how it just sets on my waste so that is why I thought of looking into a camelbak idea. I checked out some today at Dick's and they are nice & kind of what I'm looking for but they are also $85.00 so I'll keep looking on line.
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