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#1
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Hydration Pack recommendations needed
I'm shopping around for a new hydration pack, preferably a Camelbak, that
I'm hoping to use for a variety of purposes. Specifically, in order of importance: Long day hikes Bike commuting Long day rides Regular commuting (i.e. car, bus, train, etc.) Urban trekking on vacation Right now I'm looking at the following Camelbak cycling packs: HAWG Ventoux TransAlp I'm also looking at these Camelbak hiking packs: Rim Runner Peak Bagger CrossLite 2.5 What are the major differences between cycling and hiking packs? Is it just marketing, or are there design differences that make them better for one activity over the other? Any recommendations, either in terms of specific packs, or things to look for? Thanks, Kovie zen |
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#2
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Get a Hydrapak, one of the models with three lobes on the part which touches your back and keeps it off so air can flow. Love mine. They seem to have disappeared from the stores but you can find them on ebay. Good luck, Doug Kovie wrote: I'm shopping around for a new hydration pack, preferably a Camelbak, that I'm hoping to use for a variety of purposes. Specifically, in order of importance: Long day hikes Bike commuting Long day rides Regular commuting (i.e. car, bus, train, etc.) Urban trekking on vacation Right now I'm looking at the following Camelbak cycling packs: HAWG Ventoux TransAlp I'm also looking at these Camelbak hiking packs: Rim Runner Peak Bagger CrossLite 2.5 What are the major differences between cycling and hiking packs? Is it just marketing, or are there design differences that make them better for one activity over the other? Any recommendations, either in terms of specific packs, or things to look for? Thanks, Kovie zen |
#3
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It may be hard to find one pack that fits all of your uses.
For cycling use, I'd get a cycling specific pack. It will work fine off the bike - but the cycling ones are designed to fit correctly and stay put when you're riding. (In the riding position, you're leaned over, so the pack ends up more on top of your back; if it doesn't fit right, it will roll off to one side). Packs like the Ventoux are HUGE. I don't think you want to commute or ride any sort of distance with that. The HAWG or MULE are about as big as I'd go for all-around use. |
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"sunderland" wrote in message
oups.com... It may be hard to find one pack that fits all of your uses. For cycling use, I'd get a cycling specific pack. It will work fine off the bike - but the cycling ones are designed to fit correctly and stay put when you're riding. (In the riding position, you're leaned over, so the pack ends up more on top of your back; if it doesn't fit right, it will roll off to one side). Packs like the Ventoux are HUGE. I don't think you want to commute or ride any sort of distance with that. The HAWG or MULE are about as big as I'd go for all-around use. Thanks. It occured to me that cycling packs fit better when riding. I assume that explains the triangular profile, vs. the more boxy hiking packs. I've cycled with regular (i.e. non-hydrating) packs, with sternum and waist belt, and it wasn't comfortable, and didn't feel very safe. Given my dual cycling/hiking needs, it's clear I need a cycling pack. In fact, I'm guessing that cycling packs might even work better for hiking in certain situations, such as steep trails and scrambling over scree. As for size, I realize that there's no one-in-one pack that will suit all of my needs ideally. I'll probably need a second pack at some point, most likely a small pack like the MULE for road cycling where I'd only need to pack in some food and perhaps a shell or light jacket. But right now I'm more interested in something that I can do serious day hikes with, and commute 5-15 miles each way with laptop, some books, and a change of clothes and shoes. I've tried out all of these packs in stores and there's no way that the MULE would work for this, and even the HAWG seemed borderline. That's why I'm looking at the Venteux and TransAlp (which is the one I'm leaning towards right now). But I guess my biggest question was whether to get a cycling or hiking pack, regardless of size, and you've helped me settle that. -- Kovie zen |
#5
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Kovie wrote:
But right now I'm more interested in something that I can do serious day hikes with, and commute 5-15 miles each way with laptop, some books, and a change of clothes and shoes. Put a rear rack on your bicycle and get some panniers. Four P-clips, top of seatstays and bottom of seatstays will hold a rack very securely if your bike does not have braze on mounts. Obviously don't try to go loaded touring using a rear rack mounted with P-clips but for anything less, it will work just fine. Use the water bottle cages for fluid on commutes and anything up to 100 miles. You can stop and get more fluid on rides. And supplement the water bottles with a regular Camelbak if you want more fluid. No need to carry excess stuff on your back. |
#6
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wrote in message
ups.com... Kovie wrote: But right now I'm more interested in something that I can do serious day hikes with, and commute 5-15 miles each way with laptop, some books, and a change of clothes and shoes. Put a rear rack on your bicycle and get some panniers. Four P-clips, top of seatstays and bottom of seatstays will hold a rack very securely if your bike does not have braze on mounts. Obviously don't try to go loaded touring using a rear rack mounted with P-clips but for anything less, it will work just fine. Use the water bottle cages for fluid on commutes and anything up to 100 miles. You can stop and get more fluid on rides. And supplement the water bottles with a regular Camelbak if you want more fluid. No need to carry excess stuff on your back. Not sure how the rack and panniers will help with hikes. Is there a device that will allow me to carry the whole rig on my back while hiking? ;-) Seriously, if carrying more than a couple of pounds on one's back is such a bad idea, why are hydration backpacks selling so well? Surely Camelbak isn't in business to lose money. I didn't intend for this thread to be about the pros and cons of hydration backpacks, but since you got into that... Most of the time, I ride my road bike on 30-70 mile day rides, in which I only carry water bottles, a couple of energy bars or gel, essential tools, spare tube, etc., all of which I can easily carry in a small seatbag, jersey pockers, and bottle cages. Putting a rear rack on it would be pointless for such rides, add unnecessary excess weight, and, er, take away from the aesthetics (ok, ok, call me vain, but I like the clean look of my Ti road bike). Since I don't intend to commute by bike daily, and then for relatively short distances, and don't want to keep installing/uninstalling a rack and panniers, is it that big a deal to ride with a full hydration backpack for 5-10 miles 2-3 times a week? I see lots of people doing it, and have read many online reviews by people who loves these packs, so it can't be as bad as you make it sound. Realizing that raising one's center of gravity is never a good thing, aren't these things designed to overcome the effects of that in part, if strapped down? -- Kovie zen |
#7
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wrote:
Use the water bottle cages for fluid on commutes and anything up to 100 miles. You can stop and get more fluid on rides. And supplement the water bottles with a regular Camelbak if you want more fluid. No need to carry excess stuff on your back. This is the way I used to feel until I got this one: http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=...&sa=N&ta b=wf Very light and comfy and your back stays dry. I think it can be found for $15 - $20 these days. dkl |
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