What Is a Camelbak?

Camelbaks are hydration systems that are worn on the back, similar to a camel's hump. These are widely used by a number of different athletes as well as children, hunters and anyone else desiring to carry a lot of water without a lot of effort.

History

Michael Edison is the creator of the original Camelbak hydration pack. The idea came to him during a race in the late 1990s, after growing tired of fussing with water bottles on long races. The resulting prototype was an IV bag placed into a sock and secured to his back on the inside of a t-shirt (giving his t-shirt a humped appearance, like a camel's back) with a long hose from which he could drink.
Now, 10 years later, Camelbak is a company headquartered in Petaluma, California that makes much more sophisticated hands-free hydration packs of all shapes and sizes. There have since been a number of other companies that have produced hydration packs, but many of these are still called Camelbaks, regardless of their brand.

Function

Camelbaks consist of a pack that is generally worn on the back or around the waist which contains a bladder that has been filled with water. There is a flexible tube that leaves the reservoir and has a mouthpiece at the other end. The mouthpiece end can be clipped to the front portion of the Camelback and is used to drink from.

Benefits

Camelbaks allow athletes to hydrate without having to carry cumbersome water bottles, having to stash water along a route or having to wear a hydration belt. Although Camelbaks do add weight, the advantages of being able to carry a lot of water on a long workout make this drawback tolerable.

Size

Camelbaks can hold varying amounts of water, ranging from 32 to 100 ounces. The Camelbak reservoirs are designed to fit into backpacks that are worn on the back or in fanny packs that are worn around the hips. The size of the Camelbak depends on how much weight you prefer to carry as well as your specific hydration needs.

Warning

A drawback of using a Camelbak hydration system is that they can be difficult to clean. Making sure all parts of the device are dry is important, because otherwise mold can develop which can contaminate the system.
Another pitfall is that it is often difficult to know how much water remains in the Camelbak, because it is not transparent. Oftentimes you are caught between conserving too much water and not drinking enough, or running out too soon.

Prevention/Solution

The Camelbak company offers a few suggestions for users. Packs can be placed half-filled into the freezer to keep the water cool during a workout. Also, gently blowing the water from the tube back into the reservoir will prevent you from drinking water that has been sitting in the tube, which can be quite warm.

Resources

• Camelbak company