How to Make a Hydration Pack

A hydration pack can be made using a water bottle and backpack.

Hydration pack systems are a useful piece of equipment for an outdoor or sports enthusiast. Whether you are hiking, jogging or biking down a mountain trail one thing is certain: you need to drink water. Commercial hydration packs typically use a plastic bladder to hold the water. Although this is effective and lightweight, it can also cause the water to taste like plastic and have potential health risks associated with BPA toxins. Plastic hydration bags are also difficult to clean and can harbor bacteria growth. A safer alternative is to make your own hydration system using a stainless steel water bottle.

Things You'll Need

• Stainless steel water bottle
• Sports cap with press release valve
• ½-inch diameter clear plastic tube
• Hydrapak Easy Flow bite valve
• Backpack
• Four ½-inch 45-degree copper connectors

Instructions

1. Remove the top piece (the piece which you can pop up to open or down to close), from the sports cap nozzle. You may need a pair of pliers if it is too tight. The cap must have a pressure release valve, one that will let air into the bottle when you suck water out. Without it, the hydration system will not work properly.

2. Soak the plastic tube in very hot water for about one minute to make it more flexible. Alternatively, boil a pot of water and put the tube in it for one minute.

3. Feed the tube through the four copper connectors, and then connect all four of them together to form a "U" shape.

4. Stretch one end of the plastic tube over the sports cap nozzle so it fits snugly over it. Push the U-shaped connectors down the tube and tightly on top of the sports cap nozzle, over the tube. This will help prevent the tube from bending and blocking the flow of water.

5. Insert the Hydrapak bite valve into the open end of the tube, making sure it fits tightly. Fill the bottle with water and place the cap on it.

6. Put the filled water bottle upside down inside the hydration pack pocket on your backpack, and feed the tube through the opening. If your backpack does not have a pocket for a hydration pack, you can use any small front pocket, and feed the tube out the zipper.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Performance Bicycle: Hydration Pack Basic Guide
• The Good Human: How to Choose a Safe Reusable Water Bottle