I have had my CamelBak Blowfish for around three years. I have trusted it completely. We have has some leakage that was fixed by cutting the line and reattaching the tube to the bag.

Today my family went hiking in North Mountain Park in Phoenix. We planned a 4 to 5 mile hike up Shaw Butte. We parked at the visitor’s center parking lot. After checking that everyone’s 2-way radio was on the same channel and that every one had water and was ready for the trip we headed out. After walking for about 15 minutes I was shocked to discover that water was pouring out of the bottom of my CamelBak. I took it off and pulled the water bag out. The hose had popped off. I pushed the hose back on. It appears there is a lining inside the hose and it had separated from the hose and was now blocking the water in the hose. I cut the line and attached the hose to the bag again. The hose was still blocked but at least I still had some water. We continued down the trail and a few minutes later the hose popped off again and the rest of the water dumped out the bottom of my CamelBak.

The lesson is that the CamelBak hoses do not last over a couple years. I recommend that if you have a CamelBak you replace your hose every other year to avoid loosing your water when it counts.

I guess I need to ask the question again: Why do 99% of us "need" a camelback? Canteens and waterbottles are cheaper, more flexible and capable of providing cold (frozen) water, at least at the beginning of a trip.
Ah yes, I forgot, they are so "cool"; the latest toy.

"There is nothing so frightening as ignorance in action"

Bottom line is people use products and just about anything can potentially fail. For those who use these thanks for the insight ( takes another pull on my Perrier survival flask.) <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Why do any of us need half the stuff we talk about in the forums?

My guess would be that for one reason or another we find the item worthwhile, useful, and yeah, even cool.

I find my Thermobak 3L useful, worth the expense, and cool...
Hat trick...
Cool Beans.

I find it easier to carry 3 liters of water strapped to my back (or my pack) than it would be to carry three 1Q canteens, one 2Q canteen plus one 1Q canteen, or three 1L Nalgene bottles (or some other variation), especially on hikes of a duration longer than 1 liter of water?s worth of hydration.

Maybe I bought into the hype that 1L of water per hour while exerting one?s self is a good thing, and that constant hydration during that hour in smaller doses is better than tanking a liter in 5 minutes. I?m a sucker though.

I find the Camelbak worthwhile because I can just tilt my head, clamp down on the bite valve and then take a drink while on the move with my walking stick in hand, versus trying to retrieve a bottle and unscrew the cap with the stick in my hand. I also find the camelback is an excellent way to take a drink of cool, refreshing, rehydrating water while riding a bike.

Then again, I?m lazy and don?t necessarily want to stop, put down my stick for a few moments and then have to pick it back up again, or take my hands of the handlebars as the case may be.

And sure, I realize I could get a ?canteen straw system? that will give me something near the functionality of a Camelbak, but I tried it and didn?t think much of it, especially in the way it constantly wanted to suck air back down the tube.

I find it handy to take my Camelbak to the paintball field and use while I'm reffing so I don't have to lift up my mask and risk a shot to the eye as some trigger happy kid comes around a bunker and is suddenly rendered dumb and unable to determine that my black and white stripe jersey designates me as a ref.

But I have this thing about protecting my eyesight in case I might need it later. LOL

I like the idea that if I felt the need to add an inline microfilter instead of making use of my Katadyn Pocket Micro and Carbon Cartridge (which some folks might say was equally as bad a move expense wise) then by golly Camelbak makes one that will attach to the reservoir.

My Camelbak Thermobak 3L was a whole $40.00 and that included shipping. 3 New 1L Nalgene Lexan bottles and a carrier might have saved me a few dollars, and the equal capacity of military canteens and carriers might have saved me $10 unless I opted for the straw system, but I was willing to spend the extra dough. I?m a kook though.

And Yeah... Camelbaks are cool too, but as things go that thought was last on my list, way down past "Will this thing strap to my MOLLE gear easily" and "How easy is it to clean",

What I am trying to say, and I guess I was kind of a jerk about it, is that they are handy kit. So take it easy on your poor old forum members. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

(Suddenly I feel guilty about some comments I made regarding the SAK Swissmemory... Ummm... Sorry folks...) LOL

I?ve got no beef with people who prefer canteens, bottles or anything else. I just found that the Camelback works for me. If something else works better for you, then cool beans. YMMV <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

And I forgot... There are cheaper Camelbak-like "hydration systems" (cool marketing term because water bladder sounds bad LOL) on the market.

Thanks for the warning. It's helpful to hear about real world failures to help remind us of the possibilities.

FWIW, flasks and bottles can fail (or can be lost) too. Maybe you fell and split a seam or crush a lid so it doesn't seal and your water leaks out or whatever, but failure happens. Best not to put all your eggs in one basket.

-john

Of course it must be said that the 1L Sigg Aluminum Swiss Bottle I bought... That was all about metro. HAHAHA

Good point.

Forgive if there are some redundancies in this post from previous replies...

Camelbaks are not a replacement for canteens or water bottles in all situations, however they have there place and are a great tool.

The major benefit of camelbacks vs. bottles is that the use tends to hydrate more often and more consistently! I have not done a scientific study, but my observations of my students have been that those carrying a camelback drank more and showed less s/s of dehydration than those using bottles of some kind. This reason alone makes bladder systems of huge benefit.

Another benefit is that a much larger capacity of fluids can be comfortably carried in bladders than in bottles. I tend to carry 3L for every 2-3 hour between water supplies, depending on weather. In some places that equals 9L of fluids (yes that is almost 20lbs of water); 3 - 100oz bladders are easier to fit in a pack and carry than 9 nalgene bottles.

When traveling in the back country, I have one “dirty” bladder with me. The dirty bladder is used for passive filtration. I hang this balder high in a tree and attach its hose to the “in” port of my filter and a clean bladder to the “out” port. A few minutes later, no pumping involved, 3L of filtered water.

Another benefit isn't of importance to many, but speed is a big benefit to me. Not having to stop and pull a water bottle from my pack to replace the one on my belt is important to me. I have also found no good way to carry 3L of fluid and a few essentials on me in a setup as quick and light as a Camelbak M.U.L.E. With my bigger packs, I can have two bladders, one with plain water and the second with fuel (Infinity Nutrition or Sustained Energy) – fuel and hydration on the run!

Now, I still always carry a 1L nalgene bottle when on long treks, and over night trips. I typically use it only to carry a little extra water and mix and carry drinks in. And on short runs and rides I still use 20 & 24oz water bottles, but the camelbak is much better (IMO) for long trips.

And yes, you can freeze Camelbak bladders and get cold water out of them… I use two techniques, first is fill the bladder 75% full and let a little air remain in the bladder. Lay bladder perfectly flat in the freezer the night before a trip. Be sure that there is no water in the tube or against the outlet at the base of the bladder. In the AM, add the remaining water. You may need to run a little hot water over the lid to get it off. If you are bringing multiple bladders, you can fill the extras 90%; just make sure there is no air remaining in the bladders. I have done this many, many times with great success.

Craig, I have had this happen a few times. Luckily it has alwats been before leaving and since I always check before filling. I have descovered that I get 2 years of usable life out of a bladder (HARD USE) and thats about it. My MSR bladders have lasted longer, but fit in less packs. A fix that I use it to trim the hose and ziptie (the narrower the tie the better) it to the nipple. This had made my hoses last longer, but you can only do it once or twice before the hose gets too short. BTW, this works for bite valves too, if you have the new style that slid inside the hose not outside it!