Sorry...I guess that was a bit ambiguous.

http://www.bestglide.com/K1_Info.html

I know people who use hydration systems outside their jackets- they've developed two solutions. A, get a slim line carrier and wear it under your jacket, or B, get some reusable heat packs and toss one into the carrier (wrapped in a sock).

And you've just discovered why I carry firestraws, birch bark, fat wood slivers, cat tail fuzz, untreated cotton balls, little candles, esbit tabs (powder them) AND tinderquicks. :P

Oh trust me bro, I’ve usually enough tinder in my backpack to keep a fire going for about an hour on tinder alone!!(lol). It is a real eye opener to try and light a fire without using it though. It all depends on where you are as well. Evergreen Tree sap, in its liquid or solid state, will burn like Dammed kerosene when lit and burns at least a solid minute with a thick black smoke (even when just using spark). I use any time I can find it. I found myself this weekend surrounded by stupid sapless hardwood trees.

"...My main problem is the tube freezing..."

I am far from a cold weather guy, but I do hang around hot weather from time to time. I always take a slurp, then blow the water in the tube back into the bladder, keeps it from getting too hot. I suspect that it might keep water in the tube from freezing too. No water, no freeze. Can't help you re the water in the bladder itself tho. Seems to me that carrying it under the jacket, and those little handwarmer gizmos, might do the trick, but that is just an uneducated guess...

I use an Eberlestock J104 backpack which has an integral compartment for the hydration bladder (made by source) this does not allow me much flexibility to carry the pack inside my jacket. I have been trying to come up with a way to keep just the hose from freezing by tucking it inside, but it is such a pain to dig out to take a drink that it takes away from any benefit that may be gained. Imagine what happens if the stupid thing were to leak inside your jacket when it’s -25 deg cel or below. On my next trip I will see what works best, a wide mouth Nalgene bottle or my army issued 2L collapsible canteen with insulated carrier. I will let everyone know what the better of the two was.

Thanks for sharing. When conditions are damp, I really like fatwood. And a dry base makes a world of difference. I had to start a fire in wind and rain and a dry base, a teepee of firewood with tinder and kindling inside with a piece of fatwood and the fire lit up with no problem. I did use a larger tinder bundle than normal since conditions were wet. The tinder bundle was a 6-8 inch diameter birds nest of eucalyptus bark. That stuff is great! Whenever I see a eucalyptus tree, I will gather some bark for my tinder bag.