Water BackPack ~ Way Better Than Crashing My Bike

Water backpack (also known as a Camelbak) vs water bottles? There seems to be pretty heated opinions about this one.  Super cylers appear to think you are a serious DORK if you are wearing a water backpack.

Get me a nametag and call me dork.

Here’s my problem(s):

• My bike does not have holes in it for a water bottle holder

• My balance sucks so much I would fall over trying to get the water bottle out of the holder

• The idea of tipping my head back to get water to come out of the bottle causes me a good deal of panic.

I have been riding for the last week without any hydration whatsoever. It hasn’t been such a big deal thus far because I haven’t gone very far. Yesterday though I went far enough that I was pissed I didn’t have any water with me.  In fact, when I got to my goal destination (the Chikaskia River) yesterday I was starting to think grabbing a drink from it might be a good idea (NOT).

So I pondered my options and it became glaringly obvious that my only option was to get a water backpack to tend to my hydration needs.

I’m seeing a trend in biking ~ you can pay $20 dollars for something or you can pay $200 for just about the same thing.  Since I’m still on “cycling probation” from my husband I went with the $20 Walmart option.  There was one choice at Walmart when it came to a water backpack, and it was Bell. It seems Bell is THE walmart cycling brand, so I’m hoping that Bell makes quality products since it looks like a lot of my cycling stuff is going to be from Walmart for a while.

Bell Back 50 Hydration Backpack

The Bell water backpack has some nice features for such an inexpensive item. Here’s a few things I like about it:

• long tube so I can route it a number of ways

• the hole is large enough to add ice

• can hold a lot of water (1.5 liters)

• There’s a nice place to hold my mp3 player

• There’s space to hold my cell and a camera

Today was the first day I used the new water backpack. It was nice to be able to have water with me. It was also nice to have a place for my mp3 player as well as my camera. I have been wanting to bring my camera with me on my ride, but have had no way to carry it.

The tube is long enough to easily reach my mouth. I did have some problems getting the water to come through the tube for the first minute ~ but I did finally figure it out.

The tube also has a way to close it ~ which I suggest you use, as it will spill all over your LAP as you are riding if you don’t close the tube (yes, that is advice from experience).

I definitely felt much better after my ride having been able to hydrate throughout (even though it was a pretty short ride today).

I recommend the water backpack if . . .

you don’t care about being a cycling dork

you have trouble moving around on your bike without falling off

you don’t have a place for water bottles and/or don’t want to drill holes in your bike

All in all I’m pretty pleased about my new hydration system.  I’ll let you know as time goes on if my thoughts on this change ~ but for now I’m giving it a big thumbs up.

Related posts:

1. Is a Bell Bike Computer Enough Computer for You?
2. My First Ride Is Tomorrow – Walnut Valley Here I Come!
3. Today’s Ride ~ 8-11-09
4. Kansas Bike Ride ~ MCC Flatlander Bicycle Ride
5. The Complete Bike Book Review