Camelbag
Product 2018
Woman, Man
We were surprised by the name of this hydration belt, ‘Hipster’; we thought it was designed for urban use only. This is not the case!
Although we found it difficult to pinpoint this product at first; it is without doubt at its best used for mountain biking, as it always keeps its position even going hard downhill. To be honest from a distance it looks a bit convoluted… and in use, we were skeptic at the efficiency of the system (and its weight). If the harness isn’t that aesthetic, it is quick to put on. The very interesting point about this system is that once in place you no longer feel the weight of the water-belt, and there’s plenty of room in the pack for storing the 1.5L water bladder, a jacket and multiple pockets for tools, food, phone, etc.
For hiking or running you can also attach poles. We particularly noticed the quality and toughness of the water bladder and it’s easy to manipulate thanks to its handle. The pack has holes to evacuate any eventual water leaks. The big bonus with this water reservoir is the total absence of the taste of plastic in the water, and it is also very easy to clean.
All the accessories have been very well designed and finished: the strap ends, zip tabs, etc. There is no doubt that this product has spent a long time in conception and its comfort is exceptional, noticeably in the stretchy areas on the hips. The belt follows your movements and you almost forget you are wearing it even despite its volume.
The breathability is less efficient on the lower back (due to the width of the belt).
The reflective strips are a very good idea for safety purposes. We didn’t like the magnet that is supposed to hold the tube in place, as it isn’t powerful enough.
The tube is tough and has a protective cover. The only problem here is that you don’t see if it is developing bacteria if using isotonic drinks on a regular basis. The teat of the tube is easy to handle: a half twist and it frees the water. There is also a plastic protective end that is useful for transporting, in the car or storing etc. We took it off.
Likewise most of the time we used the belt without the harness for fast hiking. If you don’t over fill the belt it remains comfortable.
Overall the designers have favored ease of use, durability and comfort. This same product reduced in weight would be a high performance product for long fast trips. It is cited at 465g, we weighed it at 515g. But we highly recommend it for trekking or MTB.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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