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Post by geezinbutnotweezin on Jul 5, 2022 15:20:35 GMT -8
Wouldn't it be nice to know how much water is left inside your backpack hydration bladder aka reservoir bag without stopping on the trail, opening your pack and looking? I don't have the answer, just putting the question/challenge out there...
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Jul 5, 2022 16:16:24 GMT -8
Simple: Ditch the bladder for bottles.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Jul 5, 2022 17:02:56 GMT -8
One of the many reasons I have given up on hydration systems.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Jul 5, 2022 17:18:50 GMT -8
I am so dialed in to the weight of my pack that just by the feel of it on my back I can tell within a few sips how much water remains in the bladder.
If it rains it takes me awhile to adjust for the weight of external precipitation that didn't roll off my shell.
Bodily perspiration doesn't matter because the source was internal.
If you look closely at my avatar, you can see my wooden nose start to grow (like my cousin Pinicchio).
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Jul 5, 2022 21:21:57 GMT -8
I am so dialed in to the weight of my pack that just by the feel of it on my back I can tell within a few sips how much water remains in the bladder. That's pretty much how I am. I'm not accurate to the sip, but at least to the pint. I don't usually have to be very accurate in any case. If I get down to just what's in my hydration bladder, I'm either at the very end of the trip or likely to croak before I get there.
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Post by cweston on Jul 6, 2022 5:58:21 GMT -8
I’m planning to experiment with putting the bladder in an external pack pocket rather than in my pack. I like bladders better than bottles, but the OP identifies the #2 drawback of bladders: hard to know when they’re approaching empty. The main drawback, of course, is that hard to fill them on the trail (solves that problem as well).
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Post by geezinbutnotweezin on Jul 6, 2022 7:31:18 GMT -8
Found a posting on this elsewhere - outdoors.stackexchange.com/questions/25787/how-to-estimate-remaining-water-in-a-hydration-bladder1. "It should generally by possible to attach a flow meter to the hose of the bladder" The theory is great but the types that are both affordable and light weight enough are probably not accurate enough (they are made for measuring flow of gallons as you fill your pool or water your lawn) 2. "Do pressure measurements inside the bladder. The principle has been commercialized and is available at www.hydratemate.com/." Well, not really - "This item is no longer available for direct sale online" 3. "Fill the bladder to 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and brim full, then putting it in the pack with your other stuff and practice feeling the weight/balance." As suggested by another person. My weight differential sensing powers may not be that great. 4. "Get a long small diameter pole and from the hardware store and use it as a dipstick" Winner winner chicken dinner! Seriously, I prefer a water reservoir but not the experience of being surprised by an empty bladder (now there's an expression appropriate for an old guy)
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Jul 6, 2022 7:41:38 GMT -8
You could add a lightweight plastic water bottle like a Dasani 16oz to carry in your pack. Then you can let your bladder run dry and know you have a pint left. Cheaper, likely lighter and more dependable then a flow meter.
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schlanky
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Post by schlanky on Jul 6, 2022 8:33:51 GMT -8
I’m planning to experiment with putting the bladder in an external pack pocket rather than in my pack. This is what I've done for several years, and it works well for me. I start the day with a one liter bladder in each external side pocket---easy to check water level at rest stops, and easy to switch the hose over to the other bladder. I carry empty two-liter bladders for water storage at camp, but just use the couple of one-liter bladders while walking.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Jul 6, 2022 8:44:30 GMT -8
Besides an external pocket, you can put it in the lid pocket or inside the pack right on top. I've carried a hydration bladder for 27 years without feeling any concern about this issue.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Jul 6, 2022 9:13:13 GMT -8
Platypus?
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Post by Coolkat on Jul 6, 2022 10:06:59 GMT -8
Besides an external pocket, you can put it in the lid pocket or inside the pack right on top. This is how a friend of mine does it and about 3 years ago we were hiking the Superstitions and watching him drink without reaching for a bottle almost had me convinced to switch to bladders but on the very same hike his bladder failed and had to dry out clothes and a sleeping bag. So needless to say I'm still using bottles. I don't mind taking 10 minutes to stop set down my pack and take a drink or two. Especially if it's a long up hill climb. But after 27 years without issues I can understand why you trust them.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Jul 6, 2022 11:05:43 GMT -8
Where you hike matters. Altitude in low humidity sipping water to moisturize your throat is needed (or an occasional Jolly Rancher candy). But here in the NE I like putting the pack down and have a nice food and water break. A good hydration session and I don't need to drink again for some time.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jul 6, 2022 11:30:40 GMT -8
I usually put the bladder in an exterior pocket. I also usually carry a small (soda-sized bottle of extra water, which is both my cushion against inattention and my bottle for mixing flavored drinks, since I don’t want that stuff in the bladder. It’s hard to beat the ability to drink early and often, as I often suffer from a dry mouth. On my current trip, just a daypack, I opted to skip the bladder and use a couple of bottles, which I’ve been having no trouble getting in and out of the pack even while hiking. This has me wondering if I want to convert to a pair of Smart Water bottles for backpacking, but probably not
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Post by geezinbutnotweezin on Jul 6, 2022 11:44:54 GMT -8
I like that idea of two external reservoirs, then switching off the tube as the first goes dry. It'll be like switching tanks on a truck when the first tank empties.
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