Pure Water To Go - NEW Hydration Options for the Road

CamelBak's All Clear UV Water Purifier

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22nd and brings attention to the importance of clean water and mindful conservation. Many developing countries struggle to provide enough pure drinking water for their inhabitants. Even though we may live in a country with access to clean drinking water, there are times we may be running, cycling or hiking in the outback and come across "iffy" potable water sources. Here are some hydration solutions for those times.

Clean water sources may be hard to find during extended rides or excursions.

REI Exclusive - Women's Flash Sport 15 Pack

Novara Cycling Separates & REI's Women's Flash Sport 15 Pack

REI Flash Sport 15 Pack
If you are looking for an ultra-light women's pack to take with you for a walk, run or ride, check out REI's Flash Sport 15. Streamlined and designed for fast paced hiking and trail running, you could also use it for your next camping trip or an outdoor event this summer. It accommodates a full on hydration system, (I have my CamelBak Antidote 100 oz reservoir inside), with ports on the straps for easy water access. Averaging 1 lb, 1 oz its volume is a respectable 15 liters.

Stretchy mesh pouch in the rear can hold your bike helmet.

REI Exclusive: Flash Sport 15
The shoulder straps and hip-belt are perfectly proportional and sculpted to fit us women. The shoulder and hip strap pockets help organize gear I wish to keep close at hand like my fave Omegalicious Gummys and Probars. There is a roomy stretch mesh pouch in the rear for wet or bulky items you might not want to carry inside. Perfect for holding your bicycle helmet once you're off the bike too.
A clip loop in the rear of the bag can hold a blinky safety light if you are out at night giving you extra visibility if you are on foot or out for a dark run. Walking or riding, this pack is just right. See more gear and packs online at REI.com

My 100 oz CamelBak Antidote Reservoir fits perfectly in this pack.

My Outfit:

Haisley Woven Shirt and Carema Mesh Paneled Gel Skort both by Novara Bike

Eye wear by Hobie Kayaks 

Cleaning Your Water Reservoir: CamelBak Antidote Cleaning Kit

CamelBak's Antidote Cleaning Kit can also be used on other reservoirs.

If you are backpacking this season, you'll probably want to upgrade or at least clean your water reservoir before your next trip. A lot of mountain bikers would come into my husband's bicycle shop with all sorts of weird things growing in their bladders! Most of the time this is caused by loading the reservoir with sugary electrolyte solutions that are known to grow mold and fungus.  That's so disgusting!  So far I haven't had any such problems. Maybe it's because I've only used pure, filtered water in my reservoirs and make sure to clean and air them out after each use.

CamelBak Antidote Reservoir

One of best upgrades in a hydration system which I reviewed last year was the CamelBak Antidote Reservoir from

CamelBak 100 oz Antidote Reservoir

CampSaver.com
The features I like are the easy Quick Link detachable tubing and the larger fill port opening. The tubing itself has been treated with anti-microbial properties and will resist bacterial and fungal growth.

What I really like are the dryer arms that prop open the fill port for more thorough drying. These two things alone make the reservoir easy to clean and stay clean.

The tank itself is baffled to help distribute the water's weight. I've taken this reservoir on long hikes and there was no sloshing or shifting within the Antidote. The water also stayed quite cool without much insulation from my backpack, (Mountainsmith's Women's Alder 30) 

Antidote Cleaning Kit open: Reservoir hanger, tube and reservoir brushes, replacement dryer arms. Also has two packets of cleaning tabs.

Antidote Reservoir Cleaning Kit
When I check my gear, I always hope that my cleaning and putting away routine has payed off. Some hikers recommend keeping their water bladders in the freezer to keep things from growing in them. To me that's sort of extreme but even CamelBak says this is fine. Here are some additional reservoir cleaning tips from CamelBak:

The best way to care for your reservoir is to clean and dry it after every use, especially if you fill the reservoir with anything other than water.  However, theoretically, if someone didn’t clean it after every single use, and mold or discoloration happens to develop…

• Use hot water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda or bleach.  Mix the solution inside your reservoir and hold it up above your head while you pinch the bite valve, allowing the bleached water to run through the tube.  You can also use CamelBak Cleaning Tabs.
• Let the reservoir and cleaning solution sit for about 30 minutes.
• Wash the reservoir with hot water and mild soap. Be sure to completely rinse away any bleach or cleaning solution before using again.  You can also use CamelBak brushes from our Cleaning Kit to scrub your reservoir and tube.  Brushes are the best way to ensure you are scrubbing all of the areas of the reservoir clean.
• Once the reservoir is clean, be sure to air dry the reservoir so no moisture is trapped inside, which can cause mold to grow.

These steps will make your reservoir safe for use.  If you have spots left from the mold, they will never come all the way out because the reservoir is permanently stained, but still safe and usable.

CamelBak Antidote being air dried using the hanger and dryer arms.

If you're like me and are not into "freezer bags" you'll need to scrub out your reservoir before and after use. The larger port of the Antidote allows you to get your hand fully inside to clean and dry it properly. I recommend a weak solution of 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to 50 ozs of warm water to clean the reservoir if you've filled it with water additives or hydration solutions. Using the built in dryer arms on the Antidote, I open the bag up and invert it with the hanger as shown above. The same with the smaller reservoir that came with my Rudy Project DayPack Hydration II (2 liters or 72 oz). It can be accessed using the large brush in the kit. The handle has a little kink that makes it easy to use once inserted.

The 2L  or 72 oz reservoir which came with my Rudy Project Day Pack

This is a very stiff brush and quickly removes any debris from the inside of the bladder. It goes all the way down into the corners. I like to finish by putting a few paper towels inside and allowing it to fully dry. The Antidote has built in "dryer arms" and the cleaning kit provides an extra pair. Extend them out and hang the bag upside down as the hanger clicks into the Quick Link port.

The large brush even fits inside this smaller port. The tube brush reaches through about 75% of the hose.

All in all the CamelBak Antidote Cleaning Kit is perfect for the Antidote and other brands of water reservoirs. The tube brush is genius but I wish that it was only a little bit longer so I could clean the hose completely from one end. I'm not too comfortable about trying to remove the Bite Valve end and inserting the tube brush there but it's really not a big issue. I think the newer anti-microbial materials of the Antidote are a great idea to help prevent bacteria and mold growth but I always like to clean, dry and store my reservoirs after each hike.

This Antidote Cleaning Kit retails for about $19.99 and is available along with the CamelBak Antidote Reservoir at Campsaver.com

 

Heat & Sun Awareness: Chill Your Workout

Heat & Sun Busters: Enduracool Towel, Sunblocks & Hydration Day Pack.

Now that the heat is officially on, it's time to prepare your strategy on how to keep cool while working out this summer. There are a few things I keep with me for running, hiking or bicycling that help me to be free from overheating and suffering sunburn. I LOVE a golden tan but I know too much unprotected exposure can ruin your skin. Check out my Heat & Sun Awareness Project on Pinterest for the best sunblocks, clothing and accessories to beat the blistering days to come. So before you head out, here are a few sun & heat survival items to pack for the road.

Running, Walking or Short Hikes

The Dart Lumbar Pack by Mountainsmith

If you are going for a 45 minute run or hike, you can get away with a minimal amount of water, 16ozs at least and pack a water filtration system in your car for refills. This is easy to do at state and national parks and resorts with a clean water supply (fountains). Otherwise, just take a small water bottle with you in lumbar pack like this Mountainsmith Dart TLS Lumbar Pack. It even has a zippered pocket for energy gels and lip / skin sunblock. I use Mission Athletecare's Ultra Hydrating Lip Protector with an SPF of 20. Moisturizing and paraben free, it offers both UVA/UVB protection. The Dart comes with its own little water bottle or you can pop in a Purificup in the holder and filter water on the fly if you know there are going to be clean water sources on your trek.

Day Hikes or Backpacking

CamelBak Antidote 100 oz Reservoir is easy to clean.

Front country hikes that are going to require walks or runs for over 60 minutes should have you taking more water or at least a water filtration system with a refillable bladder. I like the CamelBak Antidote as it fits in most any day-pack or you can get their Mule for minimum bulk & weight.  This is a 100 oz reservoir hydration system and has a very large fill port which allows for easy, thorough cleaning. 

My Rudy Project Hydration II Day Pack accommodates this reservoir with even more room for snacks, sunblock, extra socks and a light jacket. Look for fabrics with built in SPF which can help you stay cooler and burn-free.  I have quite a few new pieces at my Heat & Sun Awareness Project

Bicycle Commutes
Packing for a short ride from point A to point B should not be a problem in the summertime. You may need a little extra water but you can top off before you leave by drinking a extra water and then fill up again when you arrive at your destination. If it's under 4 miles or a short commute, a 24 oz bottle of chilled ice water should be fine. I take a thermal Polar Bottle and fill it 1/3 of the way with ice. It's stays incredibly chilly for the whole ride even on very hot days of 85-90 degrees.

This Detours D2R Trunk Bag accommodates extra water for your ride.

Bicycle Touring
What's good about the Detours D2R Trunk Bag is that you can also use it for longer distance commutes or touring.  The water bottle holder in the rear of the bag allows you to double your amount of water if you also have a bottle cage on your bike. The D2R expands to hold a First Aid Kit, sunblock and extra sun protective clothing.  Add a set of panniers for extra storage and you are really ready for a day on the road.

The Wrap 
The summer heat can be brutal and heat exhaustion and stoke can sneak up on you in short order. Check out the new cooling technology built into clothing, towels and now arm sleeves which also block the sun. If you are running or cycling, wet them, snap them and pull them on. As your blood flows past them at your pulse points, you will immediately feel refreshed thanks to the temperature lowering polymers built into the fabric. You also might want to check the conditions before and while you are out.  Kestrel has come out with a Heat Stress Tracker which measures heat index, wet bulb readings and other important parameters to tell you when heat exhaustion is imminent. A weather meter with this sort of capability allows you to check the weather in your immediate area and alerts you to take the proper precautions to guard against heat stroke.

EnduraCool Cooling Arm Sleeves by Mission

Portable Water Filtration Made Easy

Navigating the mighty Manasquan River in the great northeast.

I'm currently on vacation now through September 17th but just wanted to share this from our trip so far:  When you're traveling, on vacation or using your local parks and campgrounds, there is one thing you might not want to do.  That is drink the water.  I've used the public water fountains in the campsites where we've stayed and it wasn't too pleasant.  We ended up buying bottled water which was a waste of both time and money.  Still it beats getting sick and dehydrated as you just don't know who used the spigot before you. 

What if you could transform that park water fountain swill into fresh, pure, bacteria free water?  It can be done.  We were canoeing on vacation this week and decided not to carry in a lot of water.  Instead we simply packed two ice filled 12oz Insulated Polar Bottles with a Purificup Portable Water Purifier, and an Adventure Medical Kit Marine 250 and put everything in a Snap Sac Cooler Tote on the deck of the canoe.

That was about all we needed for the time out on the water but once we came ashore, we had access to the public drinking fountains and were able to re-fill our bottles.  This actually worked out great because we didn't have to board with excessive amounts of water.  Heavy coolers and rolling bottles are not what you want with you in a canoe!  

So the re-fill was quite simple.  Since this was water fountain water, it is potable or safe for drinking.  We used the Purificup for Tap Water but could have just as well used the Purificup for Natural Water to filter water directly from the Manasquan River we were navigating.

Purificup filtering into a Klean Kanteen

As you can see here, we just dumped the water we collected into the top of the Purificup container. It comes with a separate collection cup but I thought, "Oh, what the heck!"  We filled the Purificup to the "Fill Line" and let it go.  The flow rate is pretty fast and before you know it, our public water fountain sample tasted like store brought bottled water.  I had peace of mind knowing that the bacteria most often present at public drinking sources had been killed along with any other pathogens and heavy metals.



I can't underscore how liberating using a portable water filter like this is.  Due to the flotation vests, we can't use cool lumbar packs like The Dart or hydration packs like the CamelBak Antidote. To be able to carry the bare minimum amount of water aboard our watercraft made such a difference.  Everything stowed neatly in our cooler tote under the bow's bench.  After canoeing, we even took a 4 mile hike through the woods on the nature trail.

We weren't concerned about running out of water because there was plenty available for filtration: both via natural river water and public drinking fountain sources. 


So if you are concerned about having to pack a lot of water, running out or having to purchase bottled water, (may not be available in the outback), consider bringing along a way to filter water on the fly.  The type of water filter you use will depend on where you're going and what sort of water you'll have access to.  Either way, a portable water filter like Purificup can be a major player in being prepared, eco-friendly and staying hydrated outdoors.

The NEW 12oz Insulated Polar Bottle is the perfect travel size.  Refilled it with a Purificup!

Hydration Solutions for Ultralight Hikes

Trending Now: Hike with less water but carry a portable filtration system

The summer heat is no time to skimp on water.  I really like my hydration packs such as CamelBak's Antidote Reservoir but even with its lightweight Mule carrier, it's just overkill for most hikes.  You'll find this to be the case more so with front country backpacking where you store much of your food and water at base camp or in your car parked in the lot.

Hauling Too Much Water?

Traveling super-light has its place and carrying 100 ozs of water is definitely going to blow out your back especially if you have other essential gear packed in.  I've found the best solution to be this:

Aurora 2SA Carbide Firestarter by Solo Scientific

1.) Find out where you will be hiking and if that area has a clean water source.

  

2.) Take what you need but pack a water filtration system in case of an emergency.

3.) Bring Stainless Steel cups that allow you to boil your water for extra disinfection.

4.) Bring a water proof firestarter to boil water. I use this Aurora 2SA Carbide Firestarter by Solo Scientific.

All of these items are relatively light, compact and easy to carry and will save you several pounds in your pack weight.  Remember 1 gallon of water weighs a whopping 8.35 lbs!  Now if you're climbing in the heat, you will be drinking a lot of that but let's face it.  Most of that water is just going to be dead weight for most of the trip.

Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen Pints & Carabiner

Stainless Steel Pint Cups by Klean Kanteen

The beauty of bringing along these cups is that they are lightweight, weighing only 3.5 ozs and virtually indestructible.  Clip them on your backpack with colorful bands that attach to their own S carabiners.  Clip them off to retrieve water from a nearby stream or lake. 

You can also place these 16 oz, 18/8 gauge stainless steel cups right over a fire and sterilize the contents by boiling water in the cup.  Use them to make soup, ramen noodles, oatmeal or any other camp side gorp requiring hot, boiling water.

These are excellent, easy to pack solutions for sterilizing water that you know is relatively pure to begin with.  Boiling will not, however, remove heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead and other such contaminates from your water. In fact boiling only concentrates them.  If you are uncertain about your water source it's best to go to Plan B, a comprehensive but portable water filtration system.

Purificup Portable Water Filtration System

Purificup is hailed as the world's first portable water filtration system that removes 99.9% of contaminants such as bacteria, parasites and pathogens via a high tech nano-silver filter.  The unit is self contained with no tubing or extra parts required. 
Purificup is quite different from the CamelBak All Clear which uses batteries for UV disinfection.  While I really like the idea, UV light water purification does not strain out parasites, organic/inorganic contaminants and undissolved solids from the water. To underscore this, the CamelBak website recommends that if you are using the All Clear when camping in Upstate New York, that you:

Travel Water Facts:

When filling from a stream or other natural water source, you’ll want to ensure that you’ve also strained out any particulates prior to purifying your water to avoid bacteria or protozoan cysts like cryptosporidium parvum.

Therefore you may want to have the Purificup as your primary water filtration system to work with "iffy" potable water supplies.
 
Purificup for Natural Water

Our water source, Koi Central

Purificup makes portable filtration systems for both tap and natural water.  The unit comes in a capsule that allows all of the parts to nest neatly inside but weighs only 13.25 ozs.  That's with the filter soaked and charged.

No Water Boiling Needed
The nano-silver medium is an effective sterilizing agent so there is no need to boil the water for additional disinfection after it has been filtered. It is even effective in removing parasites such as giardia, also called Giardia lamblia, a type of single celled, flagellated protozoa.  This parasite may be found in streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes that have been contaminated with feces or sewage, (Eww!). Giardia infection causes a disease called giardiasis and is marked by abdominal cramps and diarrhea.
Silver naturally has both antibacterial AND anti-fungal properties so it takes care of fungi as well.  One filter will purify up to 11 gallons of water.  That's saving you close to 92 lbs of water weight you DON'T have to carry!

Purificup filtering water from our Koi Pond

Purificup Filter Features:

Exclusive 3 Stage Filter Technology

1. Ion exchange resin: Turn hard water into soft water by removing heavy metals (lead, copper, cadmium, mercury, etc) and calcareous (meganesium, calcium icons). In addition, it stably produces wear basic water during its life span.
2. Activated carbon: Remove chlorine and other organic odor including THM, organic solvent, and pesticides.
3. Nano-silver membrane:  The membrane kills 99.99% of the pathogens in natural water sources such as streams, falls, creeks, and rivers.  It is located on the inlet and exit of the filter circulation channel, preventing the filter cartridge from contamination. + Absolute 1 micron filter for additional layer of protection against bacteria.

So How Does the Filtered Water Taste?
Unpacking and setting up the filter was quick and easy.  Simply immerse the water filter in pure water for about 60 secs. to prepare it.  In the lead photo I'm filling the included cup at the waterfall of our Koi Pond which is stocked with numerous fish.  Yes, the water smells fishy. We also have waterfowl, turtles, frogs and other critters using the pond.  Can you say e. coli?

I placed the collection container on top of the filtering unit and you can see pure, sparkling water flowing into the cup below.  The resulting water was very clear with no turbidity, cloudiness or fishy smell.  The taste?  Delicious!!!  Now I'm not promoting drinking water out of a fish pond but it just shows how effective Purificup really is.  I didn't feel ill or have any digestive problems from drinking my filtered pond water.  If it works on THAT water, it will clean up anything.  No backpacking / survival kit is complete without a comprehensive water filtration/purification system.  This is one of the best I've seen to date and what I will be packing from now on.

The Wrap
The choice is yours.  Continue hauling water like a pack mule or lighten up. Most of the time I do not finish all of the water in my hydration pack, even for longer hikes.  I've started carrying less water and have been fine....so far.  Just to be safe, I plan to keep a water filtration system on board in case of an emergency.  That way I have the best of both worlds.  Traveling light but traveling RIGHT.

Traveling light with less water.  Mountainsmith's Dart TLS Lumbar Pack with Water Bottle

CamelBak Antidote Reservoir Review

Camelbak's Antidote 100 oz (3 l) Reservoir fits perfectly in my Mountainsmith Alder 30 Woman's Day Pack.  Photo: Northern most section of the NJ Pine Barrens

We had the chance to do a day hike in the wild New Jersey Pine Barrens.  Situated about 40 miles west of New York City, it is a complex zone of ecosystems that include salt marshes, forest and open meadow.  Staying out for an entire day of backpacking means you may want to carry a hydration pack instead of individual water bottles.  We were impressed with the newer CamelBak Antidote Bladder when it came time to choose one for the Mountainsmith Alder 30 Woman's Day Pack.

CAMELBAK ANTIDOTE RESERVOIR
This is the most recent upgrade the CamelBak line of reservoirs.  I had heard horror stories of strange things growing in hydration packs from my husband, the bicycle shop owner.  Mold, germs, funky tasting water, etc. did not appeal to me.  However the Antidote has a few things going for it to prevent that.

Antidote Features:
- Quick-snap cap that tightens in just a quarter turn
- Low-profile fit for unmatched stability
- Air-light fillport cuts weight

- Large fillport opening allows for easy cleaning
- Available in 100, 70 and 50 oz sizes (lumbar pack)

- Quick Link: Click off tube for fast refill or add Quick Link accessories

- Folding Dryer Arms keep reservoir open for quick and complete drying

Filling the Reservoir

The Quick Link System securely snaps off to separate the hose from the bag without leaking.  This means that I was able to leave my tubing in place in the day pack and simply remove the bladder itself to fill.  The inside of the bag is baffled allowing it to lay flatter after filling and the fillport securely seals with just a quarter twist.  Once filled, I reattached it to the tube and hung it on the hook inside the pouch of the Alder. Easy!

Hiking With the Antidote

Always take a medical kit!  SOL Hybrid 3

The Antidote has the standard CamelBak Big Bite Valve which opens the tube to drink.  There is also an Ergo Hydrolock shut off to the mouthpiece but even when I left it in the "on" position, it didn't leak.  It was a real pleasure being able to drink as much as I wanted during the hike but still have my hands free to take pictures and observe wildlife.  I found that even after more than three hours, the water was still refreshingly cool.  There was no shifting or "sloshing" even with running up and down hills and banks.

Clean-Up

Ah, the dreaded clean-up.  The larger fillport opening and lower stack height are just two innovations that set the Antidote apart from similar reservoirs on the market.  However the larger opening in the fillport allows you to get your whole hand inside to scrub and thoroughly dry the inside of the bag.  The folding side arms extend out so the bag stays open for more thorough airing.  The tube is a little trickier but I just shook out as much water as possible. The Antidote has Hydro-Guard which inhibits growth of bacteria on the reservoir and tube surfaces.  However mold is another animal so I would be sure to dry it completely.

  

The Wrap
Overall the Antidote performed fantastically the first day out.  The bag itself is lightweight and BPA-free.  Since our water was taken care of, we filled our bags with insulated Klean Kanteens of hot chocolate and soup. You can purchase a cleaning kit but I think most problems come from using sugar based electrolyte and performance drinks in the reservoir.  Some backpackers recommend storing your hydration system in the freezer to prevent mold growth but I would check with the company before exposing the product to severe temperatures like your freezer.  CamelBak has a new "Got Your Bak" Lifetime Guarantee so if the bag malfunctions, you're covered.  Both the CamelBak Antidote and Antidote Cleaning Kit are available from Campsaver online. 

  

Having a hydration system in your day pack gives you freedom to focus on the hike, not worrying about your water supply.  PHOTO Naturalist Jim Faczak explains ecosystems in the Pine Barrens.