CaminoKatie
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- September 2022
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great idea!Not being a fan of water bladders, nor of having to reach around to pull my water bottle out of my pack's side pocket, I came up with this idea instead. (Please note that you can buy something like this on Amazon for $25, except that folks complain it doesn't always fit the lids of their water bottles.) I bought a 36" water bladder replacement drinking tube on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M6MSTYM/?tag=casaivar02-20 ...cut off the end that attaches to the water bladder, carefully drilled a 3/8" hole in the lid of a Smartwater bottle (I smashed the first one... oops!), then inserted the tube through the hole and into the bottle. Voila... no more wrestling with my water bottle! My plan is to have a 2nd Smartwater bottle in my other side pocket, and once the first bottle is empty, switch out the lids and continue on my merry, well hydrated way. Buen Camino!View attachment 122038
Much easier to refill than a bladder. Though newer packs now make the bladder accessible without digging into the pack.Looks neat but just trying to figure out the advantage of this over a water bladder?
Much easier to refill than a bladder. Though newer packs now make the bladder accessible without digging into the pack.
So bladders are buried in your pack. Bottles are on the outside… makes knowing contents and refills more convenient.Looks neat but just trying to figure out the advantage of this over a water bladder?
Use denture cleaner to clean tubing / set up.I did the same thing in 2019. I used locally sourced hydration tablets which unfortunately contained sugar. As a result the tube started to grow mold inside. I was not able to find Clorox or something similar to sterilize it and clean it out. So be careful about that. I just received Z-Pak aqua clip but have yet to try it out looks promising. I got it on Amazon. Happy hydrating. Buen Camino
But as I found out when walking in 35 C weather that bottles on the outside make your water very hot! Obviously not a problem in cooler weather.So bladders are buried in your pack. Bottles are on the outside… makes knowing contents and refills more convenient.
I found something similar on Amazon, can't stand taking my pack everytime I want a drink.Not being a fan of water bladders, nor of having to reach around to pull my water bottle out of my pack's side pocket, I came up with this idea instead. (Please note that you can buy something like this on Amazon for $25, except that folks complain it doesn't always fit the lids of their water bottles.) I bought a 36" water bladder replacement drinking tube on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M6MSTYM/?tag=casaivar02-20 ...cut off the end that attaches to the water bladder, carefully drilled a 3/8" hole in the lid of a Smartwater bottle (I smashed the first one... oops!), then inserted the tube through the hole and into the bottle. Voila... no more wrestling with my water bottle! My plan is to have a 2nd Smartwater bottle in my other side pocket, and once the first bottle is empty, switch out the lids and continue on my merry, well hydrated way. Buen Camino!View attachment 122038
While that is an ingenious system, I will maintain that filling a bottle from the faucet and putting it pack in your side pouch IS easier than filling a squeeze pouch, disconnecting your bite me, then connecting to your draw tube, pushing the water into your pouch, reconnecting your bite me, then stashing your squeeze pouch.
My simple system is put enough water in your bladder to last the day, then refill at the albergue. But then you are starting the day with much additional weight. It does get lighter as the day goes, making you think you are getting stronger!
So bladders are buried in your pack. Bottles are on the outside… makes knowing contents and refills more convenient.
I will be getting that! Thank you.I disagree. I can refill my reservoir without even removing my backpack. One does not need to pull a reservoir out of the pack. You do not even need to take off a backpack. It is a simple matter of using a quick disconnect system which is an easy and cheap add on accessory.
For those interested in adding a quick disconnect adapter to your hydration reservoir/bladder, I've added a link below. With the quick disconnect added, I don't even need to remove my pack to do a quick and easy refill of the bladder.
The video shows the quick disconnect being used with a water filter as it might be used for wilderness backpacking. It is the way I have it set up when I am backpacking. However, on camino I leave off the filter altogether. Instead of the filter being added to the refill cap on the flexible water bottle, skip the filter and screw the refill adapter cap -- sans filter -- to the bottle after it is filled with water.
For refill bottles.... I use extremely lightweight collapsible bottles that can hold up to 2 liters. Empty, they roll down to a small bundle that are easily stashed in an outside pocket.
Many times, I will carry 1/2 liter in the bottle as a quick backup if the weather or the distance between water refills dictates. So if I decide to, say, carry 1.5 liters on a longer stretch between water resupply points, I will fill the reservoir with 1 liter, and then carry 1/2 liter in the bottle and keeping the bottle partially collapsed. That also assures me that I do not need to visualize the amount in the reservoir to be assured of adequate water.
The refill container in the video is just one option. The refill adapter can also fit on a variety of bottled water containers, if so desired.
Walking in 95 degrees (f) for me would probably indicate a taxi ride… I mean it’s just nicer not to die.But as I found out when walking in 35 C weather that bottles on the outside make your water very hot! Obviously not a problem in cooler weather.
The bladders leak and are hard(er) to refill. I can just buy a smart water bottle at the airport for my flight and have it when I get started.
Where I live it's been between 37 - 39 Celsius for the last few weeks with no change in site. I can't wait to get to Spain where it will be much cooler.Walking in 95 degrees (f) for me would probably indicate a taxi ride… I mean it’s just nicer not to die.
I have looked at the bladder systems that my friends use but choose bottles instead. I can add ice to them; put water & bottle in the freezer the night before; or add an Ener C packet if I want. A bladder system would limit me too much.
The ones I saw did not have an opening large enough for ice cubes to go in. Maybe there are different sizes?Why can't you add ice or freeze a water reservoir? I agree that if you do not rinse a water reservoir on a daily basis you do not want to add anything with a sugar. But I always carry a separate collapsible bottle for such things.
There are a number of bladders that have wide openings. Examples being Osprey and Platypus brand.The ones I saw did not have an opening large enough for ice cubes to go in. Maybe there are different sizes?
Re the drink powder. I don't usually start out the day with it in my water. I live in a hot climate and many times, at some point I feel like I need something more in my water (sometimes just for taste, other times for energy), that's when I dump a little into my bottle and give it a shake. I can see that being an easy thing to do with a bladder.
Drink the water in the left hand side (nearest the sun) first. When that one is empty switch the full one over and put the refilled bottle on the right.But as I found out when walking in 35 C weather that bottles on the outside make your water very hot! Obviously not a problem in cooler weather.
I take a different approach to rehydration mixes, partly because I use a water bladder, and don't want anything but water in that. I carry a small (500-600ml) plastic bottle with me. This serves three purposes:I did the same thing in 2019. I used locally sourced hydration tablets which unfortunately contained sugar. As a result the tube started to grow mold inside. I was not able to find Clorox or something similar to sterilize it and clean it out. So be careful about that. I just received Z-Pak aqua clip but have yet to try it out looks promising. I got it on Amazon. Happy hydrating. Buen Camino
True. I found this was an issue, but there are also simple solutions if you prefer to use a bladder. I now carry a 500ml or so bottle in the top of my pack. See my earlier post about how I use that to resolve this issue.So bladders are buried in your pack. Bottles are on the outside… makes knowing contents and refills more convenient.
That made me remember an Australian pilgrim back in 2012 - her pack had a mesh pocket on either side and she'd put her two water bottles, each inside a wet sock, in them. Every time she got to a fuente she'd re-wet the socks.I get an empty baked beans can, take the label off and put it in the mesh side pocket of my pack where you would normally put your drink bottle. My 500ml water bottle fits loosely in there. The silver tin reflects the heat to some degree and the gap between the tin and the bottle allows air circulation which also helps keep the water cooler. When I want a drink, it is simple to just reach around and lift the bottle out, as it is just sitting loose in the can. It is also easy to replace for the same reason. It may not be the perfect solution but it has worked for me for many years. It is very simple and it costs nothing.
I think that is far too big a generalization about water reservoir failures. I've seen more people who have had a bottle leak due to not properly fastening a lid than I have a reservoir leak. In both situations, as long as a person is not trying to cheap out with sub quality products which can lead to bottles or bladder material failing, it is user error with improper closures.
As for being harder to fill, I can fill mine in under 40 seconds without removing my backpack. Admittedly it takes a simple to install, inexpensive adapter, but the modification works well and can also be used with a water filter, which I use when backpacking.
The issue of preferences in how a bottle or reservoir is used is one that cannot be disputed. It is a matter of personal taste. But in terms of the facts, there is no outstanding difference in the primary function of either a bottle or a reservoir - which is to carry a supply of drinking water - which makes one 'better'.
Hey I just thought of something that “may” be an issue. I think most water bottles in Europe use a different cap size than those in the USA. So your custom cap may not fit a new bottle purchased there if you need to. Obviously if you plan on not replacing the bottle(s) ever, this not a big deal. If you need to disinfect your bottle(s) rather than replace you can buy denture cleaner in the supermercados i think.Not being a fan of water bladders, nor of having to reach around to pull my water bottle out of my pack's side pocket, I came up with this idea instead. (Please note that you can buy something like this on Amazon for $25, except that folks complain it doesn't always fit the lids of their water bottles.) I bought a 36" water bladder replacement drinking tube on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M6MSTYM/?tag=casaivar02-20 ...cut off the end that attaches to the water bladder, carefully drilled a 3/8" hole in the lid of a Smartwater bottle (I smashed the first one... oops!), then inserted the tube through the hole and into the bottle. Voila... no more wrestling with my water bottle! My plan is to have a 2nd Smartwater bottle in my other side pocket, and once the first bottle is empty, switch out the lids and continue on my merry, well hydrated way. Buen Camino!View attachment 122038
Shoot! I thought of something else. You may want a little “vacuum release” hole on the cap as well. Like 1/16”. Otherwise, as you suck, your bottle just crumples and it becomes increasingly hard to suck water. Ask me how I know this!Not being a fan of water bladders, nor of having to reach around to pull my water bottle out of my pack's side pocket, I came up with this idea instead. (Please note that you can buy something like this on Amazon for $25, except that folks complain it doesn't always fit the lids of their water bottles.) I bought a 36" water bladder replacement drinking tube on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M6MSTYM/?tag=casaivar02-20 ...cut off the end that attaches to the water bladder, carefully drilled a 3/8" hole in the lid of a Smartwater bottle (I smashed the first one... oops!), then inserted the tube through the hole and into the bottle. Voila... no more wrestling with my water bottle! My plan is to have a 2nd Smartwater bottle in my other side pocket, and once the first bottle is empty, switch out the lids and continue on my merry, well hydrated way. Buen Camino!View attachment 122038
I don’t think so. I mean the design is so easily replicated on the cheap. But, I still have my OG bottle top adapters from BD…Is the Blue Desert Smartube still in production? They have (had) swappable caps for up to IIRC 67mm diameter bottle necks including Gatorade bottle and NATO military flasks.
So with that, many people prefer easier access and quicker refill of bottles, For us, adding a hose to a bottle quicker and easier than dealing with a bladder. But you are correct - it is personal preference. So why do you feel the need to tell EVERYONE who says they find it quicker and easier to use a bottle on the Camino that they can do it your way and add your attachment? Is our water bottle with hose somehow negatively affecting your Camino?
I rely on my personal experience and bladders suck IMO. Had a friend last year who got a “wet back” because he didn’t tighten the top right. Happens. Happened to me in the past too. Obviously they have their applications when on a long trek, like you need 2-4 liters of water. Don’t need it on CDS.I do not understand the personal shots. Do it MY way? Why do I feel the need? Affecting MY camino? My attachment?
First: These attachments are not my products, nor do I earn any money from anyone deciding to take advantage of adapting their reservoirs to make them easy to use.
I provide the information I do, not to bother you, but to inform those who may have no idea that a method exists to make it quick and easy to use a bladder/reservoir if they choose. This is a frequent topic from newbies and when someone states that it is more difficult to use a reservoir, it is often based on the fact that many do not know that such an adaptation exists.
The issue of leaking reservoirs is overblown. User error is frequently a cause of leaks as is subpar materials in less expensive bladders. The military has been using them for a couple of decades now, so have backpackers, as you know. I have gear tested many for QA from various manufacturers putting them thru hard use and torture testing them with 'could happen' situations.
I do not dispute your personal experience. I do not rely on just my experience, either, but on the assessments of thousands of user hours from hundreds of product users. Reservoir hydro systems would not be exceedingly popular if there was a frequent issue of leaking. Osprey, Camelback, Platypus, and the few other major manufacturers would be cutting their own throats if this was a significant issue. The militaries of the world that use these systems would be severing contracts.
I know at all times what water I have available. Experienced users will keep a half liter of water in their collapsible refill bottle. The water in the reservoir is reduced by that half-liter, so no additional water is carried. So regardless if I plan to carry two liter or one liter in the bladder, the amount in the reservoir is reduced by that half-liter that is in the bottle. If the reservoir runs dry, voila, the bottle has that half liter that I can see.
For forum members who are personally bothersome with their posts, there is a function that you can use to block them so you do not need to view their posts.
Maybe you don't need one, but I prefer to use a bladder. I must have gotten lucky the first time, because mine is pretty easy to fill and has never leaked. I use a Source Ultimate Hydration System.I rely on my personal experience and bladders suck IMO. Had a friend last year who got a “wet back” because he didn’t tighten the top right. Happens. Happened to me in the past too. Obviously they have their applications when on a long trek, like you need 2-4 liters of water. Don’t need it on CDS.
To each his own. I get really embarrassed when I offer advice but sometimes I can’t resist, usually when it’s something I actually know about. More than one way to skin a Camino.Maybe you don't need one, but I prefer to use a bladder. I must have gotten lucky the first time, because mine is pretty easy to fill and has never leaked. I use a Source Ultimate Hydration System.
It's always valuable to read other's experiences, then decide for what's best for ourselves and our situations.To each his own. I get really embarrassed when I offer advice but sometimes I can’t resist, usually when it’s something I actually know about. More than one way to skin a Camino.
Damn straight.It's always valuable to read other's experiences, then decide for what's best for ourselves and our situations.
Yah that’s what I’m talking about! SmartTube forever! Oh well.
I have 11 euro soft plastic Camelback water bottle with same sort of drinking tube. Wouldnt walk with out it.Not being a fan of water bladders, nor of having to reach around to pull my water bottle out of my pack's side pocket, I came up with this idea instead. (Please note that you can buy something like this on Amazon for $25, except that folks complain it doesn't always fit the lids of their water bottles.) I bought a 36" water bladder replacement drinking tube on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M6MSTYM/?tag=casaivar02-20 ...cut off the end that attaches to the water bladder, carefully drilled a 3/8" hole in the lid of a Smartwater bottle (I smashed the first one... oops!), then inserted the tube through the hole and into the bottle. Voila... no more wrestling with my water bottle! My plan is to have a 2nd Smartwater bottle in my other side pocket, and once the first bottle is empty, switch out the lids and continue on my merry, well hydrated way. Buen Camino!View attachment 122038
I carried a "Grayl". One day, refilled it three times from ditches with no ill effects. I believe Grayl has competitors.I'll stick to my wide mouth bladder with its quick link that makes it easy to remove from pack when filling is required. Doesn't need cleaning while on camino if carrying pure water but if it did, the wide mouth makes that easy. Bottles with skinny mouths - not so easy. Choices for all.
So much easier to refill.Looks neat but just trying to figure out the advantage of this over a water bladder?
Thank you, Dave Bugg! In April, 2018, I bought the following linked Sawyer Fast Fill Adapter quick disconnect kit in preparation for my Camino Portugues: https://tinyurl.com/3fv88yk2I disagree. I can refill my reservoir without even removing my backpack. One does not need to pull a reservoir out of the pack. You do not even need to take off a backpack. It is a simple matter of using a quick disconnect system which is an easy and cheap add on accessory.
For those interested in adding a quick disconnect adapter to your hydration reservoir/bladder, I've added a link below. With the quick disconnect added, I don't even need to remove my pack to do a quick and easy refill of the bladder.
The video shows the quick disconnect being used with a water filter as it might be used for wilderness backpacking. It is the way I have it set up when I am backpacking. However, on camino I leave off the filter altogether. Instead of the filter being added to the refill cap on the flexible water bottle, skip the filter and screw the refill adapter cap -- sans filter -- to the bottle after it is filled with water.
For refill bottles.... I use extremely lightweight collapsible bottles that can hold up to 2 liters. Empty, they roll down to a small bundle that are easily stashed in an outside pocket.
Many times, I will carry 1/2 liter in the bottle as a quick backup if the weather or the distance between water refills dictates. So if I decide to, say, carry 1.5 liters on a longer stretch between water resupply points, I will fill the reservoir with 1 liter, and then carry 1/2 liter in the bottle and keeping the bottle partially collapsed. That also assures me that I do not need to visualize the amount in the reservoir to be assured of adequate water.
The refill container in the video is just one option. The refill adapter can also fit on a variety of bottled water containers, if so desired.
Stumbling about on the Web I came across this site in Germany - they have Smartube bits and bobs at incredibly low prices such as the "Mickey Mouse" valve at €2.73 (I've seen these on sale for $11+) if you wanted to build your own system - the website for the original Smartube no longer works so I'm guessing they bit the dust.Yah that’s what I’m talking about! SmartTube forever! Oh well.
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