Any tips on hydration pack mounting? I am inclined to mount it to my PFD…
I have a lotus eft and like it
thy cascade designs pfd hydration back can fit on the inside of the pfd. I have friends, who just have a camelback unbottle neatly tied to the back of their pfd. Whtver works; I like it!
jsut put mine on the rear deck
I use two 3liter (100 oz) unbottles placed on my rear deck with the tubes aligator cliped to my vest strap.
I just lay the bladder
on the floor between my legs.
I have a strap with a stiffiner that goes around my neck that is held closed with a small tab of velcro. That in turn has a small piece of velcro which attaches to a small piece of velcro on the drinking tube.
The drinking tube has a slight bend in it and is right in front of my mouth, so that I can take it in my mouth without ever using my hands.
If I have a skirt on I feed the tube up under the skirt and under my pfd.
If I don’t need the skirt, I just keep the tube on the outside of the pfd.
You can get the whole set up at J & J Canoe in NY or parts and pieces depending on what you need.
If you are a roller, disregard the post and look for something else. I have no idea how it would work.
Cheers,
JackL
hydration packs
I wear a Kokatat PFD ,which they have their own hydration pack that mounts nicely on the back of the PFD. the tub lays over my shoulder and is clipped with the mouth piece right next to my mouth. Works great. NRS has a universal mounting hydration pack that fits many different PFD’s and is very reasonably priced. Also Camel Back has some that can lay under your bungies and have the tube at hands reach.
I use a 2 liter camel back…
And it fits very nicely on my Loon 111 between the seat and the adjustment strap for it. Tube lies across my left thigh. Just gotta be careful exiting and entering or the mouthpice will end up in the river. I keep a bottle of hand santizer (with alchol) for just such “incidents”.
Ameobic Deissentary ain’t fun…or so I’ve been told.
Cooler
I have a small easy access cooler sitting behind me on my Tarpon 160. That’s where I carry my frozen water bottles. You can try to gag all the warm water you want. No thanks. Ice cold is the only way to go on a hot summer day.
Brain Freeze
Ice water is the only way to go but I just throw my unbottle in the freezer and have the best of both worlds. On a longer trip I will freeze some milk jugs to use as ice blocks in the cooler. As they melt you still have ice water on the second or third day.
Works well for me
It’s really the only way I am going to drink enough water while paddling. Anything I have to pull off the deck and open is rarely used.
Make sure it anchors at four points though, not just the shoulder straps. That way it rolls or whaever fine.
Definitely mount it on your PFD
I made a pack to hold a 1.5 liter hydration bladder and I love it. I’ve been using it for 5 years or so and it really makes staying hydrated much easier. I haven’t found any disadvantages to carrying it on my back. When I’m in the boat, I don’t even notice it.
I have the Kokatat model on my PFD.
Only downside I can see is that the first shit of water on a hot sunny day is bathwater warm. I considered adding a Camelback insulation tube, but they are black and I bet would simply get warmer. I just live with it.
Concerning sanitation, Camelback makes a nifty fixture for the bite valve that completely covers the valve. Good accessory if you have concerns about water cooties.
Jim
mine
I like the open chested pfd such as cabella and the leave it buckled but unzipped. The hydration bag is then taped or wiretied to pfd with hose stiffened with aluminum wire so it stays put.
Cold Water, First Sip
JSaults,
I solved the problem of water in the tube warming up by gently blowing the water back into the bladder after drinking. Just one puff should do it. Your next drink takes an extra pull, but the first mouthful of water will be ice cold (or at least as cold as the rest of the water in the bladder).
Hope that’s helpful.
Rob
Lotus
Another vote for the PFD-mounted Lotus. It fits my Astral PFD and probably any other one too. Pick up an extra bite valve; I’m on my third and wouldn’t want to be without it on a trip for the same reasons Celia mentioned.
this has been spoken of many times here
but on the QCC i drilled a hole in the deck between the rear hatch and the cockpit…matched the hole with my hydration tube and a rubbe grommet from Lowes:
http://community.webshots.com/photo/546410669/2128803590084634827JLzsbH
This after a p.net gathering/paddle to Bulls Island…markinnc may recall the last mile…i really couldnt stop paddling but was mighty thirsty when we got there…
not that this is the best method but i dont want anything on deck but my spare GP…and with glued down tie-downs i can keep the bladder weight centered in the middle of the kayak
under deck
Looks like you did it just like the Redfish kayak system http://www.redfishkayak.com/hydration.htm
Looks nice and neat but i am sticking with my two 500ml bottles in a deck bag mostly just because i hate bladders .