Mountain Biking - Hydration packs

Recently I wanted a Camelbak Havoc but now I saw something that changed my mind: a small-medium sized bag in the sports section of a shop. It was really well padded and looked like it ventilated well and the most important is that it was, as I call it, reservoir ready (i.e., ready to become a hydration pack). It had a pouch for a reservoir, straps to hold the reservoir in position, a hole to route the pipe thing through and a hole in one of the shoulder straps to hold the pipe thing in position. Guess what? The bag only costs 18 euros! :eek: (Most bags here cost above 30). Anyway, I'm going to (probably) buy the bag today out of my pocket money (I'll be leaving to stay in Hungary for 6 weeks and won't be back till September by the time it might not even be sold anymore). Then, when I come back in September I'll get a Camelbak water reservoir (27 euros) and make it a hyrdation pack, saving myself 80 euros. :) Sure, no straps to hold armor or fullface helmet but I'll live. ;) Now my birthday present is not the Camelbak but something else... My cousin is giving me a Shimano Deore Disk hub for free... I could have it laced onto the front and go front disc brake... Hmm. :D

What do you think of my idea of getting this bag? It's a not well known brand's bag but it seems like it's a really nice bag.

Cheers,
-DC

PS: I've only seen 2 and 3 litre Camelbak reservoirs and I'm not totally sure they'll fit. Does Camelbak sell a 1.5 litre reservoir?

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=669569&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=832461&bmUID=1121269975952
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=669569&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=832533&bmUID=1121269975951

Both come in 1.5 l sizes, and I'm pretty sure are reliable and nice. My friend has one and it works well. It's pretty cheap too, in euros they are appx 6 euros+shipping. It's cheap. MEC rules.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=669569&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=832461&bmUID=1121269975952
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=669569&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=832533&bmUID=1121269975951

Both come in 1.5 l sizes, and I'm pretty sure are reliable and nice. My friend has one and it works well. It's pretty cheap too, in euros they are appx 6 euros+shipping. It's cheap. MEC rules.

When it comes to the bladder and bite valve itself, nobody comes close to Camelbak. Not even close.

Thanks for the suggestions. :)

I just got a Camelbak M.U.L.E. and I love it. It looks nice (I got the orange/grey), has plenty of space to put your extra stuff and it keeps the water/gatorade cool for hours - even in this summer heat. I haven't come to the point where I'd need to replace the bladder yet, but I'd recommend buying a drying kit to keep it sanitary.

Before this, I had bought a real cheap pak and most of the others I've seen are crap. I'd say stick with Camelbak as well...

OK, I'll go with the Camelbak bladder then. :) I'm uploading some photos of the new bag right now (I went ahead and bought it).
If anyone can help me with the reason behind these obscure features I'd be very happy. :)
EDIT:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/gabor/Bike/IM003840.jpg
--- Here's the bag.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/gabor/Bike/IM003841.jpg
--- Soft, squishy padding. :)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/gabor/Bike/IM003842.jpg
--- Anyone care to explain the function of this?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v92/gabor/Bike/IM003843.jpg
--- And what does THIS do? Unclippable.

Good idea purchasing the Camelback bladder. I've purchased two "off brand" bladders (Platypus and the one with the built in ice pack...it sucked...bad) and have found both of them to be serious crap. I'm always up to try something new but, at this point, Camelback has really cornered the market on quality hydration packs.

OK, the flap in your second to last picture is an external storage area (albeit a somewhat flimsy looking one). If you're on a long, fireroad climb and feel like losing your helmet for a while, you should be able to unhook the flap, put the helmet on the back of the pack (open side down) and reattach the hooks so you can carry your helmet instead of wear it.

The yellow bag is a "goodie bag." I'm not sure why you'd need such a thing on a MTB but you can throw your dirty clothes and items you find along the trail in there for safe keeping. Given it's bright yellow color, you could also use it for a rescue marker should you ever find yourself lost in the woods.

OK, the flap in your second to last picture is an external storage area (albeit a somewhat flimsy looking one). If you're on a long, fireroad climb and feel like losing your helmet for a while, you should be able to unhook the flap, put the helmet on the back of the pack (open side down) and reattach the hooks so you can carry your helmet instead of wear it.

The yellow bag is a "goodie bag." I'm not sure why you'd need such a thing on a MTB but you can throw your dirty clothes and items you find along the trail in there for safe keeping. Given it's bright yellow color, you could also use it for a rescue marker should you ever find yourself lost in the woods.
Awesome descriptions. :D Thanks. Just one question: on the second to last thing, I figured it was possibly a helmet holder as you stated but I've found no place to clip it into.

yea that is not supposed to be clipped in it is a loop with a little plastic thing. it looks a little weird, not sure how that would work. are there any straps that might attach to that on the bag itself?

camelbaks do make very very good hydration packs. but i did find one that is equally good. it is an ems hydration pack, very slim and light. uses a nalgene bladder. somone left my camelbak in the woods when we stopped to eat while hiking. and i had a 25%off at ems so i bought this.

Awesome descriptions. :D Thanks. Just one question: on the second to last thing, I figured it was possibly a helmet holder as you stated but I've found no place to clip it into.

There's probably somewhere to strap it onto. Without having the pack here in front of me it's hard to figure out.

The yellow bag is waterproof, right? If so it is a liner for the backpack, put all the stuff you want to keep dry inside of it. Point is your stuff stays dry and don't forget that wet things are very heavy, saves you both ways.

MM good point... As for the things I listed, I'm not sure if they're really that bad. MEC doesn't really sell that low quality stuff....

i've had my camel back for a couple of years now. i've never cleaned the bladder. I have cleaned the mouth piece though...

i just keep filling it up with water....:D

There's probably somewhere to strap it onto. Without having the pack here in front of me it's hard to figure out.
Yeah, in the end I found it. :). Basicaly, it's a little loop of fabric/string/something and you put the rectangle shaped piece through it and then turn it perpendicular and then it cannot come back through the string again. Hard to explain, simple in person. :) The loops are in the top of the picture and the rectangles are plastic and black.

Sorry to revive this thread but I bought one of the bladders that was frowned upon. It was only 13 bucks anyways. Anywho, it turned out to be great. No taste, great valve (but if you bite too hard you may break the plastic mechanism inside. That's only if you're a complete moron though.). The bladder is thick and strong as well, and I plan to find a pack that is "hydration pack ready".

What forbidden pack did you buy?

What forbidden pack did you buy?
:lol: Yeah, go on, share the secret. :)

No taste, great valve (but if you bite too hard you may break the plastic mechanism inside. That's only if you're a complete moron though.).
Not that you would ever apply too much force to a small component. :p

...Oh shut your face...

As for the forbidden bag, it's the Source C-2, I believe. It's pretty good.