Top Hydration Packs
Hydration packs have come a long way since the original CamelBak, and the case for drinking without stopping has not needed restating since.
The decision is bladder or bottles, and it is genuinely a decision rather than a settled question.
- A bladder means you drink more, because it is effortless, and that matters in heat. It is also harder to refill mid-walk, impossible to gauge what is left without taking it out, and a nuisance to dry.
- Bottles in side pockets are easier to fill from a tap or a stream, easier to measure, and a pack with reachable side pockets removes most of the convenience argument for a bladder.
If you go with a bladder, the things that matter: a wide opening you can get a hand into for cleaning, a bite valve with a shut-off, a magnetic or clip retainer on the hose so it is not swinging, and a sleeve that sits against the back panel rather than in with your kit.
Cleaning is the part everyone skips and the reason bladders get abandoned. Rinse and dry it after every use, hang it open, and keep it in the freezer between trips if you use it seasonally. A bladder left damp in a cupboard grows what you would expect.
One thing that has changed: the running and cycling end of this category got very good, with vest-style packs and soft flasks on the chest that you can refill without stopping. If you are moving fast rather than walking, that is now the better shape.
Part of the guide to water filters and bottles.