Bladder or bottles for riding off-road?

niuniu · Nov 15, 2012, 07:50 AM

Bottles get real filthy, real fast I'm noticing. You guys switched to bladders, or is the filth preferred to having the weight on your back?

Rodimus Prime · Nov 15, 2012, 08:05 AM

I prefer having my camelbak on my back when I mountain bike. Reason for it is it holds more water, the package can carry more gear and I like having the extra mass near my center as it is easier to control and shift the weight with my body. On the bike it gets tossed around a little more making control a little harder.

eric/ · Nov 15, 2012, 08:10 AM

In general I'd say bladders are superior.

rhett7660 · Nov 15, 2012, 08:24 AM

Bladder.. and on occasion it acks as a nice cushion for when you fall on your back!

iGav · Nov 15, 2012, 08:53 AM

I've always used bottles… a plastic and a metal one… personal preference, I prefer the lower centre of gravity and counter balance they provide, and easy to top up in streams too.

I also prefer their versatility over bladders on multi-day treks into the hills. You can use them to measure ingredients, the metal one is rated to allow you to boil water, saves carrying excess stuff in the rucksack (more weight, loss of efficiency, increased fatigue) and you don't have to worry about shouldering either.

Like I said though, personal preference.

lewis82 · Nov 15, 2012, 08:51 PM

I use bottles. Since I have an hardtail I can have two, and I prefer to have less on my back (which means cooler temperature), at the price of having to swallow a bit of dirt from time to time. Anyways, it's full of minerals

senseless · Nov 15, 2012, 11:33 PM

I just got a Camelback, but it has an odd taste to it. I'm hoping this goes away.

niuniu · Nov 16, 2012, 03:13 AM

Cheers guys

Put in an order for a bladder (3L Hydrapak fwiw).

I'd love to be able to head out for a day without anything on my back, but always have a backpack in colder weather. Worth a punt and if I get mineral deficient can always stop off for a mudbath

Nov 15, 2012, 07:50 AM	#1
niuniu macrumors 68020 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: A man of the people. The right sort of people.	Bladder or bottles for riding off-road? Bottles get real filthy, real fast I'm noticing. You guys switched to bladders, or is the filth preferred to having the weight on your back? __________________ "Up yours, Jack, I'm okay' is not a tenable position, morally speaking." Guns
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Nov 15, 2012, 08:24 AM	#4
rhett7660 macrumors 604 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sunny, Southern California	Bladder.. and on occasion it acks as a nice cushion for when you fall on your back! __________________ "It's quite an experience to hold the hand of someone as they move from living to dead." "Times are looking grim these days, holding on to everything, it's hard to draw the line"
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Nov 15, 2012, 08:53 AM	#5
iGav macrumors G3 Join Date: Mar 2002	I've always used bottles… a plastic and a metal one… personal preference, I prefer the lower centre of gravity and counter balance they provide, and easy to top up in streams too. I also prefer their versatility over bladders on multi-day treks into the hills. You can use them to measure ingredients, the metal one is rated to allow you to boil water, saves carrying excess stuff in the rucksack (more weight, loss of efficiency, increased fatigue) and you don't have to worry about shouldering either. Like I said though, personal preference. __________________ Me.
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Nov 15, 2012, 08:51 PM	#6
lewis82 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Totalitarian Republic of Northlandia	I use bottles. Since I have an hardtail I can have two, and I prefer to have less on my back (which means cooler temperature), at the price of having to swallow a bit of dirt from time to time. Anyways, it's full of minerals __________________ Master Procrastinator. If you see me posting, I should be doing homework. Downvoting is for sissies.
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Nov 16, 2012, 03:13 AM	#8
niuniu Thread Starter macrumors 68020 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: A man of the people. The right sort of people.	Cheers guys Put in an order for a bladder (3L Hydrapak fwiw). I'd love to be able to head out for a day without anything on my back, but always have a backpack in colder weather. Worth a punt and if I get mineral deficient can always stop off for a mudbath __________________ "Up yours, Jack, I'm okay' is not a tenable position, morally speaking." Guns
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 08:05 AM	#2
Rodimus Prime Banned Join Date: Oct 2006	I prefer having my camelbak on my back when I mountain bike. Reason for it is it holds more water, the package can carry more gear and I like having the extra mass near my center as it is easier to control and shift the weight with my body. On the bike it gets tossed around a little more making control a little harder.
	0

Nov 15, 2012, 08:10 AM	#3
eric/ Guest Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ohio, United States	In general I'd say bladders are superior.
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Nov 15, 2012, 11:33 PM	#7
senseless macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Pennsylvania, USA	I just got a Camelback, but it has an odd taste to it. I'm hoping this goes away.
	0

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