“With so many shapes and sizes out there, buying a pack is similar to shopping for a car. It’s all about options. We test-rode the Hydrapak Glacier, putting it through its paces on some of the summer’s hottest days.

It’s all about options:
The Glacier has a well thought out utilitarian design that covers all the bases, without any frivolous extras. This pack makes the most of its space and is flexible enough to hold a helmet. In addition, a set of straps underneath can hold a set of armor (though these were a bit difficult to utilize on the fly). A “gizmo pocket” and additional mesh storage pockets make small necessities like zip ties and tire levers easy to retrieve when you’re all in a funk and a Hydratunes cord port makes it easy to hook up a battery cord for a light or a set of headphones through the pack. Adjustable straps, easy grip zippers, soft padding, and a removable cell phone pocket make this pack a welcome addition to long, hot days in the woods. When it comes to the Glacier—and all of Hydrapak’s bags—there’s one feature that shines above its competition: the bladder. It’s antimicrobial (read: doesn’t reek when left in a hot car) and easily disconnects from the hose for quick cleaning and filling. Best of all, the bladder seals open and shut with a few simple folds and some durable Velcro, making the days of wrestling to unscrew a cap a distant, and painful memory. The bladder easily slides into a separate pouch, leaving options for either top or bottom tube routing. Hydrapak also uses its own bite valve that closes simply by pushing against it. The only gripe we had is that the bite valve leaked at times and was often difficult to open and close during a ride. The bladder, hose, and bite valve system still surpasses, by far, other systems we’ve tried.”

The bottom line:
This versatile pack makes organizing easy, and provides a safe space for everything. A no-hassle bladder, easy to use hydration system, and padding in all the right places, make the Glacier the perfect solution for long rides. Pick up your own Glacier at Hydrapak.com and get your cycling life organized.

Mountain Bike Tales

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The Gel-Bot Water Bottle For Athletes And Lazy People

“This is the Gel-Bot, brought to you by Hydrapak (the company that makes those nifty backpacks with the integrated water packs). It combines a water reservoir and an energy gel reservoir in the same bottle, and by moving the drinking valve in or out and squeezing, you can switch between water and gel without using your hands. What appeals to me is the idea of eating and drinking at the same time with no chewing, perfect for those moments when I just don’t feel like making the arduous trip from the couch to the fridge. Oh, and I guess it would be good for athletes, too. Unfortunately, I can’t find the Gel-Bot in Hydrapak’s catalog, so I have no idea how to get one.”

By Evan Ackerman

RemoveTheLabels.com

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Hydrapak note: Gel-Bot will be available for purchase from our site very shortly.

Gel-Bot Mixes Water and Nutrition for the Long Run

” Looking very different that your normal water bottle, Hydrapak’s Gel-Bot is a combination water bottle with integrated gel flask. Brought to you by the folks who put straws on your knapsack, the Gel-Bot is a highly functionally hydration system that lets you consume energy gel and water from the same bottle, making it ideal to use while running or biking. Just squeeze the bottle with the valve pushed in when you want some gel, or pull the valve out and squeeze to get water. This fluid-delivery system is perfect for Ironman contests when there’s no stopping for anything. Makes sense to me, now what about other bodily functions?”

blog.scifi.com/tech

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Hydrapak’s Big Sur Pack : A Long, Tall Drink of Water

“Here are some of the annoyances I’ve had with hydration packs in the past:

The reservoirs leaked. The leaky water then leaked into the main compartment. The bite valves leaked. The reservoirs sank to the bottom of the bag when they were half empty.The drinking tubes flew all over the place. The inside of the reservoirs were covered with what looked like algae. There wasn’t a place to attach a red bike light. The hip straps weren’t detachable. Et-cetera.

Not so with my new Big Sur pack by Hydrapak. Whoever designed this little gem was on point.

One of the company’s signature elements is its reversible reservoir. It’s designed after a dry bag, so to open it, I slid a clamp off its top and unfolded it a little. Then I could easily turn it inside out for a thorough cleaning and drying.

So, at the start of my ride, I happily filled the 100-ounce reservoir with water, and I was off for a few hours. I didn’t have to worry about sipping from a bag of funk. I was also happy to be able to attach the top of the reservoir to a clip at the top of the pack, which kept it from sinking to the bottom of the pack as I drank. It might seem like a minor detail, but it really boosted the pack’s comfort since it kept the weight of the water evenly spread over my back.

Oh, and before I left my house, I also loaded up my Big Sur with tools, food, a wind jacket, my keys and phone, a blinking red light, and my iPod (in a specially designed iPod pocket). Everything fit into its own organized pocket — including the reservoir, which fit into a waterproof sleeve. Nice. I used to always get annoyed when I had to pull everything out of my old pack half way through a ride just to find that one energy bar, so I appreciated the organization. The Big Sur also has a loop on the back for a blinker, in case I need to ride home at night.

On the trail, I forgot I had a pack on; the Big Sur is equipped with comfy shoulder straps and a padded back, so it wears well. I was also happy to be grooving to my iPod as I cranked up the 12-mile fire road to the top of the descent. On the way down, I realized how nice it was to have a form-fitting hydration pack. The Big Sur is neither wide nor deep, so its 465 cubic inch capacity comes mostly from its height — and that’s a good thing. I found the shape to be appropriate for technical, fast singletrack, where I need to use a lot of body English to maneuver over, under, and around obstacles. Fat little packs seem wobbly, which is never a good feeling at top speed.

Kudos to Hydrapak for putting so much thought into this hydration system. It’s one of the most intelligently designed pieces of outdoor gear I’ve seen in a while. The company’s attention to detail is excellent, and the Big Sur is loaded with numerous little features that make it oh-so-easy to use.

Bottom Line: Smartly designed hydration system that will keep you charging on long rides, trail runs or climbs. — N.W. (Sept ‘07)

Price: $85″

fitnesstravelgear.com

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