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| Geigerrig Hydration Pack at our campsite the first night on Shelf Lake, Seven Devil's Wilderness. |
Are you ready? ‘Cause this month is
going to be all about GEAR.
Because Christmas is around the corner
and lord knows we all need help figuring out what to get our Outdoorsy husbands, friends, kids and relatives….. fasten your seatbelts!
GEGERRIG HYDRATION ENGINE – PRESSURIZED
HYDRATION PACK, 2 LITER, 1st GENERATION
Those are a lot of fancy words that
sound so cool for saying --- there’s bladder of water that you put in your
backpack and then pump up to your mouth through a tube.
We were lucky enough to have these
hydration bladders to test out for our Hell Hike And Raft trip to Idaho.
Instead of bringing water bottles and a separate water filter to then pump into
my water bottles, I grabbed this bladder – bought the filter that attaches into
the system – and actually found it a simple, convenient system once I got used
to how it works.
How it Works:
Helpful, albeit long, video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVmyF0Vgnk
Basic info is:
- attach the filter to the bladder line and
the bite line
- fill the bladder with
water
- pump up the bladder with the bulb on
one tube
- bite on the other tube for the flow
of the water
 |
| filter |
 |
| bulb |
 |
| bite valve |
 |
| valve from bladder |
Specifications You Want to Know:
Weight - .55 lbs
Length - 12”
Width -
7”
BPA Free, Pthalate Free
Dishwasher safe
Wide mouth
Slide top
Quick release valves
Filter in the system (In Line Crypto
Filter)
Pros:
- I literally was able to scoop water
from the lake and river into the pack and drink directly through the tube
because of the built in water filter instead of having to pre-filter the water.
- Wide mouth opening to the bladder makes for easy, quick
pouring of water into bladder. If you’ve dealt with smaller openings in bladders
before, you’ll see this makes a nice difference.
- The system allows me to pump the water so it
has pressure to flow into my mouth, rather than having to suck hard to get
water. I didn’t have to work for my water.
Cons:
- Felt a little like an octopus with tubes
flying everywhere. Photos of me back that up.
- When you pressurize the bladder, it gets fuller
in your pack, and takes up more space.
- I over pressurized the bladder one time with
the pump and the pump flew off of the tube like a NASA rocket launch, almost
taking out my hiking buddy’s eye behind me.
- Got the line kinked inside my backpack, so
careful placement is key. This apparently is a 1st Generation problem and they
have fixed it by changing the direction of the bladder valve in the 2nd Generation.
- I had to buy the filter separately. Would
like it better if it came with a filter. So many parts!
Final Feedback:
I was uncertain heading out into the Hell’s
Canyon Wilderness in Idaho if this contraption was going to keep me easily hydrated
for the trip versus a simple water bottle. But, I grew to really like it once I
got used to it’s quirks and parts.
Have been using it back home in the Golden Gate
National Recreation area trails for bigger hikes and continue to find it useful
and convenient with it’s built in water filter.
Would definitely recommend for bigger hikes as
a trustworthy, easy once you get used to it, water source for backpacking and
hiking.
Cost and Where Can you Find it?
@ $40-$48
the filter: Sport Chalet
-OutdoorsyMama
Disclaimer: Geigerrig is a sponsor of Hell Hike And Raft and provided us the hydration engines for testing. All opinions are my own and reviews are at my own discretion.
Read the #HHAR Trail Story here:
Which way does the bladder valve go on the 2nd generation? How do I know which generation I have?
ReplyDeleteWhich way does the bladder valve point on the 2nd generation? How do I know which version I have?
ReplyDelete