Any opinions on hydration backpacks?

[Tigpooh]

My hubby would like one of these for our next trip, we would like to find one that can keep his back cool....hydrate our 3 kiddos(probably a 2L would be fine) and also not break the bank. I have seen some cheapy ones on amazon for $15-20, but I am leary of too cheap. Anyone have a recommendation or review to offer us?

 

[rwdavis2]

Although I can't recommend one specifically, I don't think it's going to keep your husbands back cool after a couple hours in the park. I would assume it's going to warm up eventually.

 

[Luv2Run]

I used a Camelbak backpack for my June 2011 trip, and it worked great! Instead of filling it with water, I just filled it with ice from the machine at the resort prior to heading to the parks. As the ice melted, it kept my back cool and provided me with drinking water throughout the day. Since it was so hot and muggy out, my back would have been soaked from sweating anyway, so I didn't notice if my back getting wet was from the melting ice in the Camelbak bladder or from sweat. That's one of the hazards of wearing a backpack to WDW in the summer, lol, but you'll see everyone gets it, so it doesn't really make much of a difference. You can get cups of ice water for free from QS locations, so if you want to refill the Camelbak with that instead of the lukewarm drinking fountain water, you also have that option, too. Just be sure to take the Camelbak bladder out of the backpack to air dry at night. I'm not sure how long your stay is, but you don't want it to start to mildew.

 

[rwdavis2]

I used a Camelbak backpack for my June 2011 trip, and it worked great! Instead of filling it with water, I just filled it with ice from the machine at the resort prior to heading to the parks.....

Great idea. I wasn't sure if ice would fit into the backpack.

 

[Thickey]

I have gotten a few of the cheep hydration packs (sort of like this but as I am in the UK it was this). To be honest I thought for the price it was worth a gamble. I successfully used it last year in WDW and when riding my bike so I would call it a win. the bag is big enough to fit a few little bits in pockets like a phone and sun cream. I wasn't so sure it would be a pain dragging a bag around with me (I like to travel light) again at the price I thought that if I got sick of carrying it about I could throw it away if the worst came to the worst. The only issue I found was that the water can heat up due to being in contact with your back (and make your back hot) but shoving a load of ice cubes into the bladder helped that a bit. Also wash at least 5 times before use or your water will taste like plastic. I had no questions/issues with the bag check they just poked about inside the same as with any bag.

So my advice is get the least expensive one you can find, if it doesn't work out for you then you haven't spent a fortune on it.

 

[Fizban]

Another vote for the Camelback with ice.

 

[worm761]

We have Camelbacks too. We got ours at Academy Sports on clearance. They changed the colors and I'm not that picky so I got my Camelback for $25 each. DH's is black and mine is red. DH's also holds more water than mine does. We use them when we're hiking or just out for the day.