Camelbacks in the parks?

[Just(donald)Ducky]

Hey all-

Do they allow Camelbacks into the parks? I was stationed in Texas while in the military (Fort Hood, 99-2002) and fell in love with these portable water bladders.... I'd love to have a new reason to buy one (mine was ruined the first time I used it outside the army), but don't want to spend the money without good reason.

If they allow them in the parks, that gives me a good reason.

Thanks for the info!

-JDD

 

[HGD24]

I actually saw quite a few people with Camelbacks when we were there 2 weeks ago so go for it!

 

[Just(donald)Ducky]

AWESOME!

Thank you!

Hoping to pick up a couple of kids ones for the boys as well. Wifey says she doesn't want one.

We'll see who is begging for water while waiting for dumbo in the 95 degree weather!

(let's be honest, it's gonna be me, cause she is gonna be nice enough to "carry" the camelback for me.............)

 

[lauralana9]

We'll see who is begging for water while waiting for dumbo in the 95 degree weather!

Oh, she will see the light. I have sworn by my camelbak ever since living in a national park in the south west. Out there it was almost a necessity. I've since moved back to the east coast and still use it quite often. FH and I's first trip out west together I asked him If he wanted one. Nope.. Wouldn't budge. For one day he messed with water bottles, after that he was always grabbing at my bag for the hose. Months before the next trip out there he was asking for his own.

Ive actually never seen too may in the parks surprisingly. But they are definitely allowed. I did get quite a few comments on mine, mostly from people saying they had one and wished they had thought to bring it.

 

[locolala]

We took mine into the park and never had an issue with it. The only big problem was that the water at the hotel was nasty so we had to buy big bottles of water. Other than that, no real issue

 

[rebstone]

Do any of you add electrolyte tablets or mixes to your camelbak? I'll probably pick some up from EMS, but was wondering if you have any other ideas for mixes, etc.?

any info would be great; thanks.

 

[lauralana9]

I never use anything but water in mine, too afraid of ruining the bladder. They are just way to expensive. I wouldnt want to take the chance of it leaving any sort of flavor. I always have a nalgene bottle for that.

That being said I did have a friend who would mix up the occasional adult beverage and swore there was no problem when he would fill it with water.

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

great idea!!! dh has his that he fell in love with his first training trip to virginia. hmmm ill have to go tell him to pack it for october!!!

 

[suz_cute]

You can definitely use it! I've seen tons of them in the parks in the past few years.

 

[mysparky]

Determined to not be the waterpack mule for our crew of 5 kids, we invested and bought camelbaks for all. We went in August 2007 and I knew that adequate fluid consumption would be essential! The kid's packs held 1.5 liters of water and the adult packs held 2.5 liters of water. We filled these bags each morning and made it our agreed-upon guideline that our collective bags were emptied by our noon break. We also refilled our packs prior to venturing back out in the evening. Essentially, the kids drank 3 liters of fluid plus whatever they had w/ meals.

The bags were a great investment as 1) we didn't have any problems with dehydration, 2) the bags were big enough for everyone to carry their essentials (kids: poncho, misters & hats, adults: those same items plus keys, sunscreen, bandaids, sunglasses, and camera) and 3) the size of these bags ensured that we did not overpack.

A few of us never really took to the taste of the water and we added propel mix (they come in single packs) or crystal light ice tea. We had no problems with the integrity of the bags but we did make sure that we rinsed them out thoroughly each night.

Finally, I didn't see anyone else in the park with camelbaks and I was surprised! A lot of people did ask us about the bags and I have to say...they seemed envious. We were able to hydrate, hands-free, and the heaviest bags (adults) weighed no more than 5 lbs!

 

[lauralana9]

Finally, I didn't see anyone else in the park with camelbaks and I was surprised! A lot of people did ask us about the bags and I have to say...they seemed envious. We were able to hydrate, hands-free, and the heaviest bags (adults) weighed no more than 5 lbs!

I think I may have once seen one in the park but also get many comments. Most of them people saying they have them at home and why didn't they think to bring them.

They surprising lighter than they should be. I remember when I first moved to AZ I ordered on on the internet. I had just started hiking regularly and wanted it for that. I bought the 2 liter one because I knew when I put 2litres of bottle water in my regular backpack it was heavy as all get out. I wanted the 3 but didn't think I would be able to carry it for that long. Would tire me out and be counter productive. You don't even notice the weight at all. I know have a 2 and a 3 liter packs, last year we packed both and only ended up carrying one, switching off between us.

 

[erinericmom]

I have been looking for a bag for our upcoming trip and this bag looks great to hold water and daily things. Does anyone have a recomendation for which camelbak bag can hold camera, poncho and snacks etc. we have two kids?

 

[robinb]

Doesn't the water get really hot? Do you fill it with ice during the day then?

I just picked one of these up from our local resale store for $2. The bladder has a small pin hole in it (VENT! Why give something away that is BROKEN?!!!) so I'm going to use a patch kit to fix it. In the meantime I sent the outer bag through the washing machine on gentle because the previous owner was a smoker and I thoroughly cleaned the bladder, hose and nozzle with a bleach solution to kill any nasty germs.

 

[lauralana9]

Doesn't the water get really hot? Do you fill it with ice during the day then?

Nope water stays cold, I usually drain it before the ice even finishes melting. I fill it with ice then add some water and add more ice then water. Even the coldest tap water will melt the ice a bit so I try to get as much ice in there as possible.

One extra tip. I have two packs my older 2l has in insulated only on the back side. So it does keep your back from freezing BUT there is only a thin sheet of vinyl on the inside. This sometimes causes the stuff inise the pack to get a bit damp from it sweating. But it is nice cause i can pack a lunch and it does keep it cool. My other pack is a 3l and is fullt insulated on both sides.

I would recommend going to a larger camping store and checking them out. Then looking online, you can usually find them cheaper there.

 

[MrsSpratt]

Thanks to the OP and all of the info - passing on to DB and DSIL!
Thanks!

 

[ntsammy5]

If it's still on the camel they won't allow it in...... that's a lot of water to carry around. Try beer instead!

 

[Bluemoon71]

For those that use camelbacks, forgive my ignorance, but did you have to wash out the bladder every night when you got back to the hotel? Or can you just wash the mouthpiece and let the rest dry? The camelback does sound great because I drink a lot of water, but I don't know if I will have the energy to wash it out every night

 

[WillCAD]

Having been to WDW every year for 20 years, in both hot and cool months, I know how important it is to stay hydrated. Dehydration causes fatigue and grumpiness, and is one of the most common causes of trip ruination.

However, I think a Camelbak is a bit of overkill, at least for me. I carry a 24-ounce sports bottle and refill it from drinking fountains, counter-service eateries (you can get ice there, too), and sometimes even bathroom sinks. I use a Brita Fill and GO bottle, which has a built-in filter that makes water taste better, even when it's warm.

A day at WDW is not like a day on the trails in Arizona or Nevada or west Texas. Sure, it's hot, and it's humid; you lose water quickly and need to rehydrate. But you're indoors, in air-conditioning, for most of the day, and you're never more than 100 yards from a water source, so a smaller container is entirely practical and has many benefits over a larger container like a 1.5l or 2l Camelbak - lighter weight, smaller size, easier to handle on rides, can be poured from, is much easier to clean, and is easy to replace is damaged.

For hiking, I'd go with a Camelbak if I could (can't because of my camera harness, but that's just me), but at WDW I'll always stick with a smaller water container.

 

[mysparky]

For those that use camelbacks, forgive my ignorance, but did you have to wash out the bladder every night when you got back to the hotel? Or can you just wash the mouthpiece and let the rest dry? The camelback does sound great because I drink a lot of water, but I don't know if I will have the energy to wash it out every night

Sometimes we add propel mix to the water in the camelbak and in those cases, we rinse both the bladder and tube/mouthpiece pretty well. If we've had just water in it, we just dump out the water, do a quick rinse and let it dry. I usually stuff a few paper towels into the bladder to help w/ the drying process.

However, I think a Camelbak is a bit of overkill, at least for me. I carry a 24-ounce sports bottle and refill it from drinking fountains, counter-service eateries (you can get ice there, too), and sometimes even bathroom sinks. I use a Brita Fill and GO bottle, which has a built-in filter that makes water taste better, even when it's warm.

A day at WDW is not like a day on the trails in Arizona or Nevada or west Texas. Sure, it's hot, and it's humid; you lose water quickly and need to rehydrate. But you're indoors, in air-conditioning, for most of the day, and you're never more than 100 yards from a water source, so a smaller container is entirely practical and has many benefits over a larger container like a 1.5l or 2l Camelbak - lighter weight, smaller size, easier to handle on rides, can be poured from, is much easier to clean, and is easy to replace is damaged.

I'd agree that Camelbaks could be overkill for some. They aren't inexpensive, but for us, they work well because we have 5 kids in our group and I don't want to carry all of the belongings and water for the group. Even if it was just me, I'd still prefer this bag because it's very convenient to grab a drink without having to open/close my bag and I like being "hands-free". In addition, it seriously prevents me from overpacking for the day!

 

[WillCAD]

I'd agree that Camelbaks could be overkill for some. They aren't inexpensive, but for us, they work well because we have 5 kids in our group and I don't want to carry all of the belongings and water for the group. Even if it was just me, I'd still prefer this bag because it's very convenient to grab a drink without having to open/close my bag and I like being "hands-free". In addition, it seriously prevents me from overpacking for the day!

I agree with all of that, especially the "prevents me from overpacking" part. But I prefer to go bagless in the parks, so I just keep my 24-ounce bottle in a belt carrier. It's not hand-free, but it's close-enough for me.

If I were doing a lot of wilderness hiking and needed to carry more water on me at any given time, I'd probably go for a Camelbak.