Flavor Into A Camelbak?

[Plumeria]

Silly newbie question, I am sure....but...

I have NEVER been one to drink straight water. Even when I was a baby I would spit it out. (I dont know, I am weird, but that is another story...) Anyway, I KNOW I need to stay hydrated and drink. I have bought a camelbak, but, have never used one before. SO, here is my silly question: can i put some sort of flavor in the camelbak? Such as crystal light or something? Not a full mix, but something to give it alittle flavor? The problem I see with this is that the stuff in the flavor mix would not be good for the plastic of the bladder? Thanks.

[mudpuppy000]

Silly newbie question, I am sure....but...

I have NEVER been one to drink straight water. Even when I was a baby I would spit it out. (I dont know, I am weird, but that is another story...) Anyway, I KNOW I need to stay hydrated and drink. I have bought a camelbak, but, have never used one before. SO, here is my silly question: can i put some sort of flavor in the camelbak? Such as crystal light or something? Not a full mix, but something to give it alittle flavor? The problem I see with this is that the stuff in the flavor mix would not be good for the plastic of the bladder? Thanks.

They sell some sort of electrolyte stuff for camelbaks. I haven't tried it myself, but I would think that anything without sugar would be ok.

[theCryptofishist]

I use crystal light in my water bottles, no way would I drink enough without.
When you get home, rinse and wash the bladder and if you just can't face a persistent bizarro flavor then buy a new bladder.

[Plumeria]

I use crystal light in my water bottles, no way would I drink enough without.
When you get home, rinse and wash the bladder and if you just can't face a persistent bizarro flavor then buy a new bladder.

Thanks. I dont mind getting a new bladder once I get home for use again. Just want to make sure it will last the week out there! And, I am glad I am not the only one. I am sitting here actually tonight forcing myself to drink water and its not going to well.....lol

[Clar-i-ty]

I use a metal water bottle for my electrolytes and keep only water in the camelbak. I might be wrong, but I think the residue from the drink powder in the bladder might be a health hazard.

[Ranger Genius]

You won't damage the bladder by adding flavor packs or electrolyte mix to the water. You'll never get the flavor completely out, but if you're fine with that idea, go for it.

[Stickygreen]

i use gatorade powder in my camel back all the time, and yes I do replace the bladder every year or two, but I use it lot.

[kickstart]

Never put anything but plain water in any bladder from Camelback, Nalgene, or MSR. All of these brands use an antimicrobial coating on the inside of the bladder to reduce bacteria growth.

Just about everything besides H2O will break down that chemical coating, leaving you to ingest it. While this is not fatal, i would not make a habit of doing this.

Also, as others have stated, anything you put in these brands of bladders will leave the taste behind. This is in part due to the anti-microbial coating breaking down leaving a more porous membrane under it.


If you are going to put something other than water in any bladder, I suggest buying a Platypus brand bladder as they do NOT use any kind of chemical coating on the inside

[trystanthegypsy]

DONT DO IT!

nah, just don't use grape. or fruit punch. uggh.

really stick with your sugar/dye free things.

[Mulligan]

I bought a tube of gatorade-like tablets MADE BY CAMELBACK for their packs at REI. We bought the lemon-lime with caffiene last year and felt actually dehydrated. This year, we bought the same without caffiene and it's much better. Gives the water a little flavor, doesn't stick in the camelpack and doesn't transfer the flavor to the next batch of water that's in the pack.

[madmatt]

Don't do it. You'll regret it.

[Fire_Moose]

I only put jager in my camelbak.....never noticed a funky flavor

[Dr Jet Sinister]

I always put flavored mixes in my camelbak because I like it better that way. I'm the one drinking it and since I always have some flavored mix in there, it doesn't matter if there's a flavor residue.

You won't destroy your bladder in one burn or two with adding drink mixes. You are the one drinking it, do what you want.

Extra bladders aren't that expensive if it makes you feel better to have a back up.

[LindseyRaeFace]

We used the powerade ones and they were great, they do stay a little flavored so if you get multiple flavors make sure they go together. My water the next day was still slightly flavored. But we've used it since, cleaned it when we got home of course, and no problem. Only issue would be if the sugar stayed in tehre for a long time.

Enjoy!

[FaeTora]

Can I ask a very odd question? Is it just tap water? or can you stand spring water? I hate tap water, I can taste the metal in Houstons water, but i love spring water.

[Plumeria]

Can I ask a very odd question? Is it just tap water? or can you stand spring water? I hate tap water, I can taste the metal in Houstons water, but i love spring water.

Not an odd question. And, its both. Tap water I can't drink at all. Even though our water up here in the Northwest is awesome. Bottled water I can sometimes drink, but, it still makes me sick and I won't drink it. Yes, I know, I am weird!

[dragonpilot]

I've got a CamelBak M.U.L.E. I also have the original CamelBak. I fill the bladder with ice, then water, then a small bottle of Gatorade. I slip the original CamelBak inside the M.U.L.E. for double insulation and have cold flavored water for the entire day and into the evening.

Never had any problems with staining or after taste issues.

[sputnik]

Daytime my camelback clone has water + EmergenC. Nighttime it's likely to have a booze filled mix. Some will think this is gross, but I've had the same bladder in it for 6 burns.

[C.f.M.]

I honestly can't imagine not "liking" water. It's just...water. I drink it from wherever - studies show tap water isn't any worse for you.

I wouldn't put stuff in my camelbak.

And I take Emergenc more like a shot. Mix with a little water, done.

[theCryptofishist]

Hey, the booze kills any wacky faux-gatoraide germs!

[Mojojita]

Daytime my camelback clone has water + EmergenC. Nighttime it's likely to have a booze filled mix. Some will think this is gross, but I've had the same bladder in it for 6 burns.

Sput, you are such a studmuffin!

[C.f.M.]

I've had the same bladder for 32 years...

[professorzed]

I honestly think the worst problem with putting flavoring in a Camelback is just that the water in the camelback will ALWAYS taste a little bit like what you first put into it.

Even if you add new flavors, the first flavor doesn't go away. So if you used ice tea at first, then changed it to fruit punch, it would taste like ice tea & fruit punch. By the end of the week it might taste like ice tea, fruit punch, lemonade, orangeade, and tropical mix all mixed in together. The last flavor would be stronger than the others, but the first flavor(s) would still linger in the aftertaste.

I don't think the sugar and dye and crap in the flavoring will hurt the Camelback at all. However, depending on what you use to flavor the water though, it might make you thirstier. Kool-Aid would be a bad water flavoring choice, as compared to something with electrolytes in it like Gatorade.

Given the choice though, my personal preference would be to have a container of just plain water, put my flavoring of my choice into a cup or bottle which I use for drinking, then add the water to it. A variety of flavors to choose from with every drink of water, no lingering after taste.

Something like a camping cup of your own is useful at the Central cafe as well. Those that bring their own cups for coffee are given preferential treatment. You can even eat soup out of it if it's big enough.

That way I would have a choice of lemon flavor, orange flavor, etc. rather than just having a Camelback full of Orange flavored gatorade to drink all day long. (Which might get as boring as just plain water.)

[ej]

I've used these Camelbak tabs and they were fine -- the Berry flavor is good, the Orange is kind of gross. I've also used Emergen-C in my Camelbak and the flavor never lingered. I'm not a fan of plain water, either, so I feel your pain!

[CapSmashy]

Never put anything but plain water in any bladder from Camelback, Nalgene, or MSR. All of these brands use an antimicrobial coating on the inside of the bladder to reduce bacteria growth.

Just about everything besides H2O will break down that chemical coating, leaving you to ingest it. While this is not fatal, i would not make a habit of doing this.

And the bad information post of the day goes to this one.

As already mentioned, Camelback has their own branded line of electrolyte powdered additives for use in your Camelback.

[baconqurlyq]

I'm not a fan of warm water. I love ice water, though, plain. I'll probably be in line for ice every single day to pop into my Camelbak bladder.

My campmate bought the Camelbak electrolytes to put into our bladders the other night over at REI. We're all good with plain water, but we know during that first 24 hours we're going to need some help having that water absorb in so we don't have a painful first pee.

[CapSmashy]

You'll need electrolytes for the entire event, not just the first day. The drink mix aisle at any grocery store will have the individual packets of gatorade, powerade and similar sport drink mixes. The kind you pour into a normal water bottle. Pop one open and add it to your camelback in the morning.

It will add a little flavor which for me always helps to cut the dust much better than plain water.

[Leo]

I fill my Camelbak with "Talking Rain" flavored carbonated water. Talking Rain comes in multiple flavors, zero calories, zero caffeine. It is available in two liter bottles, so I label my bottles Mon, Tues, etc. so I know that I'm consuming 4 liters/day for my drinking water. I'm sure there are other brands of flavored water out there, but with the combination of carbonation and flavor, it isn't a chore to consume 4 liters/day.

[C.f.M.]

I'm not a fan of warm water. I love ice water, though, plain. I'll probably be in line for ice every single day to pop into my Camelbak bladder.

My campmate bought the Camelbak electrolytes to put into our bladders the other night over at REI. We're all good with plain water, but we know during that first 24 hours we're going to need some help having that water absorb in so we don't have a painful first pee.

Yeah, you need electrolytes the whole time.

I use Vitalyte, it's made specifically to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes. It absorbs directly into your blood stream (instead of sitting in your stomach, like water mixed with anything else will do) and doesn't have all the sugar and unecessary junk.

[CapSmashy]

I use Vitalyte, it's made specifically to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes. It absorbs directly into your blood stream (instead of sitting in your stomach, like water mixed with anything else will do) and doesn't have all the sugar and unecessary junk.

We picked up a tub of Vitalyte to augment the Cera Sport stocks with a different flavor.

It better be good or else I'm gonna drop the tent on ya.