During my service in the Marine Corps, several of us in the unit purchased the early version of the Camelbak hydration pack. That early version fulfilled its intended purpose, but had its downfalls. Since then, hydration packs have come a long way, but have always had the same issues as the original Camelbak. The two major issues with hydration packs in general are mainly associated with cleaning and hygiene.
Most bladders are difficult to clean after using them. Most common hydration bladders have a screw cap toward the top, making it impossible to get your hand inside to really scrub and clean. That small cap also makes it more difficult to refill out in the field. The other issue has to do with the drinking tube. Typically it’s a bite valve that requires you to bite down and suck in order to get water into your mouth. By doing this, you’re creating a breeding ground for germs. Naturally, nobody else wants to drink from your hydration bladder’s drinking tube.
GeigerRig has designed and produced a superior hydration pack that addresses these very issues. Let’s address the features that set this hydration engine apart from all others. The engine is able to be pressurized so that you can spray with the bite valve. The advantage to spraying vs. sucking is that you consume more water, thus staying hydrated. With your typical hydration systems, you generally need to slow down to lower your heart rate a bit in order to suck the water from the hydration bladder. With the hydration engine pressurized, you can now use the drinking tube for multiple uses.
- Others with you can get a drink without having to actually put their mouth on the bite valve.
- It can be used to irrigate a wound or the eyes. It can also be used for personal hygiene to wash your hands, face, and to get your toothbrush wet.
- If you’re out on the trail with your K9, you can easily fill a bowl for your dog to drink or spray water directly into your dog’s mouth.
- The bladder is also reversible for easy cleaning and maintenance. Just pull the bladder out of your pack at the end of the day, disconnect the hose, empty the contents, turn the bladder inside out and place it in the top rack of your dishwasher. That’s right, it’s dishwasher safe! It doesn’t get any easier than that, guys.
If you happen to be out on the trail and your hydration engine runs dry, no worries. With the inline water filter that GeigerRig has made available, all you need to do is find a water source, fill the bladder up, and attach the inline water filter. Now you’re ready to keep moving. The filter is actually an Aquamira Frontier Pro filter that has been rebranded and designed for the GeigerRig system.
- Filter size – 5.5″ long by 1″ in diameter.
- Filter capacity – Rated to filter up to 50 gallons of water. You now have a much greater range while hiking. Fifty gallons can take you a long way! You’ll know when the filter needs to be replaced when the water flow rate becomes increasingly slow. The general rule of thumb is to start with a new filter each season if it’s something you’re using on a regular basis.
- Filter certification – Removes 99.9 percent Cryptospordium and Giardia. Your hydration pack now protects you when you need to refill in the field, on the hiking trail, or on a two-week backpacking trip.
- Filter maintenance – After each use, fill your hydration bladder with clean water and flush the filter. After you flush the water filter, empty the water out of the filter by blowing air through the filter. Allow 24 hours to dry and store in a cool, dry place.
MSRP – $120.00 for the Rigger Compact Water System (shown in the featured image). They have quite a few hydration systems to choose from, along with accessories for each.