+team travel pig Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 summer is about here,and it's quite something in texas, and the gps should arrive on tuesday. so in the interest of being prepared... which hydration pack is big enought to carry the few things you take along with you for the average peri-urban cache hunt? i won't be heading our into the wilds for some time, but will probably be doing some seashore trudging... i also don't want to look like some overgeared maniac. thanks a there is no knowledge, only things, which is really old knowledge. Quote Link to comment
Dale_Lynn Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Just go out and find a simple day pack. Get something that has comfortable shoulder straps and you can throw a few bottles of water in if you are away from "thirst quencher" sources. Room for a few trade trinkets, a pencil or two, personal log book, batteries for GPS maybe a band-aid or two (for blisters on feet) granola bar or candy bar (stuff that does not melt), some sunblock. Don't get to excited about having a lot of stuff along. Time and experience will decide what you need along as you get more into this sport. Remember that you will probably not be real far from civilization on most of your first finds. And this is no different that what you would actually do on a simple "day hike" if you did not have GPS. So far I have not been more that 45 minutes from my car. I don't see this as a real survival issue that you need to have a large inventory of survival gear along. Dale -------------------------------------------------------- I'm Diagonally Parked, In A Parallel Universe. -------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment
rocketman1 Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 For geocaching in most urban areas, I just take a stuff bag along to carry my trading items, compass, pen, and paper. Sometimes I bring along a small water bottle that will also fit into the stuff sack. For my more adventursome treks, I just have a small unexpensive day pack, that will hold my goodies, snaks and one or two water bottles. Take Care Rocketman Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Just buy any daypack you like and pick up a Platypus hydration bottle & hose. It works better if the pack is hydration bottle compatible, but is fine in any pack. I have an Arc'teryx Spear 25 that is a decent size for geocaching and has an internal hydration sleeve. Most other pack manufacturers are making packs with hydration sleeves these days. Gregory, Dana Designs, LL Bean, Lowe, Osprey, Jack Wolfskin, Arc'teryx, REI, Kelty and Camptrails come to mind. By buying the Platypus bladder, you can then choose the pack that fits your needs. "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln Quote Link to comment
Eeyore and Shadow Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 After seeing the leprechauns' get up at the recent CITO event I have decided I liked thier setup I went out and got a fishign vest with large pockets which carry nearly everything I need. I got a high sierra drench hydration pack to carry things that I don't often use but need to take along. With the vest and hydration pack I don't have to stop for anything and don't have to take the pack off to log a cache. I can do everythign workign out of the vest. The drench pack isn't highly insulated but it kept the water cold for 6 hours. only what remained in the tube would warm up. It would get cold quickly after sucking what little was in the tube out. The vest and pack cost me $60 at Dunhams. Eeyore I'm one sat short of triangulation. Quote Link to comment
+team travel pig Posted May 4, 2003 Author Share Posted May 4, 2003 excellent - thanks for all the comments... will work on keeping it light - although the urge to buy every gadget out there is pretty overwhelming... and i'll keep the platypus in mind. vest huh? i'm intrigued... i'll check that out too ___________________________________ there is no knowledge, only things, which is really old knowledge. Quote Link to comment
+Cachetrotters Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Like asking which car to drive...So many options, but they all carry groceries home from the store. My wife uses a Camelback M.U.L.E. because it fits her small frame well, and I use a Camelback Rim Runner. Both provide room for needed items, with the Rim Runner having quite a bit more. In my opinion, hiking in the likes of the Mojave Desert is no place for "2 water bottles will get you through the day" (short drive-ups notwithstanding). Injured in a shallow wash 100 feet from a road will get you just as dead as 20 miles from nowhere. I'm sure there are large areas of Texas that are very similar. I also like having the ability to drink on the move and keep the hands free. Whatever the delivery solution, a plenty-of-water condition is better than an out-of-water condition, and large bladders of any kind distributed across the shoulders are better than several small bottles, one of which is often in the hand--along with the GPSr, the hiking stick, the camera, the compass, and whatever else. Now, less is best here. Carying an extra few pounds won't kill you, but not having water might. don Quote Link to comment
+team travel pig Posted May 4, 2003 Author Share Posted May 4, 2003 had a look around and found some camelbaks at really low prices... not as cheap as some daypacks, but pretty close... yeah - it might be overkill, a little, perhaps, but as you say. even a walk along the seafront in high summer here will about kill you without a lot of water... thanks all... ___________________________________ there is no knowledge, only things, which is really old knowledge. Quote Link to comment
+BigJon Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 I would go for the Camelbak. When in the military I saw some cheap nock offs that some of my soldiers used and they didn't hold up for crap. The Camelbak has many options as far as storage. I use the Viper and it works fine for me and its not to bulky which was needed in the military. Sure you might pay a tad bit more for these systems but you get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment
+GeneralBracket Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 I have a CamelBak Lobo and a Cloud Walker. The Lobo is good for what you seem to want it for. The Cloud Walker has a larger cargo pack for big items (such as a cache container you plan to hide), but is compressable is it can become about the same size as the Lobo. Both are 70oz. Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Like Eeyore said, I use a vest to keep everything accessible that I might need while walking and hunting for the cache. See my profile page for a picture of the vest in action. For hydration, I use a military-quality Camelbak MULE, with an insulated hose so even the first sips stay cool. I highly recommend purchasing your Camelbak from fellow geocacher, Team Shuey. See this forum thread for more details, and a link to his website. Shuey gives great service to his customers, and special discounts to geocachers! This model has a large and a small pocket for gear... a bit less room than a kid's bookbag or day pack, but enough space to store trade trinkets, compass, extra batteries and other essentials. Since I keep those in my vest, I use the back pockets for my raingear and a snack. Good luck with your shopping, and welcome to geocaching. x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x Some mornings, it just doesn't pay to chew through the leather straps. - Emo Phillips Quote Link to comment
+team travel pig Posted May 4, 2003 Author Share Posted May 4, 2003 dang... i knew i should have come back here before doing the cyber shop... ah well... got a camelbak rocket (at a little less than the suggested price) probably should have gotten the lobo (better price), but i own a vw beetle and an imac, so that should adequately explain my shopping style. form,form,form. now all i need is a nice looking machete, and i'll be off... ___________________________________ there is no knowledge, only things, which is really old knowledge. Quote Link to comment
+Hoomdorm Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Campmor.com has a lot of last years Camelbak's on sale. I recently purchased a Trailblazer from them for a great price. It's got great features and perfect for caching but I'm going to return it because the shoulder strap padding was pretty much non existant. I've got a real bad shoulder & need something with some padding in it. I've got an old Mule that I used to use for mountain biking but for me it's too small for my needs. I've also got one of the old original Camelbak's that I've used some by just tightening the straps and stuffing it inside my regular daypack. It's not hydration compatible tho so it slides around a lot in the pack but still will work. I'm hoping to find a new pack soon that will be around the size of the Trailblazer or the Rim Runner but will have more padding in the shouulder straps. Is Camelbak making any with thicker straps? Anyone have any suggestions for a regular hydration compatible day pack that has good straps & isn't too big? -------------------------------- Magellan Meridian GPS / 128MB Handspring Visor Deluxe L.O.S.T. - http://www.kjjeep.com http://www.darkglobe.com/geocache Quote Link to comment
+unclerojelio Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Performance Bike sells a 100oz hydration pack that works pretty well and is cheaper than a CamelBak. p.s. Don't forget to pack a knife in case you need to amputate. ... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, ... unclerojelio Quote Link to comment
+DustyJacket Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 I use a CamelBak Peak Bagger. Good for a day trip or a light overnighter. DustyJacket Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case... Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 quote: Anyone have any suggestions for a regular hydration compatible day pack that has good straps & isn't too big? The Arc'teryx Spear 24 that I mentioned earlier has well padded straps and is not too big. "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln Quote Link to comment
+honeychile Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Wal-Mart offers a very inexpensive pack with a hydration system that is just the ticket for my short day trips. It's only $29.95, has waist and sternum straps, so it doesn't shift around even if you're making a good pace (or riding a bike). I can't remember the brand name, but I'll update this post later with it when I get home. I remembered being a little surprised to find it at WalMart because it's the same gear brand that the rangers use in the Blue Ridge Parkway system here in North Carolina. NEWSFLASH - I'm editing this message to add a link for this pack at campmor.com (same price as Walmart). You can see all the specs at this site. What I like best about it is that is very narrow -- I hate wearing a full pack when it's hot and my back can't breathe. It has ample room for most items you'd pack for a day trip, with multiple pockets that hold a variety of items including a small inner pocket with pencil slots and mesh pockets for small items. It also has an expandable pocket (great for tucking in the rainslicker or jacket that might be needed). The pouch holding the water is insulated so that the water stays cool for a long time. The water pouch is easy to fill (the mouth of it is about like a 2-liter soda bottle and it holds about that much water). It's easy to clean, too. It's small enough to tuck into a full pack if you're backpacking for several days and need a smaller day pack for outings when you set up camp. Despite very different body types, my husband and I each have one of these packs and find that the straps are adjustable enough to fit both of us comfortably. We use these packs exclusively for geocaching, and keep all our gear loaded and in the car for those "just in case" geocaching situations. We usually stop at a 7-11 and fill up the packs with cold water before we head out, emptying them at the end of the day. Despite its low price, this small pack has a lot of features some of the big boys in hydration packs offer for a lot more investment. It's a great option if you just want to try the concept without having to ante up a lot of dough. [This message was edited by honeychile on May 05, 2003 at 11:39 AM.] Quote Link to comment
+oregonature Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 CamelBak Mule...pricepoint.com Never go out without my mule. Lots of caches around Central Oregon with long hard hikes. Gotta have water! Did you know that the base of my wine glass fits perfectly into a family size tomato soup can? Quote Link to comment
+cortneyofeden Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 I use a Camelbak MULE, and it's fantastic. Lots of pockets for stash, trash bags (that whole CITO thing), cache pages (when I'm bad and am not just using my palm pilot), and a nice net area for easy access to items you frequently use (i.e. for the GPS when we're on the way back and don't need it). In the smallest pocket on the front, I always keep a cliff bar or two, some fruit leathers, my compass, a pen, and a sharpie. Quote Link to comment
+Geofool Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 I went to Sam's Club tonight and they had a hydration pack made by High Sierra for sale at $18.56. It holds 2-liter water bladder. Insulated tube cover. Zippered compartments with accessory pockets. Mesh shoulder straps and padded back. Size: 18"x7.5"5x3.25" - 866 cubic inches. I thought it was a good deal so I ended up buying one. GF ====================================================== Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. [This message was edited by Geo Fool on May 06, 2003 at 08:46 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+JoesBar Posted May 7, 2003 Share Posted May 7, 2003 I see that Criminal carries the Motherlode. But a machete and lock picks? I've only be caching a few months but I use a bike bag by Timbuk 2. Very water resistant if you are out in the rain or damp snow. I just purchased a Camelbak MULE for summer. Dorothy: "How can you talk if haven't got a brain?" Scarecrow: "I don't know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?" Quote Link to comment
Cracker. Posted May 8, 2003 Share Posted May 8, 2003 I love my MULE....I also got the military version from TeamSHuey at a nice price. I was thinking I wanted to get the desert camo, thinking a light color would be better than black in the summer to keep things cool. But the black color seems to have no effect on it..Regular cold tapwater stays cool for several hours, even after three hours of hiking, and a couple more of sitting in the sun in the truck. The insulated drinking tube is nice, too....Only the first mouthful gets warm...the rest is nice & cool. I hang about 5 or 6 items which have belt loops on them, on the front sternum strap for easy access. This includes my digital camera pouch, cell phone pouch, binocular pouch, minimaglite, knife/multitool pouch, and a larger pouch that my Meridian, a small notebook and pen will fit into with room still left over. Its not uncomforatble at all... I DO wish the sternum strap was a little wider, and especially longer, but it works... I dont use the belly strap, but its handy to hang my 3cell Maglite off of, when its close to dark... The MULE also has many attachment straps on the back, where I hang an E-tool in its pouch. Art www.yankeetoys.org www.BudBuilt.com www.pirate4x4.com Quote Link to comment
+WVDan Posted May 8, 2003 Share Posted May 8, 2003 I found a great deal at Wal-Mart. It's a hydration day pack. It has 2400 Cu. In. storage space, and a two litter capacity for water. Even has an organizer, detatachable cell phone holder, and detatachable key ring. All for $30. It's an Outdoor Products brand and they have a web site that you can check out. Don't have it with me but you can probably find it with a simple web search. Quote Link to comment
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