Since I set up my MTB for commuting with a rack, trunk bag, and panniers, I really hadn’t kept up to date on hydration packs, or even the latest in water bottles. But at the Outdoor Retailer winter show, I got introduced to CamelBak’s current lineup of innovative hydration packs and bottles, and came away very impressed. So this will be the first of several posts about their latest and greatest. I’m starting off with the Antidote, which is their newest reservoir.
Here are the key features:
– Redesigned Fill Port: Widest opening on the market with a cap that is easily opened and locked closed with a simple quarter turn. The Antidote fill port is 19% lighter and 28% lower profile than previous Omega reservoirs, even with additional features such as integrated dryer arms.
– Lower Profile: Internal reservoir baffle reduces stack height 26% compared to previous Omega reservoirs for a flatter and more streamlined shape when full; the baffle also minimizes sloshing and barreling when the reservoir is in the pack.
– More Stable: Handle drop slot integrates the reservoir in the pack, maximizing stability as well as making loading and unloading of the reservoir fast and easy.
– Easier to Clean: Integrated dryer arms fold out from behind the fill port, opening the reservoir for a complete air dry; larger fill port allows any size hand to reach into all areas of the reservoir for easy cleaning. *The arms are awesome. They basically stand up and prop open the empty reservoir. There’s no excuse now not to keep it clean.
– Quick Link System: Click-in connectivity with auto shut-off allows customization with enhanced accessories, including the Fresh™Filter that provides better tasting water on demand and the Insulated Tube with Flow Meter™to keep water colder longer while monitoring how much water has been consumed and how much remains.
– Big Bite™Valve with new Ergo HydroLock™: New design engineered to prevent accidental dislodging in locked position. The patented and proven Big Bite Valve has a high flow rate for easy sipping on the move.
“We took 20 years worth of feedback from the largest user base in the world and built a reservoir for people who demand the very best in all of their performance gear,” said Jon Austen, Director of Product Management for CamelBak. “We know the only way to perform better is if your gear performs better, and our Antidote hydration system allows you to focus on the activity rather than worry about the next sip.”
Constructed using the strongest materials and components in the industry -including a radio frequency welded seal for durability and strength -Antidote is tested in the on-site CamelBak lab under some of the most extreme conditions imaginable. CamelBak is the only company to design and manufacture its own reservoirs to ensure seamless integration between the reservoir and the pack for a completely integrated hydration system. Antidote also features HydroGuard™, which inhibits the growth of bacteria that can
cause odors, discoloration or deterioration of the reservoir and tube surface. Antidote will be included in new CamelBak packs starting in October.
I’m sneaking a bit about two of their featured packs for 2011 into this post as well:
– CamelBak Highwire 25™: an ultra-light backcountry pack that is ideal for all-day adventures with its 100 oz (3 L) hydration capacity. Designed to carry 10-25 lbs, the new LV™(Lightweight Ventilated) back panel is CamelBak‘s lightest ventilated back panel, utilizing a corrugated polypropylene frame sheet with integrated ultra-light vertical ribs that transfer weight off our shoulders.
– CamelBak Octane LR™: features a new lumbar Antidote reservoir housed at the base of the pack and externally accessible for fast refilling. By placing water lower on your back, weight is stabilized on the hips, leaving the rest of the pack available for cargo and creating maximum stability for trail running, adventure racing and cycling.
Antidote will be available at sports and outdoor retail locations nationwide. It is reverse compatible and will be available in early 2011 for people looking to upgrade their current CamelBak reservoir. The 100-ounce version is $35 (MSRP), the 70-ounce version is $33 (MSRP) and the 50-ounce version is $30 (MSRP).
If you can’t wait for me to post more, or just want to see the full line now, check out the CamelBak website.
This post and related comments can also be found at Twospoke.com