Adding Hydration Sleeve

[erugs]

I want to add a hydration "sleeve" to my older Lowe Contour II pack. Has anyone done this? Have advice? One possibility is the UnBottle by Camelbak, but I thought I'd check with my expert friends on VFTT first. Or, I could buy a new pack, which I'm strongly tempted to do but don't really have the money for.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Ellen,

Most bladders have a hook on the top. If you can sew in or otherwise fasten a loop from which to dangle it, it probably won't move around too much in a well-packed, well-cinched backpack. The trick will be getting the tube out in a manner where it is convenient to use. Adding a hole may weaken the pack, and running out the top without cinching / closing properly increase the chance of rain / needles getting in and other stuff getting out.

Tim

 

[dug]

I went with a decidedly unscientific method off adding a sleeve to my Countour pack. Just above the shoulder strap connects to the pack, I cut a 1/2" hole to slide the tube through. I burned the edges to eliminate any chance of the hole spreading. It's never spread, and it's so small that while it could conceivably leak, I haven't seen it (and would be covered by a packcover anyway). I sometimes let it hang loose, or attach it by looping through a loop that is on the strap shoulder.

I always pack my backpack with a 1/3 piece of Ridgerest against my back insdie the pack (to eliminate stray pot handles from stabbing me), and slip my Camelpack against that. My Camelpack is a 70-ounce bladder that is actually a little backpack.

You have to pack the bottom of your pack, first, to allow the bladder to stand on top of the gear you pack (mostly, because the tube isn't long enough).

 

[griffin]

I got a super-light stuff sack just a smidge bigger then my platypus, and stitched the top to the inside of my pack.

As for the tube, I just slide it out of the pack between the main compartment and the top section, just outside of the shoulder strap. The clip on the tube holds it in place on the strap (see glamorous image).

 

[AndyF]

I have a Lowe Contour Runner 3.0 pack that I use for summer hikes. I am not sure how different this is from yours. I just stand my 100 oz camelbak bladder in it centered against my back with the tube runing out the top with the two zippers on either side of the tube and the zipper flap folded over. My pack is filled with clothing and emergency gear that surround the bladder and keep it in place. This works perfectly fine for me.

I also have an older backpack that I cut an X shaped hole in the back centered horizontally to run the tube through. That works as well. It was an old pack so I had no qualms about cutting into it.

I recently got a new backpack that has a hydration sleeve, which is a feature I was looking for. After using it though it held the bladder too high for my likes and I just sit it outside the sleeve with clothing packed around it again to hold it in place.

My fourth pack has a hydration sleeve and I use it. However now I will not let the presence of a hydration sleeve influence my purchase of a pack in the future. Sometimes they work well, sometimes they don't, and you can usually make it work without one.