Been insulating your hydration hose??

[undermind]

For anyone using hydration bladders with hoses, have you been needing the insulation on the hoses lately when heading for the summit?

[thelawgoddess]

whether somebody needed to insulate their water bladder hose this past weekend isn't going to be a good predictor of whether someone else would need to insulate their hose two weeks later. the weather is entirely unpredictable and it could be much colder the day you happen to be up there than the day they were. personally, i would count on the possibility of my water freezing no matter what. that doesn't mean you need to go out and buy a new insulated hose if cost is an issue - just carry your bladder and hose inside the front of your jacket. (if your jacket's tucked into your harness it won't fall out.)

[undermind]

but that might make me look fat...

 

[thelawgoddess]

yeah; but having had an unprotected hose freeze up more than once, i think the compromise is worth it. and besides, by the time you get to the top you won't have much water left and you won't really look extra chunky for your summit photos.

[rhyang]

you won't really look extra chunky for your summit photos.

 

got shut down by weather a few days ago, but I bet we would have been wearing all our insulation up there anyway and looking like hamsters

[Alpine_Tom]

why not just blow the water out of the tube between drinks? It works pretty well, in my experience.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2005 by Alpine_Tom

[RJB]

I summited yesterday on the emmons rt. I did get water freezing in the tube without the insulation (and it was a warm night). Blowing water out of the tube works ok. Better have a couple of nalgenes for backup.

[philfort]

Why not just use nalgenes, easily accessible via a water bottle holder on your hip.

Because water bladders suck. 74% of the time climbing Rainier, they will empty themselves out "accidentally".

[thelawgoddess]

i've actually had most of the water in nalgenes freeze when carrying them outside of the pack, which isn't very useful when you're thirsty. keeping them inside a pack would be a good backup, though. quality bladders work well if you take care of them and make sure everything's tight, and nothing will freeze if you keep it inside the front of your coat.

[Alpine_Tom]

... nothing will freeze if you keep it inside the front of your coat.

How do you keep it in place? Are you using a backpack-type camelback that you're wearing backwards? Or does your coat have a large inside pocket?

[thelawgoddess]

neither. just shove the bladder in there. if your jacket is tucked into your harness that will keep it from sliding out. it seems weird at first, but it won't really move once it's settled. you can even put the tube up through the collar where you can easily reach it to drink. it felt a little odd at first, but once i got going i didn't really notice it.