How to Use a Hydration Backpack

Whether you're biking a backcountry trail, hiking up a mountainside or skiing a remote slope, staying hydrated is the key to your peak performance--and your safety. Bringing plenty of water will prevent you from having to head back early, or worse, becoming dehydrated. A hydration backpack, which contains a bladder of water connected to a suction tube, is a convenient and comfortable way to tote water--and to drink it while you're on the move.

Things You'll Need

  • Hydration backpack
  • Water
  • Cleaning kit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a hydration backpack that suits your needs. For longer rides or hikes, you'll want a bigger pack that holds more water and has pockets for snacks. Popular brands include CamelBak and The North Face, but there are many others.

    • 2

      Rinse the bladder out before using. If it smells musty or has been sitting with water in it for more than a day or two, clean it with a hydration pack cleaning kit, which includes tablets and a brush.

    • 3

      Fill the bladder with clean, filtered water. Be sure the top is securely fastened before returning it to the backpack.

    • 4

      Put the backpack on your back and, if you like, fasten the straps around your chest and waist to keep the pack snug to your body.

    • 5

      Turn the lever on the suction tube to the "on" position, which will allow water to flow.

    • 6

      Gently bite the end of the suction tube and suck as you would through a straw. Water should flow into your mouth.

    • 7

      Rinse the bladder out with hot water after you return from your outdoor adventure. Suck any remaining water from the tube and hang it with the bladder top open to let it dry completely.