It may be snowing up north, but we’ve hit the 90s down here in South Florida a couple of days this week. I didn’t realize how hot it had been until I went to hang up my Camelbak M.U.L.E. Hydration Pack this morning.
That whitish stuff on the strap is salt from sweat.
The black, tube-like thing is the insulated cover over the drinking tube. It’s called a Tube Director because it has a wire as part of the cover that will allow you to bend it to stay in one position. I have mine positioned so I can take a sip just by turning my head slightly.
If you don’t use one of these, you’ll find yourself gulping hot water until you suck the cool stuff out of the bladder.
I like Elete Electrolyte
The salt crystals have built up enough on the other strap enough that you could break them off.
Replacement for all that salt has to come from somewhere, so I put a tiny dose of ELETE ELECTROLYTE into the 100-ounce Camelbak bladder. I use a little less than the suggested 1.5 teaspoons. I like that it adds a slightly salty taste to the water, because it tends to make me drink more. The recommended dose tastes just a tad too salty for me.
Sons Matt and Adam like SPORTLEGS. Here’s Matt’s review of SportLegs
Insulated water bottles
Matt did quite a comparison of water bottles back in 2008. I still like my 24-oz Polar Insulated Water Bottle . Riding partner Osa just bought a Camelbak Podium Big Chill 25 oz Bottle and thinks she likes the valve better than the Polar.
We make our own hot weather long ride drinks with: frozen (100%) juice and a few shakes of low sodium salt; it’s quite a bit potassium chloride. I like a little lime juice to cut the sweetness of the other juices, and to ward off scurvy. After the ride I make sure I am issued my measure of grog.