I have been using different CamelBak products for the past 20 years, and so I was very intrigued when I heard they had launched new hydration products for professionals.
CamelBak PRO has come out with 2 sizes of hydration backpacks – both in black and hi-vis yellow – and also a line of “hydration-equipped tool belts.”
The hydration packs feature 70oz or 100oz bladders, breakaway shoulder straps, and insulated tubes.
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CamelBak says “whether you’re a construction worker, first responder, or industrial pro,” their new Pro hydration packs will “keep you hydrated, organized, and ready for any task.”
CamelBak PRO isn’t just about hydration bladders and backpacks – they also have a new line of tool belts. They say:
Our tool belts and waist packs help keep you hydrated while leaving your hands free for work.
I’m a bit confused as to the implication of this. Do workers normally hold their water bottles in their hands, and no they don’t have to?
The tool belts come with a water bottle that features a self-sealing bite valve.
At this point, you might be wondering – has anyone thought this through? CamelBak’s “Quick Stow” water bottle flask has a one-piece bite valve. There doesn’t look to be a cover. So does that mean you’re going to go for a drink and get a mouthful of drywall dust, sawdust, cement, metal chips, or whatever you were just working on?
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Stay prepared, organized, and hydrated with the CamelBak Pro 8 Pocket Tool Belt – your ultimate on-the-job solution.
The marketing sounds great. But are some of these new hydration work solutions practical?
That mouthpiece is going to be exposed to whatever you’re working on. Right?
Okay, so you find a place to stash it. Then you don’t need a hydration tool belt, do you?
Or maybe you rinse it off first? Maybe wash your hands? Again, then why were you carrying it the whole time you were working?
Looking deeper, CamelBak Pro stems from a licensing deal between CamelBak and other companies, Revelyst, an “adventure sports platform,” and 5 Horizons, which describes themselves as “a creative engine, supply chain leader and market maker for authentic brands.”
5 Horizons, CamelBak’s partner says they “create product born from the passion of experience.”
The flask-style water bottle is sold by itself with a case that offers multiple carrying options.
They’ve also got a 21oz water bottle bundled with a Pro pouch.
Or you can go with a CamelBak Pro fanny pack, such as this one with a 50oz hydration bladder and “tool-friendly cargo compartment.”
Here are the new CamelBak Pro hydration options and prices, via Amazon:
CamelBak Pro Water Bottles
- 21oz Insulated Bottle – $30
- 17oz Flask – $30
CamelBak Pro Tool Belts and Waist Bags
- 4-Pocket Tool Belt – $45
- 8-Pocket Tool Belt – $50
- Waist Pack with 21oz Bottle – $50
- Waist Pack with 50oz Reservoir – $80
CamelBak Pro Backpacks
- 2L Backpack in Black – $85
- 2L Backpack in Hi-Viz – $92
- 3L Backpack in Black – $105
- 3L Backpack in Hi-Viz – $112
Shown here is the new CamelBak Pro hi-vis hydration bag.
Here are some of the existing hi-vis bags that preceded the new licensed Pro products.
CamelBak products ARE used in some professional industries, typically those that involve outdoors work. They’ve had hi-vis products for years now.
Looking online, some pros do use CamelBak products, or at least have asked about them, but I’m not sure the new Pro line is going to be in big demand.
It seems that most pros carry drinks with them, or water in reusable bottles, insulated bottles, travel cups, or similar.
These new CamelBak Pro products are marketed as being “for construction workers.” If you’ve got to take off a work glove and hold it in one hand while you hold the drinking straw in the other, how’s that “leaving your hands free for work?”
That CamelBak partnered with a “market maker for authentic brands” seems to explain everything.
Looking at their store on Amazon, the same company is also selling Eddie Bauer packing cubes and Wolverine wallets.
It really looks to me like these are just licensed backpacks and tool belts that fit CamelBak hydration products.
I’m not sold on the idea that these products are any more suited for pros than CamelBak’s consumer water bottles and hydration packs.
Have so many construction workers and tradespeople been using CamelBak hiking, biking, and outdoors packs that they felt the need to license a line of tool belts and backpacks marketed to pros?
I’m not seeing the appeal here, and on top of that some of the products seem ill-conceived. Are you really going to carry a water bottle tool belt into an attic? Up a ladder? When demoing a wall? With its bite valve exposed like that?
I’m a big fan of CamelBak. But with this line of Pro hydration products, what were they thinking?
Jared
Wearing a CamelBak while working outdoors – that seems like a good idea. I don’t do that, but maybe I should.
I have CamelBaks for dirt and mountain biking, so I could just put one on when I’m working outside in the heat… But that begs the question. Do you need a worksite-specific version?
Stuart
The “pro” models look to be bundled with an insulated tube sleeve and mouthpiece cover, which saves users from having to purchase it separately.
But the existing hi-vis models already provided that at comparable or lower prices.
Want it in black with an insulated tube and bite valve cover? They have comparably priced military models.
Much of this entire licensed “Pro” line seems unnecessary to me.
Klein Tool’s Egodyne brand has hydration packs aimed at “on-the-go hydration.” They actually have some neat innovations, such as a hand-squeezed “pressure pump” so that you don’t have to put your mouth directly on the bite valve, or for cleaning your hands. Apparently it’s been out for 9 years.
Mateo
I hadn’t thought of camelback in over a decade, but now I’m tempted to pick one up especially for roofing jobs where water bottles tend to run away.
Stuart
Would it interfere with your harness?
Mateo
Most of the roofs I do are single story and no steeper than 5-12 pitch so I forgo a harness unless things get taller or steeper.
Jerry
I spent a lot of time doing outdoor work wearing a CamelBack, mostly forestry work in my younger days. The Hi-Vis ones would have been just the thing for that.
Basically, you are clearing brush and such and don’t want a bottle on your belt, yet find yourself thirsty and a long walk from the truck. What we usually did was park the truck, work one side of the trail for a distance to about half our fuel, then work the other side back to the truck. The CamelBack was great for this. We would re-route the hose with the bite valve around so it would be kept ‘clean’ by a strap, collar, or whatever in between drinks. Was no big deal, just put the saw down, rest a minute, and take a drink. IMO, it seems like more a niche thing than a general use item, but I’m glad they are making it. Don’t do near that type of work as I used to, but I may be watching in case one of the Hi-Vis ones comes on sale somewhere.
S
I agree. And on top of it, none of these new models are insulated, and would be against one’s body, presumably on a hot day. It wouldn’t take long for any liquid to be quite hot by the time anyone consumed it.
Not to mention– that’s not a lot of water in any of those new options. So now there’s got to be additional time to constantly re-fill it. And that belt pouch looks perfectly positioned to be accidentally squeezed when kneeling. Perfect situation for a contractor to be in working in a 10 million dollar house, and spilling their drink on the new unfinished imported baseboard they’re installing…
On warm days, I usually go through a gallon jug. On hot days, I take two, and sometimes need to break down and refill by lunch time. Many other contractors I’ve worked with will buy a case of water every day.
These just aren’t going to cut it for anyone out in that kind of non-office-job temperature. As a matter of fact, I know concrete companies that would laugh an employee off the job site if any one of them showed up to work a full day pouring or setting forms in the sun with a trendy cute little itty bitty teenie weenie water bottle on their hip like that.
Stuart
Hydration bladders can also be filled with ice if needed. I’ve used insulated sleeves before in regular bags, and in my opinion the tube is the most important part to insulate when working outside. Getting a mouthful of hot water when it’s 90+ in summer is no fun.
Cleaning them was also never fun.
Chaz
Cleaning tablets. Wash your hands, fill bladder with warm water, and drop in a tab. Slosh it around, let it sit for 5 minutes, flip, 5 minutes later rinse and drain.
Want to save money, use denture cleaner tablets.
ChipBoundary
The body self-regulates heat very well, making cold water unnecessary in almost all circumstances. In fact, warm water is better in almost every way. It digests faster, improves blood flow, and it can soothe a sore throat. Which can happen in harsh working environments.
If you’re properly hydrating, and wearing proper clothing, the cooling effect of water is entirely unnecessary.
Leo B.
When I’m going to be on a pour or something where leaving isn’t as much of an option, I’ll use a mini DB Sax with a water bottle of some kind. Works pretty well- the cap stays fairly clean, and it hasn’t fallen out yet. That’s such a limited case situation for me that I haven’t tried to find an alternative yet. Side note- the guy raking in the foreground of the concrete picture is using a custom Martinez. Nice!
Branden H
Atlas46 makes tool vests that accept CamelBak and other brand hydration bladders if anyone is in the market for something similar. I like mine a lot but don’t use the hydration bladder often.
Scott K
This seems like an attempt to benefit from the explosion of water bottle trends and increased awareness of hydration. I don’t see the need for this, but if you’re looking for something different this may work. I find the hi viz versions to have broader appeal than the tool belt combo. I share the hygiene concerns you mentioned, but there’s a definite safety benefit for lots of work environments. These prices are similar to Stanleys, Hydroflasks, and Owalas. I have a few CamelBak products and really like them especially for the price.
Frank D
I could see the hi vis one being handy for the road flaggers, or anybody who has to be stationary and / or supervising trafiic or workers in some capacity … versus trying to put water bottles somewhere.
For myself, I typically want a physical break, some shade and some cooling along with hydration.
Wayne R.
Yes to this. Some shade and an ice/water-filled Igloo was always a welcome break. I can see the use of these bladder things, but not in the roles I filled.
James
The backpack is cool. I use Camelbak all the time for mountain biking, skiing, and hiking. Camelbak products are well built in my experience…I still have my MULE that I bought in 2002…and use it several times a year and there’s very little damage other than sun fade and losing stretch in the stretchy bits.
The tool belt looks terrible but it also doesn’t look very well built, although that might not be the case.
I like the hi-viz idea but it wouldn’t ever be relevant to me. As far as dirt on the water bottle, that’s legitimate, but for the straw, not a problem….I just tuck it into my shirt or whatever and it’s easy to wipe on a shirt too. When I’m mountain biking it often gets muddied and I have to do a rinse and spit before I start drinking.
taras
I work outside year round on high rise slabs. It’s often around he 30C mark with 80-100% humidity in my area. I have a few hydration packs, and did try them out, but hey always interfered with the harness on my tool rig. In the end I settled on an insulated 1/2 gallon stainless jug for water and a smaller bottle with some hyda-lite tabs in it.
For a hydration pack to work in a construction environment, it needs to be part of a modular set up, or be attached in a way that doesn’t interfere with a users existing set up.
For the upcoming summer, I will most likely use a 2L insulated MSR Dromedary bag that I can attach to my tool harness via 3 points. The hang loop on the shoulder straps, and two of the belt attachment points. This set should also allow for the pack to come off my back when I stand, at least allowing for some circulation. I can still keep a smaller electrolyte bottle on me in a pouch that hangs off my tool belt.
Michael F
I’ve had a Camelbak MULE (the dcu desert camo version) from the GWOT era for 20 years now – it also came with a 3L bladder and what looks to be the same insulated tubing. It’s Cordura 500D and my son still uses it for hiking now. One of the greatest bags I’ve ever owned. If I were to buy another Camelbak I’d personally forgo the “pro” line to buy another milspec. They absolutely last forever regardless of what you do with them.
William
I could see surveyors using a Camelbak, but not really anyone else in construction. Tool belts are heavy enough without adding water. Maybe if they made a suspenders for tool rigs, I could see those being helpful. For carrying water, just stick a water bottle in your tool pouch. Why do you need a special bladder system? Swing and miss here for Camelbak.
CMF
I can see people who need these; myself, I don’t do anything where having a backpack of this sort would be necessary.
I get by with a bottle in a thermos sleeve over the bottle. Depending on how long I need it to last, I take a bottle of water, juice or Pepsi, and put a 1/4, or 1/2 a bottle in the freezer overnight, then add the rest back in the bottle in the morning, and put the sleeve on.
The chunk of iced water, or juice or Pepsi in the bottle lasts a long time compared to ice cubes, and does not water down the drink as it melts.
Very low-tech solution but it works for me.
JimM
I’ve had CamelBak for cycling for the last 20 years and it’s been bullet-proof. Last week I bought a smaller one for short (2-3hr) rides and it turned out to be really shoddy. Looked like it was made in a Chinese slave labor camp. I sent it back immediately. I hope there “Pro” line is made more like their old products or it’ll never be accepted.
Love the hi-vis and wish it was available in their cycling line. I don’t care about being fashionable, I just don’t want to get hit.
You’re right one about the lack of a covered mouthpiece on the flasks/bottles. Another product designed by someone who’s never used it in the field.
Stuart
The Pro products are licensed, and presumably made by a different company.
Max
The high viz would be useful for hunting if it was available in hunter orange or pink as most hunting packs are camo, but if it isn’t the proper shade, it would not work.
Jared
I can’t wait to suck up a mouthful of insulation out of the straw…where are the drywallers going to get their piss bottles now?