Is CamelBak making motorcycle products? The last we heard CamelBak was not a friend of the motorized community. A few years ago, off-road.com had given up all hope that CamelBak would care about, or even acknowledge the needs of the off-road motorcycle community. If you remember, even though CamelBak was delivering sanitized marketing messages about access for all and a non-polarized view of the world, they appeared to be supporting some very narrow-minded organizations. This caused many motorcycle enthusiasts to shun the trusted hydration company and move to other products.

Well it's nice to know that people can all grow and learn from their indiscretions. It seems as if some of the pressure exerted by the off-road community made the exec's at CamelBak take a close look at both the direct messages - and indirect messages - coming from the company. CamelBak still claims that it was all just a big misunderstanding, and that some of the actions of a few people gave the world the wrong impression.

I'm not sure we'll ever know the full truth, but if we focus on the present we can see that CamelBak is serious about participating in many recreations, including off-road motorcycling. CamelBak is now a member of the MIC (Motorcycle Industry Council) and has begun advertisements in mainstream off-road motorcycle magazines.

Charge!

CamelBak has taken the position that they are THE hydration company, and that the activity done while hydrating is less important. Their website reflects this message quite nicely. In fact, a quick perusal of their site will show that they have specialized products for many different activities. This is great news?it means CamelBak is learning the specific requirements for different types of activities and as a result we motorcyclists get focused products from a company that has a lot of experience in the world of getting fluid back into your system.

The Review

Enough about the the past - let's talk about the new hydration packs. CamelBak is marketing three systems for motorcycling use - but only two of those, the Rev and the Charge, were specifically designed for the requirements of off-road

Strap routing works really well with most chest protectors.

motorcyclists. The third pack, The Mule, is a mountain bike crossover that has been around for years in various forms.

If you go to the start of any off-road motorcycle event across the US you'll see many large hydration systems that also double as tool/parts/food containers. In fact, you'll see many people with their hydration packs stuffed so full that they don't use a fanny pack. This can be an awkward setup to ride with since the weight is high and set far back, and if you wear a chest protector, a fully loaded pack needs to be mounted on the outside of the protector. If the pack is strapped to the back of your chest protector, the front of the protector tends to ride up into your neck. This can be very awkward for the ride, and it can also be dangerous if you hit a g-out and the heavy pack pulls your chest protector up into your neck. If you just wear the pack like a backpack (over the chest protector, but still snapped in front), it is typically tough to put on with the encumbrance of the chest protector. For those that have tried to do this, you know what I mean.

The new CamelBak products were designed to eliminate these problems and provide a whole new, low-profile, way to carry liquid. These two new packs are not designed to carry all of the fluid in the world AND tools, food, etc. They are designed to be supplemented with a fanny pack for longer rides. We like that anyway since we're not big fans of having all of that weight up high. The two systems, the Rev and the Charge are similar designs but come in two bladder sizes, 72 ozs and 102 ozs, respectively.

It's Nice to be Noticed!

Notice the weight is down low

These packs come with all of the standard features you've come to expect from CamelBak products. All of the materials are top quality, and the bladders are indestructible. What makes these packs so cool is that CamelBak designed them with motorcyclists in mind. The differences between these packs and a standard recreational pack aren't huge, but just enough to make your $80 investment feel like it is deserved. For example, the packs are cut with a very large neck hole to fit over a motorcycle helmet and neck roll. They can also be used over or under a chest protector. Since the Rev is a smaller pack, it fits nicely under a chest protector where the larger Charge makes the back bulge out a bit when it is fully loaded. It is not bad though, and after you consume a few ounces (you're riding hard, right?) it slims right down.

The shoulder, chest, (and waist straps on the Charge,) come with plenty of extra length

The Rev tucks neatly under the chest protector

so they can be adjusted to fit virtually any configuration. For many off road guys a bit of extra strap in the shoulders or waist is not just a comfort item, it is a necessity. What's even nicer is the shoulder and waist straps have integrated elastic holders for the extra strap length so you won't have any extra material flapping in the wind. This is a nice little addition that makes the packs that much more pleasant during use.

The drinking tube is insulated along with the entire pack, so the water stays cool - even during a hot ride. Unlike the Rev - the Charge comes with small pocket on the back. It is a descent size, but it could be a bit larger (or more divided) to throw in a wallet or cell phone. It also seems strange to have a zipper that closes up (instead of down) on a product designed to be knocked around. You would think the pockets would have a tendency to unzip, though we never experienced this problem.

Observations

Although weight is not as much of a concern with motorcycles as with bicycles; unnecessary weight is always kind of silly. The main flap that covers the opening to the bladder is made of a heavy, thick rubber strip. The functional purpose of this strip is not clear, but it sure feels like it is a heavy piece. Perhaps it is there to offer some abrasion resistance if the pack is used under a chest protector, but it is likely that this piece is designed purely for style; styling that could have been achieved with a much lighter part.

For the first few rides (and an entire race) we assumed the drinking tube on the Charge was a couple of inches too short. It was possible to get a sip out of the line, but it was very tight - and incredibly annoying. The first time we took the whole system apart to clean the bladder we found that some of the line was coiled at the bottom of the bladder. Before you use the pack, make sure you pull out as much of the tube as you will need.

Overall Impressions

Straps and drink tube stay out of the way

We had two testers that each used the packs for a full season of rides, as well as a couple of races. The large pack (Charge) has a huge capacity - it is enough for day's ride, even on a hot day. The pack is fairly large and heavy when it is full, so that should be considered when filling up. The Rev actually has a more manageable capacity?but it is always nice to know you have more water than needed when out in the middle of nowhere, especially in the summer.

These packs worked really well - when worn under a chest protector and above. The only real question is if there is as much value when comparing these new CamelBaks to a more traditional system. At motorcycle races there are quite a few people that use CamelBak brand hydration systems, but we did not see anyone using the Charge or the Rev; perhaps they are just too new.

Many people chose to use the CamelBak systems with more storage for tools, parts, etc. that can be crucial in a cross country race or a long ride. For many of the riders,

this replaces having to wear a fanny pack that typically houses tools, phones, etc. Perhaps there is a way to add a bit more storage capacity while still maintaining the sleek lines that allow the pack to be worn under a chest protector; if so - that would be a big plus.

It's not a big concern for us, we like the idea of having a relatively small hydration system - one that can be worn either under or over a chest protector. For tools and everything else, we'll stick to the trusty fanny pack that keeps the weight low, and the tools easy to access.

In total we're impressed with the latest offerings for the motorcycle community from CamelBak, and we're also pleased that they have cleaned up their marketing message and associated actions. It is great to find products that work well, and we're confident that CamelBak will continue to refine products that meet the specific requirements of the motorcycle world.