I like the convenience of a water bladder for drinking on the go but boy do I hate filling and refilling it and having to take it out and stuff it into a pack, especially a full pack.
I researched silicone tubing sizes that would fit the sports caps and I bought :
- 9 ft of food grade silicone tubing
- This water pouch for the front of my pack from Etsy
- A few 1L smart water /life wtr bottles with the sports cap
I have now rigged a water system that gives me the convenience of sipping on the go with the ease of bottles for filtering, etc during water stops.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.reallydoingthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240131_1505178799418960382527855.jpg?resize=419%2C1024&ssl=1)
This front water pouch attached to my shoulder strap holds a 1L bottle comfortably. I have not field tested this to see if it will impede my natural movement but it wouldn’t seem so based on how my arms swing with hiking poles.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.reallydoingthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240131_145535582953054253970975.jpg?resize=640%2C972&ssl=1)
Once I open the cap, the tubing slides up really easily so I can sip on the go.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.reallydoingthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240131_1455194918051886741639593.jpg?resize=640%2C853&ssl=1)
I measured enough tubing so that I could still use this with the bottle in the side of my pack (about 40 inches for me).
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.reallydoingthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240131_1456318108952389758874405.jpg?resize=419%2C1024&ssl=1)
If I end up doing the bottle on the side pocket of the pack, I worry about how clean I can keep the tip of the tubing seeing I cannot stick it back inside the bottle easily.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.reallydoingthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/20240131_1457411158773679938628011.jpg?resize=640%2C857&ssl=1)
I think I’m going to need to research something I can use to attach to the end of this tube in this setup.
I am excited about field testing this one this weekend!
May the winter weather odds ever be in my favor.