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WTF with all the back packs

nkLottery

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Mar 29, 2015
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I get it--it looks overkill...but I don't really care. I'm conscious of all straps before I leave the lodge so there's nothing too loose that could get caught. Tighten all compression straps so there's no extra bulkiness or flopping around. My backpack is for water first and foremost, a few small snacks, and maybe one extra layer if it's super cold or rainy. It's not much and I don't see it as a problem
 

ironhippy

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Do you guys that carry water really ski all day without a single break?

I ski a lot, more than my friends and most of my family want to, but I still need to take some time for a quick break to get a drink of water and to use the washroom every 2 - 4 hours. It's also nice to just take off my helmet and coat inside for a few minutes as well. If I am going to take off my pack, find my water, undo the cap, concentrate on not spilling any of it... I'll just go the lodge.

I'm not sure how much I would use water even if I brought it with me, right now I am (fat) biking for 2 - 3 hours at a time and I don't normally bother digging into my pack for water even though it's there.
 

TheArchitect

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Do you guys that carry water really ski all day without a single break?

I ski a lot, more than my friends and most of my family want to, but I still need to take some time for a quick break to get a drink of water and to use the washroom every 2 - 4 hours. It's also nice to just take off my helmet and coat inside for a few minutes as well. If I am going to take off my pack, find my water, undo the cap, concentrate on not spilling any of it... I'll just go the lodge.

I'm not sure how much I would use water even if I brought it with me, right now I am (fat) biking for 2 - 3 hours at a time and I don't normally bother digging into my pack for water even though it's there.

I usually take one break for lunch but I'd never make it to lunch without really needing water. I sweat like crazy and get dehydrated easily. I get migraine headaches when I get dehydrated so I'll do whatever I can to stay dehydrated. I don't want to stop multiple times a day if I can avoid it. I can only get about 10-12 days in a year so I want to make them count.

No need to dig out the water; I've got a Camelbak and just drink out of the hose.
 

Jcb890

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I've been contemplating a Camelbak or other type system for a while, but hear and have seen icing issues which seems to make it not worth having. I don't know about you guys, but I also drink a bunch of water and usually stop 2-4 times a day to piss also. Stopping for a couple of minutes doesn't really bother me all that much to be honest.
 

TheArchitect

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I've been contemplating a Camelbak or other type system for a while, but hear and have seen icing issues which seems to make it not worth having. I don't know about you guys, but I also drink a bunch of water and usually stop 2-4 times a day to piss also. Stopping for a couple of minutes doesn't really bother me all that much to be honest.

The winter Camelbak packs have an insulated tube. You take a drink and then blow a puff of air back into the tube to clear any remaining water. I've never had any icing issues doing that.
 

Jcb890

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The winter Camelbak packs have an insulated tube. You take a drink and then blow a puff of air back into the tube to clear any remaining water. I've never had any icing issues doing that.

Ah! It must have not been a "Winter Camelbak" then. His seemed to just have a regular tube which froze repeatedly.
 

Hawkshot99

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I've been contemplating a Camelbak or other type system for a while, but hear and have seen icing issues which seems to make it not worth having. I don't know about you guys, but I also drink a bunch of water and usually stop 2-4 times a day to piss also. Stopping for a couple of minutes doesn't really bother me all that much to be honest.
I don't use bottles of water, way to much effort. Just drink from a camelback bladder. The winter ones have a neoprene cover on the hose and a insulated cap as well. My pack has the tube go inside the shoulder strap as well to keep it warm. On real cold days there is pockets in there that I can put a handwarmer if needed.
I stop several times a day to pissed as well. I just find a tree that looks thirsty and help it out (works much better in a glade).

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app
 

crank

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Insulated tube does not matter because the valve will still freeze. You just have to do the blowback thing after drinking then there will not be water in the tube or the valve. I used to sometimes ski with a camelback, but have not used one in years. For water I carry one of those pocket size bladders in a pocket.

Regarding people skiing with backpacks - I don't really care or notice. Sometimes I use one if I want to carry camera gear or extra layers or food. I almost always carry one when xc skiing or hiking so wearing a pack while skiing is no big deal other than you have to be careful getting off the damn chairlift.
 

ironhippy

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I don't drink nearly as much water in the winter, in the fall I use less and less water on my regular bike rides, to the point where I'll stop needing it on my weeknight rides (less than 2 hours) before it starts freezing.


on the other side of efficient mountain travel:
I watched this the other week (ultra runner Killian Jornet) and he shocked me by saying for his 20+ hour ski mountaineering trip, he was only bringing one 500 ml collapsible water bottle because there were 3 spots he could fill up.

So for 20+ hours of skiing/climbing (~ 77 kms of travel, 9000 m of elevation) he was only planning on consuming 2 liters of water. He mentioned he would probably only have a couple of snickers bars during that time too.
 

Jcb890

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I don't drink nearly as much water in the winter, in the fall I use less and less water on my regular bike rides, to the point where I'll stop needing it on my weeknight rides (less than 2 hours) before it starts freezing.


on the other side of efficient mountain travel:
I watched this the other week (ultra runner Killian Jornet) and he shocked me by saying for his 20+ hour ski mountaineering trip, he was only bringing one 500 ml collapsible water bottle because there were 3 spots he could fill up.

So for 20+ hours of skiing/climbing (~ 77 kms of travel, 9000 m of elevation) he was only planning on consuming 2 liters of water. He mentioned he would probably only have a couple of snickers bars during that time too.

Wow!
 

witch hobble

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I would never be caught dead with a pack on while skinning the carriage road or the cog. So embarrassing!!! What am I? A boy scout?

But I get thirsty walking from my Beaver Creek condo to the lift (thank god for those escalators!), and I wouldn't want to have to call the wife to have her bring me my glove liners and neck-up.....total gaper move!!!

east v west:daffy:
 

moresnow

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I don't drink nearly as much water in the winter, in the fall I use less and less water on my regular bike rides, to the point where I'll stop needing it on my weeknight rides (less than 2 hours) before it starts freezing.


on the other side of efficient mountain travel:
I watched this the other week (ultra runner Killian Jornet) and he shocked me by saying for his 20+ hour ski mountaineering trip, he was only bringing one 500 ml collapsible water bottle because there were 3 spots he could fill up.

So for 20+ hours of skiing/climbing (~ 77 kms of travel, 9000 m of elevation) he was only planning on consuming 2 liters of water. He mentioned he would probably only have a couple of snickers bars during that time too.
You can't compare yourself to Kilian. That man is half goat.
 

ironhippy

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You can't compare yourself to Kilian. That man is half goat.

oh I am not trying to, I just hadn't really looked into what the extreme high level athletes do to fuel themselves.
2 liters over 20 hours and 9000 m of elevation almost seems impossible.. but so does a lot of the stuff he does.
 

jimmywilson69

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I typically use a small backpack with a bladder in it when I'm in VT or out west. I don't like stopping into the lodge except for lunch or to end the day.

Not sure why some of you are so bent about this...
 

trackbiker

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Not sure why some of you are so bent about this...

I don't think most people care if you haul a backpack around all day because you can't fit a bottle of water and a snack in your pockets.
What we do care about is when you get hung up on the lift and it stops because your ass is hanging the air and we have to wait around on the lift or in line for 20minutes to an hour for patrol to rescue your ass.
 

Fallingdown

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I love having a backpack. You can put extra gear in it, a snack. Works great! I hate going back to the lodge unless I am going to have lunch.
 

colinuberalles

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Hiding them on the mountain is a great idea! But, if you have a big enough jacket, you could probably fit a few in there...
 

Tin

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Hiding them on the mountain is a great idea! But, if you have a big enough jacket, you could probably fit a few in there...

I had a Budweiser that was in my pocket knock the wind out of me and I thought I might have broke some ribs after a good fall. I had a Subaru key go about 2" into my upper quad. Now only my phone goes in my pockets.
 

cdskier

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What we do care about is when you get hung up on the lift and it stops because your ass is hanging the air and we have to wait around on the lift or in line for 20minutes to an hour for patrol to rescue your ass.

How many cases have there actually been of this happening? The way some people are talking here make it seem like they see this happen on a regular basis.
 

Jully

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I had a Budweiser that was in my pocket knock the wind out of me and I thought I might have broke some ribs after a good fall. I had a Subaru key go about 2" into my upper quad. Now only my phone goes in my pockets.

Those Subaru keys are absolute daggers! Not sure if they still make the daggers anymore though.
 
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