Gear Tips
 
Water Reservoir Care:

Be it a Camelbak or other hydration system reservoir they will all require regular maintenance to keep the funk away. Camelbak has put together a cleaning kit that comes with two brushes, a drying hanger and two non-chlorine-cleansing tablets.

For Weekly Cleaning:
1. Use reservoir and tube brush with a mild soap to clean interior of components.
2. Rinse all components.
3. Either refill or store reservoir on drier to air out.

For a Deep Cleaning:
1. Fill reservoir with 1 liter of water and 1 cleaning tablet.
2. Shake until cleaning tablet dissolves and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Empty reservoir, Use reservoir and tube brush with a mild soap to clean interior of components. And rinse with water.
4. Either refill or store reservoir on drier to air out.

Note: Camelbak reservoirs are BPA Free.

 

Ducts Tape:

When I was taking my Canoe Instructors Course, our instructor related a tale from a class he taught in Germany . During the first aid portion of the course he was talking about what was needed in a good first aid kit, when several hands went up. One of the paddlers stated with agreement from several others that you don't need no stinking first aid kit; use ducts tape. If you have cut, ducts tape it and keep on paddling. A broken finger, ducts tape it to another finger and keep on paddling. How about cracked or broken ribs, ducts tape and keep on paddling. Shaking his head he had to agree that if you eliminated the pain factor from its removal, you could use ducts tape for a replacement first aid kit.

Although I don't recommend using duct tape for a first aid kit, there are several uses for it in the outdoors to always carry some. During hiking or backpacking treks I roll a length of it around a water bottle. During a paddling trip I have a small roll in my dry bag. If I get a tear in my rain gear, pack or tent it makes a good quick fix. During paddling trips I've fixed PFD tears, leaks in floatation bags and dry bags. Oh, I even once cut it into butterfly stitches to close a cut on my hand and yes I kept on paddling.