camelbacks…. YAY or NAY?

You mean the one that always has a 10 minute queue in front of it? The one where the workers are so busy they give you a look of death when you ask for water? The one where they asked me for payment for a cup of tap water?

Oh yeah, how could I forget… 

Sounds like Australian resorts in general have a lot to learn in terms of anything that doesn’t involve them earning more money…. It’s pretty rare that I see praise online for Oz mountains.

Really appreciate all the feedback, and Finney I guess it’s not surprising to hear backpacks cause so much trouble for you lifties. Nothing more irritating than heading up for another run to have the lift grind to a halt because of someone else’s stupidity :/ I will endeavor not to be one of those numpties :D

Cheers,

rider26 - 15 July 2011 04:40 AM

You mean the one that always has a 10 minute queue in front of it? The one where the workers are so busy they give you a look of death when you ask for water? The one where they asked me for payment for a cup of tap water?

Oh yeah, how could I forget… 

That’s the one!!!!!  Michelle’s right, you really are a tight arse!!!!! 

Seriously but, it’s against the law for them to charge for tap water!!!!! I have never paid for it at Thredbo!!!!!

I accidently voted yes, but for me its no. I’ll either stop for a quick bevy, or carry a small bottle on my to have on the lifts. There is that many pockets on my jackets and pants i can usually find one for a small bottle that doesnt get in the way.

K2_SnatchCrewSader - 15 July 2011 05:09 AM

I accidently voted yes, but for me its no. I’ll either stop for a quick bevy, or carry a small bottle on my to have on the lifts. There is that many pockets on my jackets and pants i can usually find one for a small bottle that doesnt get in the way.

Are we gonna see pictures of you with a camelback on in the resort, in ya next TR????

Mizu Kuma - 15 July 2011 05:05 AM

Seriously but, it’s against the law for them to charge for tap water!!!!! I have never paid for it at Thredbo!!!!!

I know. You don’t think I actually paid, do you? Especially not after queuing up for 10 minutes whilst trying not to collapse from dehydration.

That said, they need to make tap water and recyclable cups available more readily all over the mountain. Self serve, not how they currently run things at Merrits. It’s a joke!

they also need to provide access to hot water and microwaves and picnic areas - that is pretty standard elsewhere, too!

Only after you have paid a carbon tax at the gate!!!!!

The idea of giving out water is a good one, never seen it, and asking for a glass of water in a bar costs time so that’s a +1 for the bag
And I ride almost anytime with a backpack; it’s a special boarding bag, really handy and I’m not the kind that is mentally retarded to get stuck :D; it has these straps that go around my waist and on torso height
this means it fits around you and you don’t get stuck, second its handy, third you almost don’t feel it and getting out of balance is only an argument in the park

I agree with the time factor. Might seem silly, but being from Perth I can only can get a week or two on the snow in the whole year, so when I’m there every minute of the day I can keep boarding is time well spent. Avoiding fatigue and rapid recovery is super important to me and I think regular hydration is the key….

I have a caribee one and it makes the water taste weird, however it keeps me hydrated and i have been dehydrated at the snow, not fun . . .

I have to say that I am leaning toward getting a camelback. Cos we have such marginal snow seasons in Australia and the ambient temps are high it’s really easy to dehydrate through sweating and moisture is also lost through breathing at altitude. I’m always dying for a drink mid morning (during lessons) and it’s hard to duck away for a bevy.

I’ve heard that the water tastes funny, but hey I’ve smuggled vodka in to nightclubs after 4:00 am in plastic bottles and nothing…I mean nothing tastes worse than that!

MoonUnit

I have skied with a pack with hydration for over 10 years… feel a bit weird without.

I have never had a problem with a lift. Except at Charlottes who were to busy screaming at me to take off my pack (they have this rule…) that they forgot to bump the chair and the resulting thud slammed the barrier down onto my leg and caused significant pain….. they then stopped the chair whilst i was in tears until i took the pack off…. it was not fun.

But trust me asking me to take the pack off was worst than me wearing.

I now get lift privileges (in the world according to Finney) and can wear a pack, as I require it for work

But don’t forget Camelbak don’t need to be in a pack you can get ones that you wear under your jacket. That is my next purchase.

Nothing funnier than seeing a ski patroller’s pack getting caught on a chair.. utter humiliation