Outdoor Retailer Winter Market '06 Trends: Hydration

It was pretty much status quo in the world of hydration with the usual assortment of hydration packs, slight tweaks to hydration reservoir designs and new hose features – in other words, not much to report. However, two new bottles appeared on the scene that turned our editors’ heads sufficiently to warrant mention.

CamelBak – The company that single-handedly convinced many people to ditch their water bottles has now introduced – surprise, surprise, a water bottle! Basically a Sippy Cup for adults, the 0.75 liter Lexan CamelBak Bottle ($12) is smaller and narrower than a standard Nalgene – it will also be available in 0.5 and 1 liter sizes. What separates this from the Nalgene OTG and Guyot Gription is a built-in straw so there’s no need to invert the bottle. The CamelBak nipple folds down out of the way when you don’t need to suck and a carabiner loop is offset so the bottle hangs nicely. The CamelBak lid will fit other wide-mouthed bottles but, at least for a while, won’t be sold separately. www.camelbak.com

Hydrant System – The Self-Pressurized Sports Bottle ($20) may be the next great thing for hydration. Just squeeze the 650 ml bottle and the water shoots into your mouth without relying on gravity – no need to tilt your head back or suck hard even to get the last drops. It works by inverting a flexible liner inside the insulated outer bottle (three reusable liners are included). Should be great for cycling and handy for running, hiking, etc. The company also makes a smaller Multi-Use Dispenser ($11) that operates on the same principle but is intended for viscous stuff like sport gels and ketchup. We are envisioning some serious food fights with these things! www.hydrantsystem.com