To get the plastic taste out of packs and new bottles, i usually rinse with water and baking soda, seems to do the trick. The new camelbaks which have the blue hydration bladder inside are antimicrobial or something like that! yeah!

quote:<HR>Originally posted by kyoutdoors:
I got a hydration pack for running because don't like things around my waist nor do I like the bottle-strapped-on-hand things. I used mine yesterday for the first time and really liked it, although my water tasted like plastic due to the newness. Any thoughts and getting the plastic taste to go away?

Also any tips on basic upkeep would be nice. I made sure to dry it out, but would welcome any cleaning tips.<HR>

A tip I got a couple of years ago from some backpackers that really works: clean your bottles and bladders with denture cleaning tablets. Seriously, it works great and leaves them tasting fresh. Bottles are hard to get clean, especially if you've used gatorade or similar drinks powders in them. Plastic tends to hold onto those flavors and scents. Bladders are almost impossible to scrub out. The little cleaning tablets that Camelback sells? They are basically denture tablets. Fill your bottle/bladder almost full with warm water and add tablets according to how much water - I use 2-4 depending on whether I'm cleaning the 100oz or 70 oz bladder. 1 or 2 for a typical bottle. The tablets leave no taste or scent of their own - remember they are designed for cleaning teeth. Save some money and buy store brand tables.

you're supposed to clean those things? oops.

I do love my Camel-back...mostly because it means I'm gearing up for some monumental run or ride...very exciting.

------------------
"Fortitudine vincimus"

I purchased one of the camelbak and found it to be very heavy. The tubing was all over the place I keep droping it. I could not make it tighter as the water went down. Which did everyone buy? I can't remeber the one I took back. But there was nothing to tell you how to use it. So maybe I will give it a second chance. I need something and I don't think that messing with little bottles would be any fun. It would be lighter that is for sure. Help!!!