Personal Information
Name	Mike Lipay
Age	51
Gender	Male
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	180 lb (81.65 kg)
Email	hiking AT westernpa DOT us
City, State	Plum Boro, Pennsylvania
Background	I've been hiking and backpacking since the '60s. I enjoy hiking solo, with my kids, or with local hiking groups. I have taught LNT skills, wilderness survival, and outdoor first-aid. I am no ultra-light backpacker (my pack typically weighs 29-40 lb (13-18 kg) loaded), although I am always looking for ways to cut down on the weight. I'm a low-techie, preferring a hiking staff to trekking poles, compass to GPS, fire to fuel; but I am open to new products when there is a distinct advantage over more traditional "technology".

Product Information
Manufacturer	CamelBak
Website	http://www.CamelBak.com
MSRP	$35 USD
Year Manufactured	2005
Purchased	August 2005
Description	(From Mfg website) Fits CamelBak-compatible packs perfectly! Our StoAway slips easily into the hydration pocket of your backcountry pack, or use the convenient D-Rings to strap it anywhere. And, external access to the OMEGA fillport makes the StoAway a breeze to fill, keeping you out enjoying the snow longer. Durable exterior is abrasion-resistant and lightweight Includes carry tether for easy loading and transport Insulated Tube and Bite Valve covers help keep water from freezing External access to the OMEGA Reservoir makes filling fast and easy
Warranty	Free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of two years from the date of purchase. The warranty is limited to the original purchaser of the product and is not transferrable. During the two year warranty period, CamelBak will repair or replace, at its option, only the defective part of the pack, reservoir, Bite Valve or outer pack at no additional charge.
Specifications
Manufacturer	Capacity: 72 oz (2 L) - NOTE: 72 oz coverts to 2.1 L; 2 L is 68 oz. No other measurements are listed in the product information or the website.
Tester	Capacity: 61 oz (1.8 L) Capacity was determined by starting off with a measured 68 oz (2 L), holding the StowAway vertically, then pouring the water in until it reached the bottom of the opening. I then measured the remaining liquid, which came out to 7 oz (200 ml). Length: 18 in (46 cm) Width: 8 in (20cm) Opening: 3.5 in (9 cm)

Review

Bladders, or hydration packs, are not uncommon these days: light-weight, collapsible, food-grade plastic containers whose primary purpose is to carry drinking water. These light-weight wonders have all but replaced the age-old canteens. However, unlike the canteens they replace, bladders (and their contents) suffer from exposure to the elements -- heat in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. In the past I have stuffed them inside my backpack, hoping that the contents of the pack would keep the water inside the bladder from freezing (or getting hot). This worked fine for the most part, but offered no real solution for day hikes, or side trips from a base camp, when I wasn't carrying my pack.

At the start of the winter hiking season (so far as gear buying is concerned), my local outfitter had its usual sale, and I was there checking out the new stuff. I spotted the CamelBak StoAway with the other hydration packs and read its hang tag. The idea of a hydration pack that would keep my water from freezing quickly caught my attention and, even though the sale cost was a bit more that I would normally pay for a bladder, I quickly bought it, feeling that if it kept my water from freezing it would be worth the price.

While it was still warm (September), and I had no concerns about my water freezing, I couldn't wait to give the StoAway a try. Utilizing the D-Rings, and a quick-strap, I fashioned a method to carry it without a backpack. The StoAway hung well against my back, not sliding or shifting while I walked. For the next 3 months I hiked with it every chance I got so as to get use to using the StoAway. I quickly discovered that I liked the bite valve cover as it kept the valve from picking up dirt when I stopped for lunch breaks (resting it against a tree or bolder).

One problem did appear during this use: filling the wide-mouth bottle, while easy at home, was not that easy in the field. You can't lay the bottle down to fill it up because the back of the pack will come to rest against the mouth of the bottle. The StoAway has to be held vertically while filling, a neat trick while using a purifier pump (Oh, for an intelligent octopus). Even my SteriPEN was difficult to use, trying to hold the pen in the bottle, push the activator button, and swish the water around without it splashing out. This is definitely a bottle made more for chemical purification than mechanical, although mechanical is not impossible. Wide Mouth

Winter came in December and while there wasn't much snow this winter there were plenty of days when the temps dipped below the freezing point, mostly on weekends (of course). The StoAway worked just as promised, regardless of the temperatures the water in my StoAway never froze. At night, just to be safe, I would drain the tube back into the bottle so that I would not have to contend with a frozen tube in the morning. I kept the StoAway itself in the bottom of my sleeping bag or, on milder nights, just inside the tent.

When the summer came, rather than storing it until next season, I figured I would see how well the StoAway kept drinks cool. Now, this isn't the advertised usage for the pack, but what guy ever stays within published guidelines? The wide mouth on the StoAway was perfect for loading ice cubes. I would load as much ice into the pack as I could fit, then fill it the rest of the way with cold water. Even though the temperatures reached into the upper 80's F (29+ C) the water stayed cool for a good 8 hours. After working with it for a while what I eventually did was to half-fill the StoAway with water then put it into the freezer overnight, next morning I would fill it the rest of the way with refrigerated water. This worked out just as well, and was easier than working with ice cube trays.

Conclusions
	Keeps water from freezing Bite valve cover keeps dirt from accumulating when set on the ground Keeps water cool in the summer
	Somewhat difficult to fill in the field from a purifier pump Lid forms a tight seal, sometimes it is difficult to turn
Personal Comments	The CamelBak StoAway does what it is intended to do, it keeps water from freezing during an average day hike, and, with precautions, will do so overnight as well. Additionally, the StoAway does a good job of of keeping water cool in the summer, with the addition of ice cubes. I would gladly recommend purchasing the StoAway if there is any concern about water freezing during a trip.

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Owner Review by Mike Lipay

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