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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > Caribee Thirst Pak > Owner Review by Ralph DittonOwner Review : Caribee Thirst Pak Review Date : 18th August, 2005 Personal Information: Name: Ralph Ditton Age: 53 Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) Weight: 79 kg (174 lb) Email: rdassetts@optusnet.com.au City: Perth, Western Australia Backpacking Background: I only took up backpacking
seriously some four years ago. I have been walking the Bibbulmun Track
in sections. My goal is to complete the 964 km (603 mi) and become an
End to End walker. So far I have completed approximately two-thirds of
the Track from north to south, and a quarter in the opposite direction. I have evolved from carrying a very heavyweight load—approximately 28 kg (62 lb) including food and water, to being a midweight backpacker, averaging 18 kg (38 lb) at the start of a trip. I am hoping to purchase gear that's lighter still. My trips are usually between three to five days duration.
Caribee Thirst Pak Product Information:
The "Caribee Thirst Pak" (hereinafter known as water bottle) is a flexible, collapsible water bottle with an angled corner neck mount, made from a 2 ply high-technical polyethylene laminate with a gussetted seam at the bottom which allows the water bottle to stand up on its own, even when full of water  standing upright with water inside. On the marketing tag, the manufacturer states that the water bottle can be frozen, boiled or micro-waved without leaving any plastic taste or odours. The seams are electronically thermo welded to ensure a leakproof durable construction which enables the water bottle to be stowed away, either rolled or flat.  folded position The cap/filler opening is compatible with other manufacturer's bottles/caps/hose assemblies. I have had success with soft drink caps and Nalgene caps. Comment on Volume discrepancy: The Thirst Pak is a 2 L (68 fl oz) container with a dotted line level with the bottom corner of the angled neck mount, indicating that at this level, the water bottle, when filled with water, should contains 68 oz / 2 L. This is printed below the dotted line. I became aware of a discrepancy in the alleged volume when, at home, I weighed the water bottle filled with plain tap water up to the dotted line and recorded a reading of 1.725 kg (3.8 lb). A litre (34 fl oz) of water weighs 1 kilo (2.2 lb), so I tipped the water out into a measuring jug and it recorded a volume of 1.7 L (57 fl oz). The slight difference in weight is the weight of the water bottle itself.  dotted line indicating 68 oz / 2 L Warranty: Caribee states that the product is guaranteed to be free of defects in workmanship and materials for a period of one year from date of purchase. Should the water bottle be defective, Caribee will replace or repair the water bottle at their discretion, free of charge. Normal wear and tear, misuse, or improper care is not guaranteed. Field Information: I have used the water bottle since March 2001 on my many walks on the Bibbulmun Track in the South West of Western Australia. The majority of my walks have been in winter and spring with the occasional walk in summer. The South West of Western Australia is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers ranging from 16 C to 42 C (61 F to 108 F) during December to March and cool wet winters ranging from -3 C to 28 C (26 F to 85.5 F) during June to August. Terrain on the track is undulating, ranging from 0 to 585 metres elevation (0 to 1,920 ft). Within this region I bushwalk along old forestry roads, sandy tracks, and purpose-built walking tracks. Field Use: I carry the water bottle on the outside of my "Macpac Cascade" backpack with the base of the water bottle sitting inside the ski/tent pole pocket and inside the lower compression strap.  Water bottle on the outside of backpack To access the water bottle, I do either of two things:
Removing the water bottle from the pocket and compression strap is possible, but awkward. I only carry plain water in the water bottle and there has been no unpleasant or plastic taste to the water. Although the manufacturer states that the water bottle can be frozen, boiled or micro-waved, I have not done any of those things as I only need a container to carry water and when empty be compressed, rolled or folded so that less space is used in my backpack. I usually carry two of this type of water bottles (one Thirst Pak and one of another manufacture), one on either side of my backpack, when I am doing long distance walks where water is only available at campsites. The cap gives a very good seal and I have not noticed any leaking from the cap when the water bottle is laying down. After four years of use, the water bottle is rumpled in appearance, but there is no sign of delamination, even though the water bottle has been folded and rolled countless times. The only weak point is where the cap fitting attaches to the water bottle, as there is a generous sealed border around the perimeter of the water bottle. I find the water bottle very easy to fill from my household tap and the taps on the water tanks at the various campsites on the Bibbulmun Track. I just place the mouth of the water bottle up against the tap, even when the tap is very close to the ground say around 203 mm (8 in). When I encounter a tap close to the ground, I angle the water bottle and bend the base out towards me and then let the flow of water expand and straighten the water bottle as it fills. Bouncing Ability: The water bottle has tipped out of my backpack pockets whilst walking, dropped when being passed to another for a drink, knocked over on the table and onto the dirt floor in huts, falling out when removing my backpack from my back and putting it down on the ground. The water bottle finds a myriad of ways to hit the ground, and on each occasion it does not bounce, just belly flops if it hits on its side, or tumbles over once, if it hits on any of its edges or cap, then justs quivers a bit as the water tries to settle down inside. None of the above acrobatics has damaged the water bottle and no water has been lost. Cleaning the Water Bottle: Upon my return to home from a bushwalk of one to five days duration, I soak the water bottle in hot kitchen tap water and washing-up detergent for a few minutes and then rinse out first with hot tap water, then cold tap water just to make sure that I remove the soapy suds and any trace of detergent that may be inside the water bottle. After the wash, I peg the water bottle, with the cap removed, to the clothes line at an angle so that the mouth of the water bottle hangs vertical towards the ground to allow drainage and evaporation by the sun of any moisture remaining in the bottle. Storage: I store the water bottle flat, with the cap removed, with other items of my camping gear in my gear cupboard Things I Like:
The answer is YES because I had to replace my " Caribee Thirst Pak" . See Addendum. I like the idea of a water bottle that is flexible and collapsible which I can store in my backpack without taking up a lot of space when it is empty. Addendum: R.I.P. On my last bushwalk my water bottle had a major malfunction. I only discovered it when I went to have a drink from it after taking my backpack off, and it was about three-quarters full. I got the water in the mouth ok, but what I did not expect was to get a stream of water down my neck and chest at the same time. Somewhat taken by surprise, I examined the water bottle and discovered that a tear has developed along the bottom edge of the cap housing.  tear at base of cap housing It is with much regret that my "Caribee Thirst Pak" has died, however all is not lost, as one item has been transplanted to another water bottle, namely the cap, which replaces a hose assembly on another water bottle which I am not keen on and never use. A soft drink bottle cap has been used in its stead. Now the soft drink bottle cap can be retired. Read more reviews of Caribee gear Read more gear reviews by Ralph Ditton Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > Caribee Thirst Pak > Owner Review by Ralph Ditton | |||
