I was looking at the Camelbak Racebak earlier and it looks like it would be pretty good for endurance racing. I'm wanting to lose my pack but I just can't get used to getting all my hydration from bottles. I really like having the tube right there. I keep Heed in my bottle and drink it on a timed schedule. With the racebak, I'm thinking I could lost the pack and just go with a saddle bag or jersey pockets for tube, co2, tool, etc. The only issue I see is refilling it. It's basically impossible to refill by yourself without taking it off which would mean dumping the jersey first then that, way too much time. With somebody helping it might not be bad but I do most of my races without any support crew. I guess somebody at the aid stations could help me out but thats asking a lot. Has anybody used one? Thoughts? I'm also looking at the Wingnut Splitback. Anybody used that? Thoughts?
The race back seems way too impractical to refill and would be yet another layer of insulation. It's basically a pack that doesn't carry much and is really hard to take off.
The thing I hate about packs the most is the sweaty back effect. On a bike, wind over your back is a major cooling plus and a pack eliminates that. I've found two mesh back panel packs that greatly reduce that issue.
Deuter Race Air X - This also has a really easy to fill bladder, no screw top, but a fold and lock. You can often find it relatively cheap at Bonktown and similar places.
Osprey Manta - Detail overkill and pricy, but oh so useful as a general purpose day pack.
Both have a weight penalty for the sprung mesh frame, but IMHO both are well worth it in hot weather.
I don't see a Racebak being useful or long races because of the refilling issue. I recently saw a guy wearing one in a 60 mile race and I kept wanting to ask him about that. I never saw him after the first third of the race so maybe it didn't work out so well.
The racebak is hot because there is no air movement where that "mesh" touches your skin. If you are road riding or mtb'ing in the winter, it is ok, but for a mid-summer mtb race in anything above 70F, I would pass.
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