There is nothing quite like an icy cold drink while huffing it up the side of a mountain in the summertime with a 40 pound pack.
Unfortunately, most backpack-worthy mountain tops don’t have a 7-11 to serve you some cold goodness.
One of the tricks I’ve learned is to freeze a bottle of Gatorade the night before and it will slowly melt along the trail the next day, giving you a wonderful, slushy headache every time you sip. The only problem is controlling the melt rate and the separation of flavors that occurs as a result.
So, here is an alternative idea I just came across. The PolarPak is your typical Camel Bak hydration unit that sits on your back and is easily accessible by sucking on an attached tube. The big difference, however, is that the PolarPak is insulated with a “non-toxic freezer gel” that can be frozen the night before. The gel will then keep fluids cold without diluting them. Pretty cool! And, as an extra added bonus, the website promises that it also, “makes a great icepack for trailside emergencies.”
I’m very curious how long the gel will stay frozen, however. Of course, it depends on the weather, but if it can last for more than five hours, this would most definitely be a worthy investment.
70oz: $29.95 | 100oz: $30.95