My Camelbak D.I.Y...Combating dry mouth

[PhxRider]

New member here...Thought I would start with a D.I.Y that I'm trying....I'm one of the strange people that enjoy diving, but live in the desert...I'm located in the suburbs of Phoenix, AZ.


I Started with a Camelbak 70oz. Unbottle.

Then I purchased two sets of velcro straps at ACE Harware....

I then cut the ends off two of the straps....

Then I looped one stap through each of the 4 buckels on the Unbottle....With the two straps with the cut ends on one side....and the other two on the other side...

Then put the staps around the tank...and let the Velcro do the rest....

Another photo....

Has worked well in the pool so far...next I'm going to try it in the lake...

Before this one I tried a clamping type buckle...and it didn't seem to work as well for adjusting...the Velcro seems much easier so far...

 

[LVX]

Let me know how the pressure at depth affects the contents.

 

[eclipse785]

Uhhhh LVX,.. Apparently you're an instructor,.. you should know the answer to that one. The only thing you should need to worry pressure affecting is the excess air in the bag (if any).

 

[LVX]

Yeah, but the one I have tried to use seems to always have air in it and as the air comes out, is seems the lake or ocean water gets in. I have yet to be able to keep the water surrounding the camelpak out completly. Although this is not a big deal in a lake it taste like crap if salt water gets in.

 

[kallardnyc]

One of these might help...

 

[Mambo Dave]

Getting around the air, even for above-water excursions:

with the fill cap at the highest position, squeeze the bottom to push the water up (preferably over a sink if indoors), then seal off the cap.

Now turn it upside-down, pulling on the hose a bit while getting the hose exit-area of the bag at the highest point. Opening up the bite valve with your left hand, squeeze the bottom of the bag (I use my hand / abdomen against the counter-top, but use whatever works) a little to push the remaining air out of the tube / bite-valve. On a less than full bladder, you may have to roll up the bottom (which is really the top, but now lower than the rest of the bladder and system) a little to make your pushing the water up effective enough to push the air out the valve.

I started doing this because it ceases the annoying sloshing around sound during mt biking.

SIde-note - the Camelbak high-flow valves, the ones with two slits, do work better than the ones with one, and some other companies make higher-flow valves as well. If you've got a single-slit valve, I recommend you change it out. No sense sucking harder than you already do - that would be stroketastic.

All in all, the lengthy-to-type process takes little more than about ten seconds, if that, after filling the bladder from my kitchen sink.

 

[Peter_C]

Camelbacks these days come with a quick shut off valve at the nipple (As seen in the first picture, it is yellow). They can be purchased for older models.

 

[PhxRider]

Side-note - the Camelbak high-flow valves, the ones with two slits, do work better than the ones with one, and some other companies make higher-flow valves as well. If you've got a single-slit valve, I recommend you change it out. No sense sucking harder than you already do - that would be stroketastic.

Good idea will have to look for one...and nice write-up on getting the air out

 

[Cacia]

No sense sucking harder than you already do - that would be stroketastic.

I wonder what effect it has on your hemodynamics?
Would it be similiar to the valsava?

 

[Mambo Dave]

I wonder what effect it has on your hemodynamics?
Would it be similiar to the valsava?

Geez, I have no clue.

The Valsalva, if I'm correct, lowers BP. But it does equalize the ears, too, right?

Sucking hard might decrease ear equalization for a given depth. Sucking air in, in sorta playing around right here, is making me extend my stomach out. I take it that that's a diaphragmatic maneuver that is actually lessening the chest-load on the heart (it's making more room). But... my dear Watson... (sorry, just had to use that) the hydration systems, and Burger King's straws, seem to work off of mouth sucking alone (or we'd be inhaling dihydrogen oxide, which is never a good thing). I imagine it has very little effect on the venous system (but I'd love to read anyone else's take on the matter). It does, however, give our Stroke a fishy-looking face with his cheeks all dimpled in, and that's just grand.

The other problem, of course, is if Mr. T is diving right around the other side of the reef. Woe to the stroke who has his CamelBak valve in-mouth when Mr. T says, yet again, "I'm gonna git you, sucka!"