In the world of drink systems, it has been pretty much CamelBak and companies that emulate CamelBak. The originators of the on-demand drink system established the successful formula early on and have simply expanded the variety with the occasional major improvement, while the competition basically has designed similar but less-effective products. Until now.
Leave it to the bicycling community to foster another innovative drink system. In an arena where lighter is better and staying hydrated can be a life-or-death issue, another company has engineered a water pack that might be the next best thing in hydration. HydraPak has become a big player in the bicycle world, and we discovered the company at this year's Motorcycle Trade Show and simply couldn't wait to get our hands on one of its products. Although HydraPak offers a drool-inducingly large variety of systems, it was the Air Scoop Team that we locked in on. The unique padding, designed to keep the pack off your back except for four small contact areas, as well as the removable outer cover on which you can have your logos printed, was simply too cool to pass up.
We've now spent several rides with the Air Scoop Team, and for the most part we liked it. But we have reservations about some of its characteristics. Now that we've thoroughly confused you, let's start at the beginning. First, it is compact, light and slim yet holds 70 ounces of liquid. We like that. Second, the four thick pads do a great job of holding this pack off your back, allowing some cooling air to flow through the space. Our high-temp-running tester really likes that. The zippers to remove the neoprene outer cover and access the web mesh storage pockets and the bladder are big, easy to use and don't snag. Another plus. The open-mesh shoulder straps are comfortable and breathe easilythey are practically nonexistent when you're riding. We like that, too.
The biggest difference in the HydraPak units is the bladder. Instead of a screw-on lid or a snap rubber type, they borrow a technique from waterproof diver bags: They roll up and seal via a hook-and-loop closure system. The bladder can be reversed inside out for easy cleaning, even in the dishwasher! We discovered this closure system isn't editor-proof, however, when water escaped from the opening. The roll-up must be snug to keep the fluid inside. On the 50-ounce Air Scoop, bladder access is through the side, whereas on most of the HydraPaks it is through an opening on the top of the outer pack. Wrestling a full bladder into the pack through the suddenly too small side opening was more work than it should have been. Dropping it in through the top is a lot easier. Call this one a draw.
Another feature we were not completely sold on was highlighted when riding: the EasyFlo Shut-Off Valve, which is bite-activated with a simple push-pull shut-off action. To use the innovative valve, you pull it open and bite on the soft plastic behind the little black ball in the end. The water flows around it much like ink in a ballpoint pen. When done you can let go; pressure holds the ball against the end, allowing the ball to do a pretty decent job of keeping water from leaking out. You can also push the valve system closed. We liked it until we tried to get the assembly up and under the nosepiece of a helmet while hurtling down a trail. Not a smooth operation. Great on a mountain bike where your mouth is unobstructed, but it is simply too long to fit in the tight confines of some moto helmets. This was the part we didn't like. It made drinking more of a chore than the thoughtless process we've come to expect.
Get the valve down to a manageable length and put a zipper on top of the carrying case to drop the bladder in, and the Air Scoop Team would be perfect. As is, we're split on our feelings. But overall, the $70 drink system should make a good addition to your gear bag. The coolest part, which grabbed our attention from the beginning, was the custom design on the cover. (A standard 50-ounce Air Scoop version retails for $59.99 and has everything except the custom cover). All you have to do is visit the web site and follow the instructions to get yours made. For racers, it's another place to show the sponsor love and run team logos.