Gear Review: Geigerrig Hydration Pack Engine (reservoir), RIG 710 Backpack, Virus Filter, and Nano Tube

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Why Buy?

I recently stopped using hydration reservoirs on a regular basis due to the difficulty in cleaning them. Unfortunately, I found that when I did not use a reservoir, I was drinking less water. I also found it annoying to carry several bottles when I needed to carry a large amount of water. With some recent battles with cramping, I decided that I should find a reversible hydration reservoir, which I believed, would make cleaning, drying and staying hydrated much easier. In my search to find one, I ran across a company that I had never heard of: GEIGERRIG.

Looking over the available product line, I was very interested in combining their pressurized hydration bladder and an in-line filter. In addition to the concerns above, It seemed as though this system would help me address a couple of issues:

  • While the pressurized hydration bladder may seem like a gimmick at first, I’ve found myself having a hard time drinking at elevation when hiking in the Sierra or on some of the local 10,000+ ft peaks. When breathing is difficult due to the thin air, pulling water out of a bladder can be very difficult.
  • Stopping to manually pump water through a filter takes time. When filtering is necessary, I find myself drinking less than I should, in order to reduce the amount of water I need to filter. If this system would allow me to filter on the go, while requiring less effort and saving weight (Gegierrig’s filter is lighter than the filtering system that I’ve used over the last few years), it would be a big improvement.

After exchanging a few emails Bob Geiger (VP of Operations), I had a RIG 710 Backpack (including Geigerrig Hydration Pack Engine Reservoir), Virus Filter, and Nano DrinkTube on their way.

My Observations

Hydration Pack Engine (Pressurized Reservoir/Bladder)

  • The Good
    • Works well with any backpack I’ve tested it with. I’ve used the bladder with the followings packs:
    • I like using the pressurized bladder at high elevations – being able to just bite down on the valve and not use any energy getting water out of the bladder is great.
    • My wife, who is a nurse, was quite impressed with the bladder’s functionality as it relates to wound care. She also liked using it to share water with our dog. Other uses (that I have not testing) include:
    • The bladder is dishwasher safe! As expected, the reversibility of the bladder makes it very easy to clean. After a summer of use, I haven’t had any problems with slimy or moldy buildup inside the bladder, even though I’ve occasionally put electrolyte replacement drinks directly into the bladder.
    • The bladder is closed by folding the top over itself and sliding a clip across the top of the bladder. I’ve found this to be much easier to open and close than the other bladders that I’ve owned.
    • The bladder has been carried over 150+ miles. So far, no complaints regarding durability or leakage.
  • The Bad 
    • The bladder had a bad taste at first, but this was easily fixed.
    • For the weight-conscious: The extra hose and air bulb adds extra weight, so the system as a whole weighs more than the other bladders I’ve used.
  • The Bottom Line 
    • The versatility and ease of cleaning has me using this reservoir on a regular basis. If you’ve had issues keeping reservoirs clean or had problems staying hydrated at elevation, I highly recommend giving this reservoir a try.

Rig 710 Backpack

  • The Good
    • Perfect size for my local training hikes, or day hikes that don’t require a ton of gear.
    • Appears to be very durable and well-made. Long term testing is needed.
    • Very adjustable. My pack has been used by people ranging from 5′ 2″/110 lbs to 5’10″/185 lbs.
  • The Bad 
    • Heavy when compared to packs with a similar volume, but that’s the trade-off for durability. It is made from 840 Ballistic Nylon, which is used in military flak jackets.
  • The Bottom Line 
    • If you’re in the market for a new hydration bladder and a small, durable backpack, this is a solid buy.

Nano Drink Tube

  • The Good
    • Lightweight and easy to route, putting the system as a whole (hydration reservoir, air bulb and hoses) back into the ballpark of non-pressurized hydration systems.
    • Unexpected benefit of the small tube – since the tube itself holds a small amount of water, most of your water stays cool inside your pack. When using a tube that isn’t insulated in hot weather, drinking warm water is an annoyance.
  • The Bad 
    • When used with an inline-filter, the advantages of the pressurized bladder are nearly non-existent; a sufficient amount of suction is required to pull water through the hose and filter. When using an inline-filter, I prefer Geigerrig’s Insulated Drink Tube.
    • There is no bite valve, which took some adjustment time. It uses a system that pinches the hose to stop water flow.
    • The material is thin and flexible, which makes it easy to route, but also makes it easy to kink.
  • The Bottom Line

Virus Filter

  • The Good
    • Lightweight and compact when compared to my pump-style filtering system.
    • When used with a “normal” sized drink tube (ie, not the Nano Drink Tube), it takes zero to minimal effort to pull water through the filter.
    • Filters out 99.9% protozoans, bacterium and viruses. Most of the filters I’ve looked at don’t filter out viruses.
  • The Bad 
    • Only rated for 100 gallons. Other inline filters are rated for more volume, but do not filter out viruses.
    • Expensive when compared to other inline-filters, but once again, most do not filter out viruses.
  • The Bottom Line
    •  This is my goto filter when travelling solo or when the water sources are particularly suspicious. When hiking with a group, I will stick with a pump-style filter, but this unit will be carried as a backup.

Final (& somewhat random) Thoughts

In my opinion, Geigerrig makes quality products and I believe the gear I have will last for years to come. If I run into issues with durability, or if any of my opinions above change, I will update this review.

 

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Disclaimer: The products reviewed in this entry were provided to HikingGeek.com by Geigerrig .