Walking Equipment and Accessories

CamelBak Crux 3L Reservoir | Review

The Crux 3L Reservoir is a prime example of the dependability of CamelBak

It’s 1989 in Wichita Falls, Texas. Cyclist Michael Eidson is taking part in a 100-mile road race in the scorching summer heat called Hotter ‘n Hell 100.

Hydration is key to surviving the race. Instead of faffing around with plastic water bottles, Eidson comes up with a new idea. An emergency medical technician by trade, he fills an IV bag with water and puts it inside a white sports sock. Then he straps the bag to his back and puts a thin hose over his shoulder to drink from as he pedals. People laughed. Eidson didn’t care. He had just invented what we now call the CamelBak. As Plato famously said, necessity is the mother of invention, right?

CamelBaks are used worldwide by all kinds of outdoor adventurers. It doesn’t matter if you are hiking along the coast, climbing in Patagonia or cycling through the Alps, a CamelBak is quite simply the easiest way to drink water on the move. The Crux 3L reservoir is the largest hydration bladder made by CamelBak. The latest version offers 20 per cent more water per sip, so you can easily quench your thirst with a few gulps.

“There’s a reason why – like Hoover or Sellotape – CamelBak has become a generic term referring to all portable water bladders.”

CamelBaks are known for easily slotting into your backpack. Most packs nowadays have a place designed for hydration bladders. However, CamelBak also make their own compatible backpacks for specific sports – from trail running to road cycling. The Crux 3L also has an easy-to-open ergonomic handle so you can fill it up on the road, no drama.

This hydration bladder isn’t going to burst on you either. The CamelBak team over in the USA put each bladder under an intense stress test to ensure it doesn’t leak on the move. It also has an on/off lever to stop your bladder pouring out water unexpectedly, plus the mouth bite automatically seals after each sip, so it won’t drip annoyingly all over your t-shirt.

CamelBak also offer a lifetime guarantee. So if you find a manufacturing defect in your hydration bladder, you can send it to CamelBak for a free replacement. Environmentalists will appreciate their recent campaign, Ditch Disposable, encouraging outdoor folk to use a CamelBak rather than buying dozens of plastic bottles and contributing to the world’s landfills.

The CamelBak Crux 3L has an easy-to-open ergonomic handle making it extremely easy to fill up on the road. Photo: Chris Johnson.

The team at CamelBak put each bladder under a stress test which means this won't burst on you. Photo: Chris Johnson.

For this reason, CamelBak also offer a lifetime guarantee on their water bladders. Photo: Chris Johnson.

There’s a reason why – like Hoover or Sellotape – CamelBak has become a generic term referring to all portable water bladders. They are the original and still basically the best. Get one of these and every time you take a sip without having to lift a bottle to your lips, you’ll thank the cyclist/medical technician who came up with the idea. Trust us.