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How to keep water from freezing during the hunt

Brownsfan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2020
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77
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CO
I'm getting ready to go on my first elk hunt with my nephew during Colorado 2nd Rifle season. What are the best tactics, techniques, and tricks to keep water in a camel back or otherwise from freezing during the hunt?
 
What he said.

The other disadvantage to a camelback is that you have no idea how much H2O you have remaining. If you fill up 3 Nalgenes you know precisely how much is remaining after each stop to drink.

If you aren't accustomed to altitude, understand that you SHOULD be drinking more water than what you normally intake (a lot more). The challenge is when it's not hot and you reason; "I'm not thirsty and water is heavy, why should I carry that much?".

I carry and consume a lot of water, and I avoid altitude issues. I typically take two standard size Nalgenes and one of the jumbo 48 oz. I drink as much water as I can stomach each morning before leaving camp (I pee a lot on the hike in) and then I'm pretty thirsty at dinner.
 
I will have to see what bottles we use. They were thick plastic also had neroprene covers. Would keep them in our clothes next to body. It was -20 most of the time when climbing allitude.
Camalbacks won't work especially the tube. Will freeze up swing on the temp.
Depeneds on allitude and time of the year for you. Most hunters don't have an issue unless at camp and 20 + or below most of the time. Can't imagine water freezing solid in your pack when you have access to a camp every day.
Where are you hunting and what part of the year and allitude?
What are hunting?
 
You can get by to about 0-10F by keeping your bladder next to your back on your pack with a jacket stuffed around it. Only fill it about 3/4 - 7/8 full and when your done drinking through the tube - blow back into the tube to completely empty it back into the bladder - close your valve immediately. It's not full proof but it helps in the extreme cold.
When it gets too cold - use the bottles and forget the camelback type bladders.
 
Take a thermos - they insulate to keep the freezing temps out too.

You can also fill it with hot water instead of cold. I fill stainless vacuum water bottles with hot water instead of cold for when I go skiing.
 
If camping away from your vehicle, I keep water bottles inside the sleeping bag with me overnight. During the day they ride in my bag. Bigger issue comes not being able to filter new water because the streams have frozen surfaces.

Cellphone and battery pack to charge the phone go in the sleeping bag with me too. Cold nights will drain batteries quickly.
 
Yeah…as said, best way to keep a camelback from freezing is to not use one.

If you're road hunting then get a plug in heater cooler.

If you're hiking in, just filter enough water for the what you're doing. Easy day. Though I will say, if you're using a sawyer squeeze as a filter, I would keep the filter in your (on your person) pocket, and later in your sleeping bag to keep it from freezing and thus cracking.
 
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