The Camelbak bladder has had a slimey feel for a while now… hmm yeah quite a long while. The  Big Bite valve has also been leaking for ages, and the ergolock/tap which gets used a lot due to the leaky bit valve falls apart regularly.  I’ve had the bits and pieces to address all of these things in the drawer for a long time too.

I guess it’s finally time to show the Camelbak M.U.L.E. some love.

I’ve been a fan of Camelbaks since they first came out in the early 90’s and still have the original Camelbak ‘pouch’. The guys I rode with at the time weren’t so impressed with the whole Camelbak thing — the look of the gadget and the sipping water from a clear tube didn’t fit into the manly MTB way. But practically it was a good solution to staying hydrated out on rides. Camelbaks definitely changed me into a constant sipper, so much so I don’t know how guys can go without sips of water for long periods of time when out on rides. In warm conditions the M.U.L.E.’s 3l bladder is good for around 30km.

So… to the Camelbak Cleaning tabs:

• First job was to dismantle the bits and pieces of the bladder and hose system.
• Using bottle brushes, scrub out the the bladder and hose in soapy/detergent water. The gunge that came out of the hose… yeah, well, hmm… not good.
• Rinse everything with water and reassemble. I fitted a new bite valve and tap.
• Fill bladder with water, dissolve tablet in bladder
• Sit for 5 mins
• Rinse thoroughly with water

Shazaam! No more slime 🙂