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I have hiked hundreds of kilometers with both of my babies and my Osprey hydraulics reservior. I have multiple hydraulics and even one for my toddler too. I have them in 1.5 L, 2L and 3L. I find 2 L the perfect size for us during a day hike. The one things I get annoyed about though is always having to clean and sanitize it thoroughly with the cleaning kit. However the below six reasons are why I always choose to hike with my hydration pack.
Benefits of hiking with a hydration pack:
1. Stay Hydrated on the trail:
Drinking lots of water while hiking is super important for health. Hauling a baby on your back can be even more exhausting so I find you really have to drink extra water when hitting the trail. I have been hydrated before with my baby and I got quite sick when I finally made it back to the car after not having as much water as I should've.
2. Convenience:
You will drink more if it is easy to drink along your hike. It is already hard enough to take your baby on and off your back and get all the snack items and things along the hike. So having the hydraulics right there is super helpful. However, downside is that is not as easy to clean.
3. Hands-free:
You are managing a baby, a phone for photos, and maybe even some hiking poles so its nice to be able to drink hands free when needed. I find it super helpful to be able to video and still have some sips along the way. Plus I love to hold my babies hand when I hike too.
4. Helps with weight distribution:
It might seem minor but it really isn't over a longer hike. Having the weight balance evenly helps with minimizing back pain. The hydration pack keeps water even.
5. More capacity:
I go through a lot of water, litres in fact so this is the best way to carry that much water along. If I am going on a shorter hike then I just don't fill my hydration pack as full. As mentioned above, I hike with anything between 1.5 L to 3 L.
6. Baby Loves it:
I do share with my toddler and baby and they love being able to have access to manage their own water intake on the trail too. However, I have to warn you, keep an eye because toddlers love to chew the end. Not only a choking hazard but you don't want water to leak everywhere is the end is off.
Staying hydrated on the trail will help you have a more enjoyable hike. You don't have to have a hydration pack to have a good hike as water bottles are great too. I just wanted to share what we do to make hiking with a baby easier.