• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Camelbaks

SynixMan

HKG Based Artificial Excrement Pilot
pilot
Contributor
Just getting spooled up in the HTs. Had a question for the saltier folks on which Camelbaks are a good investment going forward for the TH-57 and -60. Fellow students tell me just get whatever, but since these things go for 100+ and I don't want to get another one shortly down the road. Was looking at the Ambush, but is it smarter to get one with a bit more carrying capacity for extra gear later on? I hear some people say keeping items on hand to "spend a night in Hotel Sikorsky" is a good idea.
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
It's just a water source.

In anticipation of an unexpected, unreimbursed stay at the Hotel Boeing, I always flew with a helmet bag that contained some non-perishable food, basic toiletries, shit paper, a change of skivvies, and some singles (for the snack machine if I were fortunate enough to break down at an FBO, or for other things...)
 

Sapper!

Excuse the BS...
Actually have quite a few of the stupid things and don't use them. If you want a DCU pattern viper model that has the little pouch on the front you can have it, just let me know. Also have two brand new ones but you probably don't want to be caught with those as they are ACU pattern and you might get ribbed for it? I have the camelbak assault pack and I use that for college, guess the RFI was good for something. As far as how they work out in an aircraft I dunno but the couple times I tried using them on patrol in vehicles they wound up getting me soaked after squishing them between my OTV and a humvee seat.
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
I always liked having one bag to rule them all and actually just upgraded my camelbak hawg to a 5.11 24hr pack to be able to hold water, checklists, my lunch, gloves, backup nav pubs, warm clothes in the winter, and about three flashlights. On my sea tour when I was hitting the boat on a routine basis my bag also usually included a change of skivvies and a toothbrush.

I've seen plenty of other people use a helmet bag for their man purse and the camelbak for water only, but then you end up carrying a bunch of bags to the a/c. Since I leave loose gear around like some sort of bread crumb trail from my office, to mx ctrl, and then to the a/c I've always liked having one bag.
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
"Helmet bag man purse?" Well, I guess the shoe fits. I'm one of those guys. If I have a long flight, I'll throw a Gatorade and a Powerbar in there or something. It never stuck me as a decision requiring a whole lot of thought. It's not as if you're navigating the Sahara on foot or anything.
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
I've seen plenty of other people use a helmet bag for their man purse and the camelbak for water only, but then you end up carrying a bunch of bags to the a/c. Since I leave loose gear around like some sort of bread crumb trail from my office, to mx ctrl, and then to the a/c I've always liked having one bag.

That's why I invested in one of these to keep my small amount of crap together ($3 at Home Depot):

6a00d8341c77ee53ef014e5fedcbb9970c-250wi


BTW, I tend to be a minimalist as far as bringing stuff on a flight. I prefer to have nothing more than my kneeboard and the appropriate TAC (or sectional) in the cockpit...and MAYBE the local approach plates if the weather looks spotty. Anything else just gets in the way, and can be passed forward to me from the tube by the crew chief. Some guys love to have a cluttered cockpit; some dudes look like they have a nav bag full of 1:50s to get themselves across the country when they're going out on a short FCF in the pattern.
 

phrogdriver

More humble than you would understand
pilot
Super Moderator
Amen on minimalism, especially in the cockpit. Believe me, you don't want all your camping supplies to be between you and the exit when the time comes.
 

Jim123

DD-214 in hand and I'm gonna party like it's 1998
pilot
There are lots of ways to skin this cat. Lots of guys use a carabiner to hang the thing somewhere on the seat, sometimes along with a pubs bag and sometimes not. I keep my camelback bladder in my nasty old helmet bag and hang that behind the seat (with some pubs and a few odds and ends in my helmet bag too) but I don't see too many other people doing exactly that. Then again lots of guys do some version of the camelback/pubs bag/water bottle thing but secure their helmet bag out of reach (just don't put any critical stuff in there).

Don't think too much into this one.
 

Pags

N/A
pilot
BTW, I tend to be a minimalist as far as bringing stuff on a flight. I prefer to have nothing more than my kneeboard and the appropriate TAC (or sectional) in the cockpit...and MAYBE the local approach plates if the weather looks spotty. Anything else just gets in the way, and can be passed forward to me from the tube by the crew chief. Some guys love to have a cluttered cockpit; some dudes look like they have a nav bag full of 1:50s to get themselves across the country when they're going out on a short FCF in the pattern.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not dogging other folks choices, just stating mine. However you want to carry your gear is your own perogative. And I'm not implying some differing level of manliness in carrying methods either, just using the term tongue in cheek.

All I usually have in the cockpit is my kneeboard, a checklist, and a sectional. The 60 has a nice little hook behind each pilot where you can hang a bag and have easy access to the drinking straw of a camelbak. I just like having all of my stuff in one sack as opposed to several for ease of carry because I'm lazy and forgetful.
 

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
No problem, I'm glad the young Jedi OP is getting some different perspectives.

You know, so he can think too much into this one. :)
 

Gatordev

Well-Known Member
pilot
Site Admin
Contributor
All I usually have in the cockpit is my kneeboard, a checklist, and a sectional. The 60 has a nice little hook behind each pilot where you can hang a bag and have easy access to the drinking straw of a camelbak.

Where is this hook you speak of?

I'm not a Camelback guy, but I bring out one bag that has some water, kneeboard, the 69 various checklists that NAVAIR now gives us instead of just two, and gloves. That's about it. Usually it all stays in the bag for the flight. I flew with my kneeboard out for the first time in about 9 months. I had mids with me and wanted to make sure I could copy down something if I needed to. I didn't. Back into the bag it goes unless I fly a a) tactical flight or b) when I fly with studs again.
 

Uncle Fester

Robot Pimp
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
CB makes one called the Profile which is meant to go under vests or packs. Worked well under an SV-2 in the VT's for me.

There's another model called the Pakteen which, as the name suggests, is about canteen capacity. Has snap straps and fits well on a vest. My squadron bought a bunch for OEF.
 
Top