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Camelbaks

OK, I've never taken a Camelbak in the aircraft. My question is...Where does the 64 oz of water go after you drink it? My bladder won't last that long. For non-urgent missions I grab a frozen water bottle and a cool water bottle and throw them in the door. If I am not at my destination by the time the two are gone, the crew chief or medic can retrieve more water from my go bag or a cooler in the back. But by that time I have to seriously start to wonder when the next potty break is.

I fly medevac in an aircraft with only 2400 lbs of fuel without ESSS. By design we shouldn't be flying more than an hour (golden hour). But I do have a backpack in the back. It has a change of socks/underwear, small soap, shampoo etc for when we get weathered over. It also contains extra magazines and other nice to have items should we go down in Indian country.
 
RobLyman said:
OK, I've never taken a Camelbak in the aircraft. My question is...Where does the 64 oz of water go after you drink it? My bladder won't last that long. For non-urgent missions I grab a frozen water bottle and a cool water bottle and throw them in the door. If I am not at my destination by the time the two are gone, the crew chief or medic can retrieve more water from my go bag or a cooler in the back. But by that time I have to seriously start to wonder when the next potty break is.

I fly medevac in an aircraft with only 2400 lbs of fuel without ESSS. By design we shouldn't be flying more than an hour (golden hour). But I do have a backpack in the back. It has a change of socks/underwear, small soap, shampoo etc for when we get weathered over. It also contains extra magazines and other nice to have items should we go down in Indian country.
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Down the relief tube. Thank you, Grumman. :) Hornet guys have to use piddle packs because Boeing/MDD hosed them. Or rather didn't.
 
RobLyman said:
OK, I've never taken a Camelbak in the aircraft. My question is...Where does the 64 oz of water go after you drink it?
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Piss tube.

Some guys abhor the idea of using a piss tube, but I've been STD free after using one for 8 years.
 
Don't hang your damn bag on the hooks!!! They're not designed for it. Just put a carabineer on the bag handle and hook the carabineer on the seat post next to the headrest.

I personally don't like putting heavy nav bags on the hooks either, but the smaller ones like you're using at -40 aren't bad. Sometimes I'll also stash the nav bag in that little nook just to the left of the pilot seat, on top of the fairing the collective goes into. It can't slide into the seat well and the crypto and my pack prevents it from sliding back.

insanebikerboy said:
Piss tube.
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No joy in aircraft with spinny things on the belly.

I used to be a fan of the helmet bag but was eventually issued a Camelback pack. I started using that until it got stolen out of my office. When I went back to the helmet bag, I was more annoyed and ended up getting a compact LBT Assault Pack that was on sale for $50. That pack will probably last longer than I do and is compact, but still holds my kneeboard, checklist, gloves, some water (or a bladder if I did that) and a spare set of glasses.
 
Yeah, I don't actually hang anything on the hook besides the PCL. They look jank enough without becoming FOD for kicks. The seat post is where I currently hang the helmet bag, but it's so inconvenient to get to that I don't even bother drinking water in the aircraft right now.
 
Ahhh...piss tubes (we don't have) and piddle packs. I am not sure I could even get to my "essentials" to go while flying overseas. Body armor, M-4, M-9, knee board, vest, maps, pubs, binders,goggles, HUD, FLIR controller,blah blah blah. It's a miracle I can make it out to the aircraft during a medevac call at my age anyway.

ESSS are on their way for our aircraft so I guess I better figure out some sort of water/potty plan. :confused:
 
http://3vgear.com/index.php/packs-and-bags/3v-gear-velox-ii-tactical-assault-pack.html

Huge fan of this pack. It's insanely compressable/scalable. Some "ITW web dominators" keep all the webbing under control. Space for a bladder if you want one. Otherwise, plenty of pockets and organization. The front pocket houses my checklist, wind envelopes and FCF checklist. The top front pocket gets my gloves, preflight gloves, CEPs and visor cover once its off. The rest of whats in there is for a really bad day I hope to never have. Still tons of room left over, but capable of being cinched down to a tight package.

They have a sollid mil discount as well.

As to where it sits in the aircraft, I throw it back in the tunnel and have made a leash of sorts with climbing webbing and a carabiner that clips into the top if the seat post. A ~20 inch long quickdraw from REI would accomplish the same thing. If I need anything I just pull it to me. I dont know if it was here or somewhere else, but I read something that made sense. If you cant get to your bail out bag one-handed while you're immobalized/strapped in, then you might as well have left it at home.
 
ChuckM said:
As to where it sits in the aircraft, I throw it back in the tunnel and have made a leash of sorts with climbing webbing and a carabiner that clips into the top if the seat post. A ~20 inch long quickdraw from REI would accomplish the same thing. If I need anything I just pull it to me. I dont know if it was here or somewhere else, but I read something that made sense. If you cant get to your bail out bag one-handed while you're immobalized/strapped in, then you might as well have left it at home.
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I've seen this exact setup used by another pilot recently and it looked like a slick setup. Not one that I'd bother to replicate as a staff pilot, but something that looked like it could work for someone that might use it.

Except he was a SWTI, so by law, to tactical to take seriously.
 
Gatordev said:
I've seen this exact setup used by another pilot recently and it looked like a slick setup. Not one that I'd bother to replicate as a staff pilot, but something that looked like it could work for someone that might use it.

Except he was a SWTI, so by law, to tactical to take seriously.
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Well, for me, it stemmed from disliking my shoulder being pushed forward by the bag being slung over the seat post for three to nine hours at a time and out of necessity based on the above statement about accessibility. I also feel like an ass when I have to ask my AW to fish something out of my bag like he's (/she's) a stewardess. (cabin attendant?...) So, basically, it was developed mid-HAC cruise and I've never looked back.

I was not blessed with the patch, so the option above is offered with a take it or leave it shrug vs. pointy knife hands. I got a few inquiries about my setup and started making them for a couple of my fellow instructors at 40. (maybe you've seen my work?) I don't think, unless you've got a climbing background, most people know where to source webbing or quickdraws. The climbing section at the local REI will have what you need to throw it together.
 
SOTECH-Go-Bag-NP-Coyote-Brown-front.jpg


http://sotechtactical.com/collections/frontpage/products/s-o-tech-go-bag

Includes provisions for a 32-64 oz camelback bladder. These are highly rated,
 
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