The original idea to put a water bladder with a hose attached to it into a backpack was pure genius. Suddenly, adventurous folks could easily hydrate without breaking a stride, whether hiking, bombing around on a mountain bike, or kayaking in the ocean. Now, MXXY, a small startup, has taken that hydro-iffic idea one sip further. Their new dual chamber hydration system combines two separate bladders with an ingenious mixing value so you can blend two different liquids together—like, for example, water and a liquid performance supplement, all in one neatly divided package.
MXXY was formed by a few high school friends in Marin County, CA. Outdoor adventurists, they saw a need for some innovation when it came to hydration systems—specifically getting a dose of a performance supplement offering a boost of caffeine, amino acids, and electrolytes without having to haul a separate bottle around. Their dual bladder system brainchild uses a smaller “booster” portion (750ml) that can be attached to a larger side (1.5 L) intended for water with a total capacity of 2.25 liters. The remaining space in the small pack gives you an additional seven liters for stuffing a light jacket and some trail tools or snacks.
The bladder system uses a nifty latching handle with magnets that keeps both reservoirs (made by HydraPak) together in the pouch, while easily coming apart for separate refilling and washing. Both are machine washable and can be turned inside out to ensure every inner edge and corner is throughly cleaned without harboring any pockets of mold or gunk. The valves are just as easy to wash, requiring a single rinse. The rest of the system will be familiar to anyone who regularly uses a hydration reservoir—until you get to the mixing part.
A cable attaches to the junction near the bladders where the liquids mix, exiting on the other side of the backpack straps opposite the tube that contains the bite valve. The ingenious part of the MXXY is an easy-to-operate, color-coded dial allowing you to quickly adjust your dual liquid ratios—blue for water, orange for supplement. Five dilution settings range from 25 to 100 percent water and 75 to 0 percent booster supplement accordingly.
Easy to use and (important) clean, MXXY’s dual chamber Hydration Pack offers a unique, fairly robust hydration system for your thirst-producing adventures. The outer shell of the backpack is a sturdy polyester/nylon blend that appears to holds up well—available in Ash Black and Space Gray. The inner lining is a thinner 100 percent polyester that seems, along with the inner zipper, not quite as durable over the long term. That said, no problems cropped up in our use, and MXXY’s one-year free repair program provides some extra security.
All in all, for a novel, first-of-its-kind hydration solution that provides more than just water when you’re out there pushing your limits, the MXXY Hydration Pack is a handy step up from those traditional single chamber systems. Take this out on the trail and you can welcome an energizing, flavorful change from the usual straight H20 wherever you roam.
[$199; mxxyoutdoor.com]
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