CamelBak Flow Meter - Product Review

When it comes to fluid intake I’m not a camel. I require water, and plenty of it, especially in warm weather. On long, multi-hour runs a hydration pack is my gear of choice. I have several to choose from with bladder capacities ranging from 60-100 ounces. The only problem with using a hydration pack is that it’s difficult to monitor your fluid intake without stopping, taking off the pack and checking the bladder to see how much fluid is remaining. This isn’t really a convenient method so you can imagine my delight when I discovered the CamelBak Flow Meter.

The flow meter displays the amount of fluid consumed, the amount remaining in the bladder, estimates how long the remaining fluid will last based on your current consumption rate and a few other bits of information. I thought this would be a great addition to my gear collection last year when I stared my exploration on the Bay Circuit Trail where I would spend up to eight hours on my feet on some days.

Unfortunately, the meter doesn’t work! I tried it several times but it never displayed how many ounces I drank. The impeller in the valve appears to be spinning but it just doesn’t record any information. I have read other reviews for this product and most of those reported that when it worked, it was highly inaccurate. I think CamelBak makes very good gear but this is one concept that looks good on paper but doesn’t work in the field.

Based on my experience, I do not recommend this product.