Frozen water in my tubes

Barry Green

17/11/2003 at 11:58

Long time reader, first time poster. Going away for a week in lakes and crags soon and was wondering how I keep the water in my tubes as water and not ice. The bladder is fine but anything exposed to windchill like the bitevalve and tubes seems to get full of ice.
Is there anything I can do (apart from adding antifreeze!) or I have to keep it in the pack until I want a drink...?

17/11/2003 at 13:59

I found that tucking any exposed hose under the shoulder strap of my rucksack worked ok as a temporary measure.

Then I went and bought a Platy neoprene hose cover - which does the job quite nicely.

HTH
Si

Jules aka Bat Girl

18/11/2003 at 19:17

Try Vodca.

Barry Green

19/11/2003 at 09:08

It would certainly be cheaper than buying a platy neoprene cover at £15!

19/11/2003 at 10:33

Agree Barry, they're not cheap. Got mine for a tenner in Cairngorm Mountain sports (I think).

Was grateful the next day when I could drink properly again on the hill.

Si

MarkyB

20/11/2003 at 16:14

Barry,

After drinking blow the liquid back into the bladder until you next drink.

HTH

Barry Green

21/11/2003 at 12:14

Oooo, now that one I like. Simple and effective.
Just wish I'd thought of it myself...

JustinM

21/11/2003 at 16:30

.... or just chew the exposed tube. It breaks down the ice and then lets the water thru. The tube is made of pretty stern stuff.

(It would have to be particularly nasty conditions for the water to freeze completely all the length of the tube).

Ann Smithson

21/11/2003 at 16:50

You can also make your own platy tube cover dead cheap if you have access to a sewing machine (its only one straight line!). Leopard-spotted fake fur would look great!!

Ok Ok, maybe too outlandish....

Giles Thurston

23/11/2003 at 13:10

Dam Mark you beat me too it!!!!

24/11/2003 at 08:27

Mark, I tried that - but I still seemed to get the bite valve freezing up!!

However, combined with a bit of chewing it did mean I could get SOME water.

Mine didn't freeze solid - was more of a slush puppy type effect.

Si

MarkyB

01/12/2003 at 16:40

Well now you have experienced the problem you can avoid it, tuck the bite valve into a pocket between drinks or blow harder..

I am sure you wouldn't leave your boots outside your sleeping bag in freezing conditions would you, it's all about lessons learned.

Ninja Marmot

01/12/2003 at 16:48

I still think that the answer is warmer underpants

IGMC

01/12/2003 at 17:01

Sorry if your preferred solution didn't work for me Mark - but thats life eh? Everyones different and now the original poster has a couple of options to try to solve his problem.

Its not a competition mate.

Si

Ninja Marmot

01/12/2003 at 17:05

In really cold conditions it's not just the bite valve, the whole bloody tube becomes totally rigid - i.e. on the Deepdale Horseshoe walk this year. The whole platy, tube et al wouldn't fit in my pocket...when I got really thirsty I snaffled up some snow.....
(cue a rollocking from people telling me why I shouldn't do this)

01/12/2003 at 17:07

Ok, "you shouldn't do that".

Marks blowing back solution works for other people I know as well BTW. Probably just me being a lazy sod.

Si

Dave

01/12/2003 at 18:46

As long as it's not yellow......

Jules aka Bat Girl

01/12/2003 at 21:37

I was thinking about your frozen tube on sunday. Went out for a walk and discovered the red campingions (? spelling) are still flowering, the wild garlic is coming up, the blackberry bushes are just starting new shoots, the squrirels arn't hibernating, fushias, pinks, thriftare in full bloom and heather is still flowering a little.I still dont need a coat unless its windy or raining.Frozen tubes, we not even bothering with winter this year.

New year in the lakes better be freezing.

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