GeigerRig Hydration Pack Review - Rig 1600

GeigerRig Hydration Pack

GeigerRig Hydration Packs
Manufacturer:GeigerRig
Model:Rig 1600
URL:http://www.geigerrig.com 
Retail Value:USD $140.00
Weight:1.48 kgs / ~3.25 lbs
Manufacturing Country:Made in USA

Geiger Rig is the manufacturer of one of the most innovative products on the market. They have garnered top honors at many Trade and Retail Shows all around the world.

Their most recent achievement being the “Best In Show 2012 Winter Outdoor Retailer”.

Now, many of us are accustomed to using our trusty CamelBak style hydration bladder and bite tubes which we clamp down and suck on to access water. This has been the norm for years and many of us have never bothered to even give this much thought.

Geiger Rig Pack

As time progressed, hydration pack companies have made these types of hydration systems the standard. However, a small company with a group of dedicated people has challenged this school of thought and have brought upon a revolution in the industry.



So what's so unique about the Geiger Rig? - you may ask.

The unique feature of the Geiger Rig is its pressurized dual chamber reservoir. The bladder system is separated into two chambers: one side being filled with water and the other filled with air. Using a bulb and valve system similar to a blood pressure monitor, the system is pressurized by filling air into one side of the pouch.

Overall Aesthetics

The bag has an extremely clean look and feel to it. Employing 100% Heavy Duty Ballistic Nylon this pack is hands down one of the most durable hydration units on the market. The front of the pack has two access pockets with an iPod Ready Compartment.

The design is simple and practical. Nowadays pack designs are extremely noisy with pockets and zippers all over the place that we lose track of where we’ve stored something.

Functionality

The Geiger Rig 1600 uses a unique dual chamber reservoir called the Ogwa Hydration Reservoir (recently patented)

Hydration Bladder

The Slide Top and Wide Mouth of the bladder make it easy to fill and empty. Also, cleaning becomes a cinch because you just turn the bag inside out and throw it in the dishwasher. No extra cleaning chemicals, or mixing in with certain 9:1 water to bleach nonsense.

GeigerRig Pressurized Hydration Bladder

The hydration bladder also comes with a surge protector valve which contains an on/off switch on the bite valve.

Also, the hydration bladder is made of #15 Denier Polyurethane which is extremely tough and a lot more durable than anything on the market - some parts manufactured by Hydrapak which we reviewed on Highball Blog as well.



Another cool function of the hydration bladder is the way it contours the back. My first impression was that once inflated, the hydration bladder would take a balloon shape and rest awkwardly on my back. Instead the hydration pack contours perfectly around your load and your back.

The final, but most important function is the spray tube. For years we were used to clamping down on the bite tubes to get the fluid moving and sucking on the tube for water. With the Geiger Rig the pressurized system allows the water to spray with a simple squeeze. One can easily adjust the flow of the spray by applying/releasing pressure to the bite tube.

Geiger Rig Hydration Pack Tube

Durability

The pack is built using 1680 ballistic nylon versus the customary 420 denier nylon packs on the market.

What does this mean? Ballistic nylon refers to the type of weaving method used and the number refers to the denier of the nylon yarn. Just for background: a denier is a “unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers. It is defined as the mass in grams per 9,000 meters”.

The Geiger Rig employs a ballistic weave which in itself is superior to the traditional bags on the market. Also, this is an assumption, but the weave most likely consists of 4 (420d) nylons or 2 (840d) nylons to produce the 1680 ballistic nylon.



This comparison clearly shows that Geiger Rig has created a pack that is readily adaptable to any type of outdoor activity.

Accessories
  • In-line filter attachment: Rated up to 50 gallons. Removes > 99.9% Cryptosporidium and Giardia.
  • Insulated Tube Garage
  • Insulated Drink Tube/Filter Ready Tube

Geiger Rig Power Bulb on Shoulder Strap

There's a perk too: Skullcandy Mountain Passport (FREE) with purchase of any complete hydration backpack. The Mountain Passport contains free mountain passes to many ski resorts across the United States and parts of Canada.

Pros
  • Hygiene issues are minimized.
  • Cleaning is a breeze
  • Sharing water without sharing each other’s slobber is a plus
  • Great for washing off scrapes, wounds, and dirt
  • Random Pros: Finding a leak in the tube (for cyclists who get a flat tire)
Cons
  • Tube detaches somewhat easily from bulb. Causing rapid depressurization (This is most likely for safety reasons, but can become quite cumbersome)
  • Opening and closing of the bite tube causes too much leakage when pressurized. Maybe a longer bite tube will allow a person to have a better hold on the tube to open and close without having to leak water everywhere or depressurize first. 
  • 1680 nylon vs. 420 nylon makes the pack more durable, but makes the sacrifice in weight. Although it is about a 1-1&1/2 lb. weight differential, this makes all the difference for some ultra light backpackers. 

Geiger Rig Hydration Power Bulb Holder

Where to buy your 1600 Rig hydration pack
Conclusion

After years of being a long and faithful CamelBak customer, I have finally upgraded to the second coming. I never thought the day would come where I would put up my old and faithful Camelbak.

Geiger Rig is here to stay. They have created another niche in the hydration pack industry. They have completely revolutionized a field that had become quite frankly stagnant in the areas of innovation and creativity and created something amazing.

The possibilities for this system are endless and I feel as though we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. As the Geiger Rig’s motto states: you will learn to “never suck again” with this pack.

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

About the author: JSO is a climber and hiker fron Northern California. He's part of the group of athletes who regularly write gear reviews for Highball Blog. 


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