Do you even have a Camelbak? What's a Camelbak you say. It's a slim cycling specific backpack with a built in water bladder. They got started back when we first opened our first store almost 25 years ago. Now they supply them to numerous industries including the military. 

The 3 biggest benefits of a Camelbak for me are:

1. Staying Hydrated - a common rookie mistake for most cyclist is that they don't drink enough water to stay hydrated. In fact that's true of most people roaming the earth in general, not just cyclists. A Camelbak allows me to carry more water on a ride. It doesn't automatically make me drink more. I have to actually do that on my own :)
2. Water separation - a Camelbak allows me to keep my water separate from my energy drink which I keep in my water bottle on my bike. Trust me, it's way better to just put water in your Camelbak versus continually cleaning out a sports drink left in there for way too long.
3. Unloading - it's easier to carry weight on your body then it is to carry the weight on your bike. It improves bike handling too. It's always strange to see people buy a really expensive light weight bike and load it up with a bunch of heavy stuff

If you plan on going on a really long or adventurous trip here's some ideas for what to carry in your Camelbak:

Check em out here

I'll say "hi" when I see you out there

Mike S. aka: "Simmons" and my favorite "Debbe's Husband"