FOG HORN March 2019

Twobirds Flying Publications

CAMELBAK MIL SPEC CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR RESERVOIR

Copyright 2019, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.

 Camelbak’s MIL SPEC CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR RESERVOIR 2019
MIL SPEC CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR RESERVOIR hydration bladder, several limitations needed a
second look.
By: Sal Palma
First and foremost is the bladder geometry. When
filled, your typical bladder goes from flat to round.
So, there’s a tendency for it to roll on your back
contributing to instability, which the back muscles
have to deal with. Keep in mind that a filled 3 liter
hydration bladder holds (3 x 2.205lbs.) 6.62 lbs. of
water.

Secondly, the sausage style bladder distributes its

weight along the length of the back, and your upper
back does more work than it needs to. If you’ve ever
studied the martial arts, you were introduced to the
concept of Ki. There’s nothing magical about Ki, and
in Eastern philosophy it’s the point from where focus
CamelBak has come a long way since the days of and strength emanates. Taking a more modern look
Michael Eidson, an EMT technician who thought it at Ki, it is simply the body’s center of gravity which is
would be a great idea to fill an IV bag with water to just below the belly button. This is a point where a
hydrate on his many arduous cycling events. Over human has greatest stability. In Aikido for example
the years, the company has been a leading innovator techniques are taught to move Ki all the way down
in hydration technology for commercial and military to the feet. The message here is that shifting loads
application. closer to the hips improves stability and relieves
stresses to the upper back; translating to improved
In 2019, the company
comfort and physical performance.
redesigned its MIL
Motherload™ backpack. To achieve this goal, CamelBak introduced a new
The new and improved hydration bladder design that they market as the
pack features a number of MIL SPEC CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR RESERVOIR.
improvements including
laser cut PAL webbing,
modifications to the
harness but it’s most significant improvement was
the hydration system.

CamelBak understands the need to hydrate which is

reflected in its well know logo “Hydrate or Die”. Part
of that understanding includes a vision for the future
and a desire to address the more common
complaints and limitations
with the current hydration
bladders.

Although there’s nothing

inherently wrong with what I
call the sausage style

Copyright 2019, Towbirds Flying Publications. All Rights Reserved.

 Camelbak’s MIL SPEC CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR RESERVOIR
The Lumbar reservoir uses a shorter but broader bag
that sits at the bottom of the hydration pocket and
contours to the lower back. So, all of the water
weight is shifted to the hips eliminating back strain
and increasing lateral stability. The bag’s geometry is
such that, even when full of water, it lays flat and
comfortably against the lumbar region, so you don’t
experience a rolling or shifting sensation, even when
running.
Other notable features include the large bottle
mouth which makes filling the bladder a snap.
CamelBak also includes a handle, which one of the
guys I commune with, an ex-Marine, thought was a
shoehorn.
All of the customary CamelBak bladder features are
present as well; the angled exit port which allows
the attachment of purifiers and other accessories;
insulated tube cover, which maintains water
temperature and protects the tube from UV rays;
mil-spec polyurethane construction with Hydroguard
Technology to prevent bacterial growth; the easy
open, leak-proof, cap and self-sealing bite valve.
Copyright 2019, Twobirds Flying Publications, All Rights Reserved
2019
CamelBak’s MIL SPEC CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR RESERVOIR
is standard equipment on the new redesigned
Motherload pack but it can also be purchased
separately for $49 directly from CamelBak’s military
/ tactical products line.
If you’re not using a Motherload pack you’ll need a
45-50 liter back pack. For this review, I tried it on a
Maxpedition pack, and as you can see in the figure
below the CRUX™ 3L LUMBAR reservoir sits nicely at
the bottom of the hydration pocket. TRY IT! -SP
SPECIFICATIONS
 CAPACITY: 3L/100 fl oz
 CLOSURE: Leak-proof
 COLLECTION: Pack Accessories
 ACTIVITY: Accessories
 BPA/BPS/BPF FREE: Yes
 DIMENSIONS: 27 x 28 x 8 cm / 10.5 x 11 x 3
in
 MATERIAL: Polyurethane
 WEIGHT: 229 g / 8 oz