In recreation and other sustained outdoor activities, a hydration system is an apparatus intended to help its user in drinking enough liquid to support the physical effort involved in the activity. Such systems for consumers were first sold to cyclists, but by the 1990s also had found a substantial market among hikers. Familiar commercial models can also occasionally be recognized being worn by Western military personnel in southwest Asia.
In practice, such a system is almost always a commercially manufactured unit featuring at least
- a flexible bladder, of one or a few liters' (quarts') capacity, with a means (usually a screwtop) of filling and then reliably sealing it,
- a light hose to convey the beverage to the user's mouth, and
- a bite valve for starting and stopping the flow through the hose with minimum effort.
Designs that also include specific hands-free means for comfortably carrying are common.
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