Adding a hydration bladder to an ALICE pack for under 10$

[MatthewnOK]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/kingmog/Picture6.jpg
This is me with my medium ALICE pack. The one gripe I had about it was there was no hydration bladder. So one night, when I couldn't sleep, I had an idea. So this morning I tried it out. I had bought and Outdoor Products 2L hydration bladder at Wal-mart http://www.outdoorproducts.com/proddetail.aspx?sku=BL2000OP for $8.88 with one of their packs (which I returned because it was junk...). So I filled it up and lo and behold! It fit nicely in one of the outside pockets
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/kingmog/Picture7.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/kingmog/Picture8.jpg
So far the pack and bladder have worked well. I don't own another form of bladder (well not one I care to drink out of anyway.) so I can't tell you if others will fit. I'll be going on a day hike, or practice bugging out soon, and I'll give you a field review. Hope this helps. Matthew

[crashdive123]

Good job and idea Matthew.

[Rick]

I had an idea.

(writing info on calendar)....snicker.

Nice job! You can clip the water tube to the shoulder straps and you'll be in like Flynn!

[SARKY]

The only problem I have with your set up is with the bladder being in one of the outside pockets, it is quite a distance from your center of gravity and thus will shift your weight as you move about. You could make a pouch and hang it inside the pack up against your back.

[Sarge47]

I bought a hydration bladder a couple of years back & it fit perfectly in the "inside pouch" that the ALICE pack is equipped with.:cool2: