Latest news with #Camelbak
Buzz Feed
09-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Buzz Feed
I've Tried ALL The Trending Water Bottles — Here's Why I Chose This Old-School Bottle
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. This thing has me drinking more water than truly any bottle or cup I've ever had. For years now, I have had an issue drinking enough water. Working remotely, with no formalized lunch or coworkers drinking water around me, I often go hours, if not whole days, without H2O. The older I get, however, the less subtle my body is when it's dehydrated. The headaches and muscle cramps have been enough to make me try anything to make me drink my frickin' water. Recently, I resorted to buying the 'It Girl' drinking vessel from my high school years, the ever-faithful CamelBak. Like most of us, I have tried nearly every beverage container in my attempt to consume my daily eight cups. I have glass bottles and metal bottles, big ones and small ones, cute ones and sporty ones, and bottles I never use but cannot give away. I have trendy water bottles that are giant and metal and promise to keep your beverage icy cold for hours on end. And on a normal workday, I find I drink less water when I have a giant 40-ounce bottle staring me in the face. Griffin Wynne / Huffpost When working at home, I've learned I prefer a smaller bottle that's plastic. It's comfortable to keep in my lap, encourages me to drink the whole thing, and keeps my water cool but not frigid (which I don't want anyway). On a recent trip to my hometown, I thought a lot about my teen years and suddenly remembered the popularity of the Camelbak. I vividly remember the cool girls carrying them in the hallways and biting on the straw head during class. Like today's Stanley, they were as much of a fashion accessory as they were a functional container for water — and it occurred to me this might be the water bottle I've been looking for. Clicking on Amazon, I saw those very same bottles for sale in an array of gorgeous colors. I don't know how much these bottles cost in 2009, but in 2024, the price (around $12) was right. After much deliberation, I went for the light blue-green shade called 'Coastal' — it looked like sea glass and made me happy when I pictured drinking out of it. Through therapy, I've learned the power of gifting yourself both superfluous and significant things that you may have wanted as a kid. Though a CamelBak was never on the top of my wishlist, it was certainly symbolic of being in some 'in crowd' I never felt I was in. All that aside, this thing has me drinking more water than truly any bottle or cup I've ever had. Try it out for yourself.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A Brit who fought in Ukraine reveals his war essentials: guns, grenades, and candy
A British man who fought in Ukraine shared insights on essential gear for his reconnaissance work. Macer Gifford, a former trader, fought with Ukraine's 131st reconnaissance battalion. Equipment shortages in Ukraine make retrieving lost gear crucial for soldiers, he said. A British man who volunteered to fight with a Ukrainian army unit against Russia's invasion told Business Insider about the standard — and unexpected — items he carried while he was fighting there. Macer Gifford is the nom de guerre of former currency trader Harry Rowe, who has fought in both Syria and Ukraine as an international volunteer. He spoke to BI's Authorized Account series about what it's really like to defend Ukraine. He described the kit he found essential when carrying out missions in a reconnaissance unit and the simple rules he followed to keep it and himself safe. Gifford fought with Ukraine's 131st reconnaissance battalion in 2022, fighting in places like Lyman and the islands of the freezing Dnipro river before later forming a specialized drone unit. He told BI that he had different kit for different roles, but there were some constants, like his uniform. "Broadly speaking, I would prefer to use a British military uniform, primarily for quality reasons," he told BI. Gifford said that, during reconnaissance missions, he needed slim body armor to navigate tight spaces such as thorny wooded thickets or to squeeze through gaps in buildings. He'd carry magazines and grenades on a plate carrier vest, with additional magazines on a battle belt. "There was a knife constantly on my plate carrier," he said. He also had an assault pack for combat operations, though during hotter weather, he would don a Camelbak — a pack with an inbuilt water reservoir and tube, which also had space for more ammo and grenades. Gifford said most of his time was spent in cold conditions. As for his guns, he started out with the 131st's standard-issue AK-74. Later, he was given the Grot — a Polish rifle, which he said he customized with a full grip and a red dot sight with a magnifier. He also replaced the steel magazines with plastic, he said. For a secondary weapon, he carried a US-made 40mm single-shot grenade launcher and carried 12 grenades slung around his neck. While US and UK-made grenades were "prized" among Ukrainians, he generally used Soviet-made ones, he said. He described how, for longer missions, his crew might carry an RPG, a shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon. "But in regards to actually anti-tank, it was always NATO that would provide the best kits," he said, pointing to NLAWs, Javelins, and the Spanish-made Matador. Gifford didn't bring any personal effects with him as he's "not a very superstitious person." But he did take two small luxuries that made all the difference. One key item? Wet wipes. Far away from hot showers, Gifford would wash with a quick "bird bath" using the wipes to bring "some level of civility" to missions that could last up to a week, he said. On top of basic food and drink, there was one other essential: candy. Looking forward to eating one piece of candy each day "helps you regimen your days, which are so incredibly long," he said. Ukraine's ongoing equipment shortages mean that every piece of kit is precious. Gifford said that he had to fundraise for much of his equipment, and losing it was a serious matter. "You can lose something that's incredibly valuable, very fast," he said. "It could be some night vision goggles that cost like two grand, three grand — gone, like that." Soldiers have reported risking their lives to retrieve lost gear. Oleksandr Pleskov, a soldier in Ukraine's 125th Brigade, previously told BI of a perilous attempt to retrieve a drone that had malfunctioned and landed in no-mans-land near Bakhmut. The $6,000 drone was recovered — but the risk involved was "stupidity and audacity," Pleskov said. Similarly determined, Gifford recalled running into a burning house the Russians had just shelled to retrieve precious kit. "I was just running through this burning building, just collecting gear, even stuff that other guys had dropped, and bringing it out," he said. There's a strong incentive to retrieve even ruined kit, he said. Soldiers are heavily scrutinized if they report losing a weapon, something that Gifford attributes to Ukraine's efforts to counter procurement corruption in the military. He recalled returning to the burned-down house later to retrieve a PKM machine gun that had been "burned to a crisp" just so they could account for it to their higher-ups, he said. "You have to prove that the weapon is lost in combat," he said. "And if you can prove that, there's obviously no punishment, and you'll be reissued a weapon." One of Gifford's passions has been to fundraise for thousands of IFAKs, or Individual First Aid Kits, and for soldiers to be trained in using them on the front lines. He said IFAKs were essential to his own missions, ensuring that soldiers could provide each other with tactical combat casualty care, or "TCCC," even if they didn't have a combat medic. "There's nothing worse than having a casualty and not being able to treat them effectively," he said. "Not just for the person who's suffering, but also for the people who are having to work around them and to watch them suffer." In Syria, where he was from 2015 to 2017, he saw deaths from what he said were "very survivable" injuries due to a lack of TCCC knowledge, he said. Some people died of hypothermia even before they bled out — making temperature regulation an overlooked issue for TCCC, he said. The kit and training allow for basic medical treatment while under fire, giving soldiers "the treatment they need to extend their life just as long for them to get to the hospital," Gifford told BI. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
04-11-2024
- Yahoo
The ultimate ski holiday packing list
Packing for a ski holiday is an art form. Working out how to squeeze all that bulky winter clothing, plus the essential equipment into a suitcase that would normally (in the summer months) just house a few swimming costumes, a beach towel and a couple of pairs of flip flops, can often lead to a rather stressful start to your winter holiday. For first-time skiers and snowboarders in particular the packing process can raise a number of questions, from what kit you need on the slopes to what to wear in the evenings, and for families the stresses are often multiplied. The trick? Keep it simple. Remember you'll spend most of your days in the same outfit, maybe changing your layers once of twice in a week, and in the evenings things are often a much more casual and relaxed affair, especially in chalets and self-catered residences. To help you streamline your packing and get your trip to the mountains off to a hassle-free start here's our ski holiday packing list. Ski/snowboard clothing Waterproof, breathable ski or snowboard jacket Waterproof, breathable salopettes Waterproof, insulated and breathable ski gloves or mittens – with the perfect balance of warmth, waterproofing and dexterity Ski or snowboard specific helmet – also available for rent at hire shops in resort Three or four pairs of ski socks, which are designed with extra cushioning for comfort Sunglasses and goggles Two or three thermal tops/base layers in merino wool or manmade fabric Thermal bottoms Two fleeces or merino/down mid layers Glove liners – for cold weather Fleece or merino scarf or neck warmer Balaclava – for extremely cold conditions, such as those found in Canada Equipment All essential equipment can be hired in resorts, often as part of a package with your operator, but if you're a regular visitors to the slopes its worth considering investing in your own. Skis or snowboard Ski poles Ski boots or snowboard boots Avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe (if heading off piste) – avalanche airbags are also recommended for keen backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Touring skins – if you plan to go ski touring For days on the mountain Backpack – while not an essential for all, a backpack can be handy to carry water, snacks and the layers you'll shed and put back on throughout the day Sun cream and lip balm with a high SPF – the sun is strong at altitude, make sure to wear it even in a whiteout Reusable water bottle or Camelbak Ankle, knee, wrist supports (if needed) Hand warmers – for very cold weather or bad circulation For evenings around the resort In the evenings wear what you would at home, such as, T-shirts, jeans and jumpers. Snow boots or walking boots (warm and waterproof) – something with a good grip that will prevent you falling over in the snow when walking in resort Slippers – particularly useful if you're staying in a chalet or self-catering accommodation Swimming costume or trunks if you have a hot tub or you plan to use the spa or swimming pool in resort or your accommodation Normal gloves or mittens Hat Other essentials Insurance details, including winter sports cover Deep Heat (or similar) – for aching limbs Personal medication Camera or action video camera to capture all the memories Packing cubes, to help streamline the process Can you rent ski clothing? Most holidaymakers rent their skis, snowboards or boots – so why not the rest? It's a growing trend and ideal for growing kids, all for a fraction of the cost, keeping quality clothing in circulation for longer. EcoSki is one of an increasing number of clothing-rental companies stocking high-performance skiwear by big brands. Rent everything from helmets, goggles and gloves to jackets, backpacks and avalanche safety kit. Plus, EcoSki sorts the cleaning (in an eco-friendly Ozone chamber), repairs and waterproofing. How to look after your ski clothing? If you do buy, make it a smart purchase. Brands such as Patagonia, Picture Organic Clothing and Arc'teryx lead the charge in sustainable skiwear and offer free care and repairs on existing gear. Retailers such as Snow+Rock also run repair services. Make your technical clothing last the distance by caring for it properly and washing it at home, using products such as Nikwax. Once you've outgrown your kit, use a platform like WhoSki to find it a new home.
