Thursday, August 09, 2012

Raidlight Dual Chamber Hydration Bladder

I recently purchased a second hand Raidlight Dual Chamber hydration bladder from a friend that has used it a few times for training and he decided to let it go as he underutilised it. Being a whore with bags and anything hydration, i grab it up the moment he put it up on sale. 
Dual Tube out from a Bladder? Nice!
In total, it is a 3L bladder with two-1.5liter compartment. It comes with removable tubes with one tube with yellow line running along to help mark liquid from certain chamber. Having used single chamber bladder, there is no selector to play with or to re-learn to use. With two chambers and potentially two different liquid (water and electrolytes, but you are free to put whatever rocks your race) that can be placed inside, the selector allows for pure water, pure electrolytes, mixtures and OFF for secured transporting.
Big selector
 The selector works by turning clockwise or counterclockwise to the desired position for disposal of liquid. To understand how the bladder works, the what seems like a single piece of bladder is internally divided into two parts -with one part distinctively colored blue.
Chamber close up
Distinct two chamber separated internally
Found a reason to test it out during the KDCFP run last Saturday. A day before, i prepared the drinks so i could freeze it. Photos below will help identify how the bladder works and function.


Filled up with approximately 700ml of liquid in each bladder as i do not expect I will need more than that.
Side view of the bladder with the two chambers.
Two different water level seen to show both liquid in the two chambers do not mix up
The selector has marking on the surface to guide you on which chamber that will be discharging. Photo below shows the setting to WATER.
Clear tube with translucent liquid that is WATER
I then set it to just Electrolytes, which is the Accelerade i have at home.
Yellow that is Electrolytes and not some cordial :P
And the coolest is that it allows you to MIX both the WATER and ELECTROLYTES. 
Translucent and Dark Yellow goes in - Light Yellow comes out
This is great as that simply meant you can have the option to carry a concentrated 1.5liters of electrolytes and get it mixed 50:50 with water as you sip it. That meant you have a choice of going with electrolytes or with just water. Good stuff.
You need to physically bite the valve to activate the flow
One good thing about the valve is that you need to bite it to activate the valve. The mechanism is done in such way that when you bite it down (gently, like how you do with other valve), the mechanism will sink in which allows the water to come out. There is a small spring in the valve to bounce the valve back again to shut it off. I tried sitting on the valve and surprisingly, there was no leak. Meaning, the OFF selector is just an additional safety you can use - as the valve itself will not leak unless you bite on it.
Simulating the bite by pressing the white part down
As i only had less than 2L filled, it fits without any problem into the Nathan bag i had. How it it look across my shoulder and on my chest?
Good indication of the Selector size in relation to my body as well
I don't believe you can get Raidlight in Malaysia. You might have to go to Singapore for it, or best bet would be obtaining it online at RacingThePlanet.com. For this Hydration bladder, i have Aman to thanks for! Kamsia bro!

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