Mazama Design Dualocity Hydration Pack Reservoir Review

Mazama Design is a small outdoor-products development company out of Bend Oregon that has a small line of unique hydration systems for runners and cyclists.

http://mazamadesigns.com/index.html

Epic Racing received 2 Dualocity hydration reservoirs for testing and evaluation in December 2013.

Description

Empty reservoir with two large bottles of
 pre mixed electrolyte drink and liquid fuel

This unique reservoir retails for $39.99 and features two side-by-side .9 liter (30 oz) chambers each with its own drink tube set. This design allows the rider to carry two different fluid types by using the sealing clip to separate the chambers or release the clip and use it as a single 1.8 liter (60 oz) bladder for single fluid use.  

The Dualocity is made from anti-bacterial materials including premium US-made film that contains no BPA or PVC. 






The Dualicity reservoir includes left and right 39 inch drink tubes, left and right MagmaFlow bite valves, magnetic strap retainers that fit 3/4 and 1 inch wide pack straps, 2 in-line MagmaFlow quick connects for easy removal of reservoir from pack, and a sealing clip that allows use as dual or single fluid reservoir(s).

Reservoir with each chamber filled with a
large waterbottle of different drink mixes

The MagmaFlow bite valve is a 360 degree bite valve with a claimed one-handed push button shut-off and features a magnetic tethering system with included magnet base for keeping drink tubes in place. These are available as a separate accessory to add to any hydration reservoir drink tube.

MagmaFlow Quick-Disconnects allow easier hydration bladder filling by allowing you to remove your bladder from your pack without the trouble of taking your drink tube off the pack's shoulder strap.  The disconnect feature one-handed operation, automatic shut-off when disconnected, and fit the standard drink tube 1/4" ID size.  These are available as a separate accessory to add to any hydration reservoir drink tube.

Warranty

Time will be the only way to see if the generous warranty will be needed.  I like that the warranty includes a crash replacement clause (for a minimal fee).

“Mazama Designs products are covered by a Lifetime Warranty against material and workmanship defects. If a product fails due to a manufacturing or material flaw it will be repaired or replaced free of charge. Products failing due to normal wear, accidents, negligence, or the natural breakdown of materials over extended use and time will be repaired for a minimal fee.”

Contact

Mazama Designs, LLC
70 SW Century Drive, #100-284
Bend, OR 97702

Email: matt@mazamadesigns.com

Phone: 541-480-7555

Pack Fit

Full reservoir fit well inside pack

The reservoir weight is 12 oz (340 gram) and size is 16" high x 8" wide.  According to the manufacturer it was designed to fit in Osprey Hydraulics hydration packs using the Hydraulics™ 2 Liter Reservoir & Hydraulics™ 3 Liter Reservoir .  I personally tested it in my Camelbak Charge 450 pack that uses a 3 liter reservoir that is 17.5” high x 8” wide.  The Dualocity reservoir fit fine in my pack but with a reduced overall fluid capacity of 1.2 liters (40 oz).  This reduced fluid capacity is not an issue for me as I rarely fill my reservoir with more than 2 liters.  

Drink tubes routed out of pack

Performance

In use, the only negative aspects was that the 39 inch long drink tubes* flopped around and interfered with riding on really steep and rugged DH/Enduro courses.  The magnetic tethering system was overwhelmed by the weight of the bite valve and long drink tubes given the amount of g-forces generated on these rugged courses. 

*The included 39 inch long drinking tubes were way too long for me so I cut 5” off with a pair of scissors to get the perfect length for drinking in the riding position.  When I contacted the owner of Mazama designs he said he would add to the instructions included with each reservoir how to custom cut the tubes for a proper fit.  I actually like the fact the tubes are too long (for me) because it insures they will not be too short for anyone else.

Drink Tubes original length were too long

Drink  tubes shortened by 5"

One very nice result of using this Dualocitiy reservoir was the elimination of fluid sloshing, pack sway, and bounce as I negotiated rough technical trails.  The tall narrow chambers of the Dualocity reservoir are extremely effective at controlling fluid movement and kept the weight of the fluid dispersed along the length of the pack vs. sitting at the bottom of the pack.  With the same amount of fluid, my pack “felt” a lot lighter when riding with the Dualocity reservoir compared to the Camelbak reservoir.

The general use of the reservoir was on par with the others on the market.  But what sets it apart is the center divider and the simple but effective sealing clip that allows the user the option of one large single fluid bladder (and you can remove one of the drinking tubes via the self sealing quick disconnects) or two separate reservoirs and drinking tubes. 

The Magna-Flow Bite Valves are very ergonomic, flow a decent amount of fluid, and allowed easy breathing between drinks with valve held between teeth.  The one-handed push button shut-off was easy to close with gloves on without looking but opening it back up was not intuitive or easy while riding.  The bite valves provide a very leak free experience so the shut offs were left in the open position without issue while riding or stowing the pack in vehicle. 

Cleaning/Maintenance

First off, if you are not one for keeping your hydration reservoir clean you probably will have issues with any reservoir when used in conjunction with electrolyte or liquid energy mixtures.  These mixtures contain sugars and other food sources for bacteria and mold to grow and thrive unless a meticulous regime of post ride/race cleaning is followed.

I routinely use electrolyte and liquid fuel mixtures in my hydration reservoirs and found no extra effort is required to clean the Dualicity reservoir with one small exception.  There are two drink tubes and two bite valves that must be cleaned so it takes a little longer but such is the nature of this design.

According to the manufacturer, the MagmaFlow Quick-Disconnects allow easier hydration bladder filling allowing you to remove your bladder from your pack without the trouble of taking your drink tube off the pack's shoulder strap.  While this is a benefit for replenishing the reservoir in long endurance racing events I found they added a level of complexity when it came time to clean the reservoir.  These disconnects have an automatic shut-off feature when disconnected.  They perform their intended function wonderfully but limit your ability to power flush the system with hot water and detergent unless all the tubes are connected. 

Summary

If you understand the added cleaning vigilance required when running electrolyte or liquid fuels in a hydration bladder then you will be very pleased with the ability to have two different drinks available simultaneously when you ride, train, or race.

The quality of the materials and construction are very nice and it looks like it will hold up for a long time under the heat of competition.

For myself, I will be using the Dualicity hydration bladder filled with my favorite race fuel and hydration products during the 2014 Enduro Racing Season.  It is an easy way to simplify the gear and supplies needed to be self sufficient in these long grueling competitions.

I will update this blog as the racing season progresses.

Marc Garoutte

Epic Racing Cycling Team