Geigerrig has rocked the hydration carrier industry with their pressurized water systems. No longer do you have to bite down and suck on a traditional bite valve for a little bit of water. Now, you can fill the hydro pack up with water, pump up the pressure, and spray water from the valve. This water can be used for drinking, wound cleaning, and wherever else you may need pressurized water in the field.
The Tactical Guardian model is but one of their “Tactical” series hydro packs. The biggest difference, visually, is that the Tactical Guardian features a piece of polycarbonate armor which protects the bladder from minor impacts. Please note that this is not a ballistic armor plate – it is a piece of protective plastic. Still, it works for minor things like accidentally dropping the unit on gravel or accidentally bumping into obstructions or your teammates while walking backwards.
Underneath the armor in a pouch, you will find a 70 ounce bladder which is connected to two different hoses via quick-release valves. Unlike most hydro packs which connect to one hose, this model has two – one which connects to the pressurizing bulb and the other which connects to your bite valve. Each hose is insulated and connects very easily to the bladder thanks to those connectors.
At first, I disconnected everything and cleaned the 2 liter hydration bladder. A good thing to mention is that, unlike some popular brands out there, the bladder did not have a rubber or synthetic scent, so I was hopeful the water wouldn’t taste awful. I re-inserted the bladder, connected the two hoses, and put the pack on via its backpack straps. The Geigerrig Tactical Guardian also comes with a cross-sternum strap that does a nice job of keeping everything tight on your body – even while running.
I started pumping up the system using the pressure bulb, giving it the recommended 15 pumps. Then I took off the protective cap for the bite valve and gave it a test drink. I immediately pulled the bite valve from my mouth as water sprayed everywhere. After having used Camelbaks for an age and a half, the sheer amount of water that the pressurized Geiggerig hydro engine puts out was very impressive. You can even press on the bite valve with your fingers to spray water where needed. What puzzled me most was how the system worked. I mistakenly believed that the pressure bulb injected air into the bladder, but that logic didn’t track as that alone would not provide pressure to force the water out of the bladder. Geigerrig’s solution to pressurizing the system is ingenious. The 2 liter hydro pack bladder is actually divided into two separate sections. The rear bladder section is where the pumped air goes into, which in turn puts more pressure on the water-filled bladder section.
I wore the Geigerrig Tactical Guardian on a number of runs and decided it would be perfect to mount onto the back of my MOLLE vest and play some airsoft with. Mounting the pack to a MOLLE vest proved a bit more challenging, the main issue is making sure the backpack straps are tucked into the hydro pack back pouch and as flat as possible. From there, you have to provide the attachment straps. On some tactical hydro packs, the backpack straps actually “tear down” to reveal MOLLE sized straps which then weave into itself to attach the pack to your vest. With the Geigerrig Tactical Guardian, you have two rows of MOLLE and 6 D-rings you can use – but, again, you have to provide the straps.
The Geigerrig Tactical Guardian hydration carrier is an amazing solution for not only staying hydrated, but also a lot of other uses not previously possible with generic hydro packs. It retails for $150 dollars and is available now at their official website. We are awarding the Geigerrig Tactical Guardian a 4 out of 5 as we thought it should have four built in straps to use to attach itself to a MOLLE vest.
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