Sports

Hydromax wearable water supply for football players

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Hydromax is a wearable hydration system designed for use in football
Hydromax is a wearable hydration system designed for use in football
Hydromax is a wearable hydration system designed for use in football

When you think of the hazards involved in playing American-style football, things like being slammed to the ground and buried under a stack of bulky opponents probably come to mind. One of the big dangers, however, is dehydration – this is particularly true for children, or athletes in southern states. While water is usually available at the sidelines, players may risk developing heat stroke before they have a chance to get to it. The Hydromax system is designed to keep that from happening, by supplying each player with their own wearable, armor-protected water supply.

At first glance, the Hydromax simply looks like a CamelBak, and there are definitely similarities. Both systems incorporate a plastic water bladder, with a flexible silicone feeder tube that ends in a bite valve.

The Hydromax's armored exterior pouch, however, attaches with velcro to the back of the player's shoulder pads. Inside the pouch is the wide, flat bladder. That shape helps it to disperse impacts, and to fit relatively unobtrusively under the player's jersey. When it does get piled into, the bladder can expand up to eight times its normal size without bursting.

Hydromax is a wearable hydration system designed for use in football

The feeder tube is guided over the player's shoulder, and attaches in a downwards-facing position on their chest – this is to keep it from unexpectedly flying up into their face. A supplied bottle can reportedly refill the bladder in under seven seconds, via a refill tube that protrudes from the top of the pouch.

A complete Hydromax system sells for US$49.99, and is available via the company website.

Source: Shark Tank.

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5 comments
TogetherinParis
Water can be very heavy, so imagine \'beefing up the line\' on a goal line stand. You could add fifty pounds per man--very handy. Very cold or partially frozen Gatoraide instantly available, this is a great idea, especially for practice.
AlexBizzar
Sorry \"TogetherinParis\" but I feel the exact opposite. This could certainly work in other situations for the military, motocross (especially), running, etc. We do get dehydrated but that issue has come down on Football coaches hard all over the U.S. after so many people, both pro and amateurs, (2 - 3 of them) died from this in about a 4 to 5 year period. So now they make sure each player gets their water in shorter intervals. You put this bag on someone and they\'ll end up in a bigger risk of hurting themselves; added weight will throw off their balance and begin to really wear on the athlete as time goes on. Bananas, Gatorade(r-ball), and continuous hydration throughout the day will help to negate the issue of dehydration. Though I\'m nay-saying this idea, I\'m still glad they\'ve kept the idea and concern alive for athletes. Great idea in that it can expand up to 8x it size! Crazy! Great price too.
Gregg Eshelman
The valve would have to be very secure, otherwise every back hit or fall would result in a mini geyser.
Jon Davis
Water weighs too much. Football players in any position need to maximize mobility to be successful. They already have a lot of bulky padding to weigh/slow them down, and unless this system is intended for practice only, it would only be more cumbersome. It\'s good to see people trying to figure out how to keep the athletes hydrated, but this will hinder their performance for sure.
Cesar Mu
I saw a version of this on Shark Tank. It\'s a good idea. Many kids die on the football field because of dehydration.