Ditch the backpack! 686’s Hydrastash jacket keeps you hydrated on the slopes

By Rachel Cavanaugh Published January 31, 2018

For this winter’s Outdoor Retailer show in Denver, Digital Trends teamed up with The Manual to crown the greatest outdoor gear as our Best Of Show winners, along with four awards going to the most innovative products. Head on over to The Manual to see the complete Outdoor Retailer Awards.

Staying hydrated while skiing or snowboarding is important, but the dilemma of where to stash a water bottle or bladder remains a constant issue. Backpacks tend to be cumbersome, and riding a chairlift with one is even less comfortable. Plus, the lines in hydration bladder backpacks tend to freeze, leaving you with a solid chunk of undrinkable ice. This is exactly where the built-in hydration sleeve in 686’s Hydrastash Jacket would come in handy, and why we crowned it a Digital Trends Innovation Award winner.

Recommended Videos

The Hydrastash is a clever new micro-hydration system that fits around your waist rather than on your back, freeing up space on the chairlift and allowing you to ski or snowboard completely backpack-free. And because it hugs your body inside a coat, the tube won’t freeze — even in the coldest of conditions.

More 2018 Outdoor Retailer Award Winners

The hands-free system, which launched at this year’s show after four years of research and development, is currently built into 686’s GLCR Reservoir jacket. The system integrates with the jacket’s powder skirt to provide 25 ounces of available hydration — the equivalent of about a mid-sized water bottle. When you snap your skirt up, the hydration pack shifts onto your waist, maintaining an even center of gravity and moving along with you as you ride.

Anti-slosh dams within the bladder help prevent motion when fluid is low, and lifts any noticeable weight, resulting in a ride down the mountain that feels free and unencumbered by bulky packs. The reservoir itself is constructed with material so strong it can be run over by a small car without bursting, so you don’t have to worry about hard falls breaking the bladder, and the tube has a self-sealing Microbite valve with a steady, strong flow rate.

1 of 5

686 glcr hydrastash jacket hydration system 20171213 p erikhoffman mountbaker 59 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

686 glcr hydrastash jacket hydration system 20171214 p erikhoffman mountbaker 121 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

686 glcr hydrastash jacket hydration system 20171213 p erikhoffman mountbaker 50 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

686 glcr hydrastash jacket hydration system 20171213 p erikhoffman mountbaker 49 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

686 glcr hydrastash jacket hydration system 20171213 p erikhoffman mountbaker 55 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The jacket itself is built with waterproof infiDRY 20K stretch fabric, fully taped Bemis seams, and 80g ultra-warm polyfill in the body. For now, Hydrastash is only available in the GLCR Reservoir, however, the company may integrate the patent-pending technology with other products down the line.

Rachel Cavanaugh

Former Contributor

Rachel discovered outdoor recreation in ’98 when she stumbled into a river town one summer and left a raft guide 3 months…

Topics

Entertainment

Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts

Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Cars

Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Entertainment

Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode

Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.