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news
Wetsleeve – a real game-changer for those who haven’t yet mastered drinking from a bottle (+ video)
“The future of wearable hydration is here,” apparently. These days all you have to do when you need a cool refreshing drink is raise your forearm to your face and suckle from Wetsleeve’s prominent teat.
Taking a firm position on the importance of readily-accessible hydration and a relaxed attitude to hideous tan lines, Wetsleeve finally solves the longstanding problem of mankind’s inability to drink from our own arms.
It’s a sleeve full of water.
But we know what you’re thinking: you’re thinking that you don’t want to drink water because water isn’t your hydration drink of choice.
Well, have no fear, because according to Wetsleeve’s creators, “you can fill the hydration reservoir with your hydration drink of choice” – unless your hydration drink of choice is hot Bovril, because they also specify no hot liquids.
Iced Bovril would be fine though, if that’s your thing. And you can also put the Bovril (or water)-filled reservoir in the fridge if you don’t have any ice.
Wetsleeve is said to be perfect for pretty much any activity and it’s entirely appropriate for us to write about it because they specifically mention cycling.
“Don’t lose speed or take your eyes off the road!” they say. “Easily stay hydrated on your bike without slowing down to reach for your bottle.”
Look, here’s someone using it while cycling.
And as it’s “the perfect new accessory for VR users and gamers” here’s someone using it while doing that sort of thing.
And here’s someone using it while swimming around trying to harpoon fish because swimming around with a spear is thirsty work.
… but hopefully not too thirsty. The claim that you’ll “never go dry with Wetsleeve” does rather hinge on your not trying to extract any more than 350ml through its soft silicone mouthpiece, because that’s its capacity.
The designers say that Wetsleeve was born out of necessity, because they needed “a seamless, convenient source of hydration that was hands-free and didn't weigh us down.”
It is unarguably light and convenient and it does indeed leave your hand free to move to the side of your face as you drink from your forearm.
The team behind it are looking to raise $25,000 via Kickstarter and have already mustered half of that with 57 days to go, so it looks like this could become an actual thing that people will be able to buy with actual money.
Retail price will be $50 (about £39) plus shipping.
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
Latest Comments
- hawkinspeter 14 min 35 sec ago
How about just putting the 20mph limits in wherever there's been a traffic collision? That could change the nature of motorways though.
- OnYerBike 50 min 3 sec ago
Obviously we only have the snippets of information from the newspaper report, but Mr Brayley might be correct....
- MattKelland 1 hour 13 min ago
Thanks! For some reason it's not showing up here: https://road.cc/show/tags/nmotd/145572
- brooksby 1 hour 14 min ago
But it's OK because our taxes are being used to subsidise those poor hard-done-by motorists by freezing fuel duty
- Surreyrider 1 hour 9 min ago
Yeah, I saw the Standard headline and thought 1 how many drivers have jumped red lights and been fined (after all they're the ones risking the most...
- PeteZahad 1 hour 31 min ago
I have the same issue and recently switched to hot waxing the chain and keeping the drive train free from conventional grease. On dry days a simple...
- bianchi51 1 hour 57 min ago
The Redshift bar has its potential uses; I've had a Giant Defy for a few years and I'm not as flexible now as when I bought it. I would really like...
- Benthic 2 hours 36 min ago
Highway Code rule 237 If you are dazzled by bright sunlight, slow down and if necessary, stop.
- Secret_squirrel 3 hours 21 min ago
Im betting these come out of the same factory as the SG and the Grip grab gloves. Identical apart from the Silicon overlay....
- stonojnr 3 hours 38 min ago
That "old lane" as you call it, is 1) very much open, some misguided cyclists still use it. I used it once, vowed never to again and I block ride...
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29 comments
Idle musings while cycling home last night made me realise I've completely missed the potential for this product.
Coupled with a pair of gloves with armoured knuckles, wearing a full Wetsleeve on your dominant arm should be just the thing for adding a bit of weight to "having a word" with the next cretin that nearly kills you.
Someone on BikeRumor mentioned that this idea would be good for cyclocross. I'd agree, in principle. Most cross bikes ditch bottle cages for ease of shouldering.
I'm just not sure how appetizing the water will taste half an hour into a muddy cross event.
How long is a cyclocross race? If you're well-hydrated before the start do you need to drink? If you're riding hard enough can you drink?
Suggest that "Someone" doesn't race 'cross. Cross bikes eschew bottle cages because you don't need a bottle. 45 - 55 mins, no water required, very little to no opportunity to drink in any event due to terrain and fact that you are usually struggling to breathe. Regulations typically prohibit bottles anyway, even at a league race in the UK (concern that they'll come out and cause a hazard, I imagine). Exception made if it's really hot - so maybe summer cross or September races. If allowed, bottle cage is run on the seat tube where it doesn't get in the way.
Walk without rhythm and you won't attract the worm.
"Tell me about the waters of your homeworld, Usul..."
I think I'll order one with my banana carrier and my chain-put-back-on stick.
With either a bottle or this crazy thing, you have to take a hand off the bars! So why am I going to opt for something that costs as much as five bottles, makes my drink warm, gives me asymetrical tan lines, is going to make me hotter, and holds a measly 350 ml? True, you don't have to take out and replace a bottle, but the other shortcomings are too much.
This answers a question nobody asked.
hmm.
For a runner maybe?
I will stick to my hydration pack or my water bottle.
Actually I think I want a drone to carry all my gear, follow me on the bike (videoing too) and feed me water when I signal it to.
That I would buy. It need to last at leat an hour though.
I bet you could make your own using a recycled colostomy bag, some tubing out of the aquarium and an old sock with the toes cut off.
Funniest thing I've read today
Work..under the office shirt....filled with coffee
I was almost believing this advert', then I remembered the Lewis Black video about water and somehow that took the shine off the idea.
Won't you cycle round in circles just wearing one of these?
What about the uneven tan?
people will still have to 'look' when pulling the arm up because of where the aperture is located.
That said this is irresponsible nonsense. stating you can stay hydrated "wherever they go" with 350ml of fluids is simply a lie.
Every single one of those shown that is away from civilisation will have hydration issues relying on this system, that women out in the hills will have crashed and burned long before she even got to where she was and would be in shit ton of trouble.
The one on the motorbike is hilarious, no need to carry a cumbersome water bottle or hydration pack when I can just stop the motorcycle, take my helmet off and reach for my wetsleeve.
$50 plus postage, just lol.
Obviously not canvassed the Paris-Dakar riders to see how they stay hydrated in the desert during a race situation.
I've watched the video now and I really don't know where to start taking it apart.
That said, good luck to them - they might do well selling it to runners, but that's about it.
I'm out.
Not sure how they've designed the interior to get the last drop out without looking like you're dancing the funky chicken.
Given that it's only 350ml, you'd be better off running a CamelBak hose down your arm warmers.
Or, just using a CamelBak.
Can't wait for the trousers version!
So what part of mastering drinking from a bottle have people not mastered. If it's the taking the hand off the bars then this doesn't really help, unless they are in great control with their noses tucked to the bars and looking sideways...
If they can't actually work a drinks bottle then maybe riding a bike is a step too far!
Not the craziest of ideas. Can see it appealing to runners.
My first reaction was to make the same point as previous posters, i.e., surely they are kidding. But the guy spearfishing got me thinking - I reckon it might be good for surfing and potentially other water sports where carrying a bottle doesn't work so well. Although caapcity is a bit pants, so might have to wear two if you were out for a long session. And dunno what it would feel like paddling - would presumably make you stronger over time, like doing weights - and interaction with wetsuit may be an issue.
So maybe not sooooo crazy.
You don't want to drink too much when you're surfing, as peeing in a wetsuit is disgusting - especially if, like my better suits, it doesn't flush (much). Being marinated in warm urine for a couple of hours stinks and also rots the suit.
If I was that desperate to take a drink out with me, I'd probably go for a minimalist waist version with a bladder in it - un-zip hose between sets and then tuck it away so you don't get caught in it.
Plenty of buoyancy aids on the market with built in pockets for hydration bladders.
I recall a certain satisfaction in a good "wetty warmer" on a cold winter morning when I used to surf. Going back some years now, so maybe fullsuit technology has made this less a thing.
Obviously you'd need two.
The tan lines will look shite otherwise.
Bonkers idea but with the crazy world we live in right now I wouldn't bet my son against it reaching it's kickstarter target!
Come on, road.cc, you're better than this. Well, ok. You can aspire to be better than this.
Have they discovered water with no mass if this device doesn't weigh you down?
They've missed a trick here. You could smear energy gel on the outside of the device and then it would be possible to have a drink and lick gel as well - all in one action. That's a good an idea until you get the gel on one arm muddled with the snot on the other!
Surely tequila in the pack, a half lime secured to the stem, and you lick yer own armpits...whadderyermean, no ?