We’ve all been there. Surrounded by acres upon acres of frozen water, yet thirsty as hell. Life in the backcountry can be hostile, and dehydration is the one thing that’ll creep up on you when you least expect it. With this in mind, the R&D team at 686 started putting their heads together to figure out how to get better access to drinking water while out in the mountains.

There is no shortage of backcountry packs with hydration bladders in them, but who builds a jump with a pack on, sipping water every few minutes? Nobody. Keeping your cache of water from freezing can also be a real challenge when temps plummet. So, 686 began devising ways to build a bladder system into their outerwear, and in 2018, launched HydraStash, a discreet new way to hydrate while lapping the chairlift, waiting to drop into the park, or while shoveling backcountry jumps.

This year 686 has unleashed the HydraStash vest—basically the top portion of a pair of bibs. Complete with a 25-ounce bladder system and compatible with any pant by passing fastening tabs through the pant’s belt loops, within seconds, you’ve got yourself a pair of thirst-quenching bibs! Now, if they could only figure out an easy way to make a deuce way out yonder.