Whether you’re a road racer mixing it up in an endurance series or competing in a point-to-point off-road event, your hydration setup is more than a simple accessory — it’s a performance system. Anyone who has raced in long-distance events can attest to the fact that driver fatigue becomes an unavoidable reality as the minutes and miles pass, and that fatigue can translate to mistakes and reduced pace. And an inefficient hydration setup can add insult to injury if the system itself causes distractions.

The crew at FluidLogic® sought to create a better way to address these issues. For over a decade, this El Segundo, California-based hydration technology company has worked closely with professional racers to develop hydration systems that offer seamless vehicle integration and advanced functionality. Damon Archbold, FluidLogic’s Director of Channel Sales, tells us it’s part of an overarching “Intelligent Hydration” design philosophy.

“The company was essentially born in the grueling conditions of the Baja 1000,” he explains. “We saw the need for drivers to hydrate without losing focus amid the demands of desert racing. So, we make systems that work in the harshest environments for competitors who are looking to maximize their performance without creating another failure point in their program.”

The company’s hydration systems are trusted by competitors in series like IMSA, IndyCar, and NASCAR, but Archbold is quick to point out that FluidLogic’s innovative solutions aren’t exclusive to pro racers.

“A few years ago we did a study with Dr. David Ferguson. Dr. Ferguson runs the Spartan Motorsport Performance Lab at Michigan State University, and what we discovered when comparing our system to the old way of delivering hydration to the driver — the ‘bottle and straw’ method — was that there was a measurable performance improvement with the FluidLogic system. Half of the test subjects used the bottle and straw setup, and the other half used our system. The drivers who used our system had more precise braking, lower core temperatures, and made fewer errors, and they ran faster lap times as a result. And while our systems and accessories are used by drivers in pro series ranging from World Endurance Championship to SCORE International, those benefits certainly apply to grassroots racers as well.”

With that in mind, we’re putting the spotlight on FluidLogic’s recently-upgraded in-vehicle hydration systems, the VMR MagLock Hydro and the VMR Maglock Duo, with some insight from Archbold into the sophisticated features that these systems have to offer.

Purpose-Built Innovation

The fundamental distinction between the VMR MagLock Hydro and the VMR MagLock Duo is that the former is exclusively a hydration delivery system, while the latter can deliver both water and fresh air. But both systems benefit from FluidLogic’s approach to seamless integration.

“Both of the VMR systems use a sleek, low-profile magnetic connection,” Archbold says. “There’s no drilling or other modifications required to attach it to a helmet, and you get the benefits of a quick connect/disconnect design. That makes installation easy.

“But beyond that, there’s a safety benefit as well. The driver isn’t “tethered” to the product in any way, so if they need to get out of the vehicle quickly, there’s nothing about this system’s design that prevents them from doing so. We also designed it to prevent accidental disconnects. The MagLock Duo, for example, has 20 pounds of straight pull force and 10 pounds of breakaway angular force. It’s a very secure connection.” This magnetic quick-connect design is particularly useful for racing formats with driver changes, as it allows teams to swap drivers in less time with minimal fuss.

Smart Features And Customization

Archbold also points out that beyond the distractions created by bottle-and-straw setups, many drivers with traditional hydration systems simply forget to drink at regular intervals during a race. FluidLogic has addressed this issue with its VMR systems by including a button that mounts to the steering wheel that illuminates at pre-programmed intervals to remind the driver to take a drink. The reminder intervals — as well as a number of other adjustable parameters — can be customized to personal preference using the FluidLogic app for iOS and Android mobile devices.

Shop the FluidLogic VMR MagLock Duo system here.

“The driver can also input their basic biometrics into the app, and the app will create a hydration protocol based on that information. The app will give you recommendations based on your biometrics, and it will give you an estimate of how much hydration you’re losing to sweat as well as how much water you consumed during your stint. Within the app you can also make adjustments to the volume of water dispensed, the pressure, and even the brightness of the reminder LED.” Once these preferences have been input into the app, the custom parameters are saved to the hydration system itself, eliminating the need for the mobile device to be in the vehicle during operation.

While the VMR MagLock Hydro should be on the radar of anyone who’s looking to add a hydration system to their program or upgrade from their current setup, those who also have a pre-existing forced air system for their vehicle and helmet should take a closer look at the VMR MagLock Duo.

FluidLogic VMR MagLock Duo

“If you have a forced air helmet or a pumper system, the Duo can really help simplify things there as well,” says Archbold. “The Duo uses a magnetic quick-connect top air design, and it delivers both fresh air and hydration through that connection while also connecting directly to an existing pumper system. The way it works is that we have a hub which splices into the air hose to accommodate the fluid line. There are multiple check valves in the system, so even if there’s a disconnection, there won’t be any water leakage.” Both the Hydro and Duo systems are also available with either a 32-ounce or 64-ounce bottle.

Designed To Work Anywhere

Teams that already have an existing drink system can also integrate FluidLogic components and accessories into their current setup, as they’ve been designed with universal compatibility in mind.

“We’ve seen a lot of teams take their homologated systems and integrate our magnetic quick-connect components into them by purchasing either the MagLock Hydro assembly or the MagLock Duo assembly to get that functionality,” Archbold says. “It’s a great solution for those who already have a system or are required to use a specific homologated system in a series.”

Shop the FluidLogic VMR MagLock Hydro system here.

It’s also important to note that both the Hydro and Duo systems do not require any drilling or modifications of the helmet in any way.

“The MagLock Hydro attaches with 3M adhesive, and there’s a fluid line that can just run up into the helmet behind the cheek pad,” Archbold says. “With the MagLock Duo, since you’re already using a forced air helmet, it connects at the top air port and the fluid line runs down behind the cheek pad.”

FluidLogic VMR MagLock Hydro

Both VMR systems are also compatible with communications systems thanks to the Aquacom, a food-grade silicone sleeve that fits over most microphones. The sleeve is designed to retain crystal-clear audio fidelity while minimizing helmet clutter, and you can keep the microphone’s foam windscreen on for the install.

Shop FluidLogic VMR systems here.

Both the VMR MagLock Hydro and VMR MagLock Duo are available for online order through the Holley Performance and Stilo Helmets websites, and Archbold tells us that these new systems are currently rolling out to FluidLogic’s dealer network as well.

“I think FluidLogic’s Intelligent Hydration systems really complement Holley’s head-to-toe driver safety offerings,” he adds. “This is an aspect of racing where a holistic approach can really make a difference in the end result.”