Abstract: A personal hydration system surfers and sports participants is disclosed that minimizes interruption of the user's sporting activity. A receptacle attached to the rear of a surfer's wetsuit vest retains a removable fluid container therein and the removable fluid container includes a flexible fluid delivery tube to allow a user to suck fluid stored in the removable fluid container through the tube. The upper body garment is constructed of a semi-flexible material that is sufficiently stiff to allow the upper body garment to maintain its shape while conforming to a user's physique. The upper body garment also includes side panels of a very flexible and body conforming material such as Lycra® that aid the user's upper body movements. Other embodiments are shown wherein the garment could be a snow boarding jacket or a fisherman's waders. An embodiment for retrofitting such a personal hydration system to an existing garment is shown also.