Hydration Bladder Recommendations?

“Hey guys. I am in the market for a new Hydration Bladder in the 2 liter range. My old one (an MSR) was one leaky SOB.

So, any recommendations? Cold weather is not applicable, I am in West Texas and consider myself a 3 season backpacker all year long.
last edited: 3/02/08 1:56:01 PM”

“I've had good results with the Platypus 1.8 liter bags. � Using one about once a week, including dayhikes and all, they don't start to get worn for 3 or 4 years. When I BP I usually put two 1.8s (not completely full) in the top of the pack.

I did have one spring a leak once, but that one was all crinkled up and gnarly and about 6 or 7 years old.

(your mileage may vary......)

”

“Insulation works both ways....”

““Insulation works both ways....”

Lumberjack
2:08:46 PM


True enough, but it weighs more as well. When it's 105 degrees out I don't care about hot water, but extra weight is the devil ;)”

“Camelbak. Hands down the best bladder on the market. Cmon, Backpacker magazine reviewed Camelbak a while back and ran over one
with a truck and it didnt pop! Mines been bounced off rocks and whatnot for a while and doesnt have a scratch on it. Unless you want wet gear, you want a Camelbak bladder.”

“platypus... cheap, effective, useful as a bladder or stand-alone. quality gear.

hydration bladder = expensive water bottle”

“I like the platys cause they are cheap but have found that after about 2 years the laminate starts to seperate. My camelbak has lasted problem free for 5 years of abuse with no trouble. But it wasnt as inexpensive.”

“Yeah, i have the three liter platypus hoser and a 1 liter waterbottle. Very effective hydration system.”

“I've used Platypus for several years and have never had any issues until this past fall when they finally started seeping thru the seams - i'll chalk that up to age and wear and tear. I had the 1 litre platy bottles - had to be at least 5 years old - and they've gone 4 seasons - harsh cold winter and sweltering summer.

No qualmns at all about replacing them wtih the same things.

I'll mention that a similar discussion on another forum brought up significant negative experiences with the Nalgene collapsible containers - the ones with the wide mouths. I'd like the wide mouth bottle that Nalgene makes over the small mouth Platy BUT several people had issues with leakage and seam failure - and cracking around the necks.”

“Yeah, what Tilt said. Platypus 1.8's for me. No problems at all.”

“that 4l platy is da bomb... awesome with the little carry straps and all. i have 2 MSR dromedary bags that don't hold a candle to this thing.”

“I had a great Platy bag that was chewed up by an animal when I left it out at a camsite one night. I have a Camelbak now and it's bombproof. But I hate it because the lid is painfully hard to open - dang near impossible on a cold morning. It would be worth the weight to carry some kind of wrench to give me some leverage. I carry bottles more often now so I don't have to fight my Camelbak.”

“Camelback 3 liter wide-mouth with insulated cover and tube. Load it up with ice and some water, and have half a day or more of ice water in the hot weather.”

“I like my MSR 2L because it screws directly to my MSR water filter.”

“I have 2 three liters and one 2. I like the quick disconnencts. I have a Katadyne Hiker Pro filter and I just plug the quick disconnect of one into the other for filtering, no hoses flopping around or coming out. My 2 liter is 4 years old and is like brand new except I had to cut an inch of tubing off to get the mouth piece to seal last year.”

“i second toejam's comment on the Camelback - dam things are a pain in the ass to open.”

“�I like the platys cause they are cheap but have found that after about 2 years the laminate starts to seperate.�

birch
7:19:34 PM
3/02/08

I just had a plat to separate in the pack. Fortunately, it happened and I noticed it before I got out of the driveway. It made me rethink this whole issue however.”

“yeah, i bet you suffered real bad when that happened. i heard the rest of that story! :)”

“I've used an MSR one for years. Not sure of the "liter" count, but it holds just shy of a gallon. This is the only brand I found that didn't leak.”

“chili, same exact thing happened to a friend the morning of a trip with his platy. we were pressed for time and he ended up delaying us quite a while.”

“Looks like they've been doing some redesign over at Platypus.”

“your link don't werk”

“Sorry.

Fuk it.”

“I checked out the web site. Great new/improved products.”

“Well, I see they've changed some things..... Impossible to tell if they were improvements or not, � < G >

Time will tell.

I just bought 3 or 4 of the 1.8 litres last year, so it might be a while before I sample any of the newer designs.”

“I've started using Platypus after buying a camel back that the hose would not stay attached on. I finally retired my 3L Platy last year as the plastic started to separate after 4 years of hard use. The bag doesn't leak, but I no longer trust it.”

“I don't know if you have seen the GEIGERRIG Hydration Engine, but it was give the best new product award at the outdoor retailer show, and it was just proclaimed "the best new hydration bladder" by the editors at Adventure World Magazine. It is pressurized, turns inside out for cleaning in the dishwasher, and has a detachable in-line filtration system. There's Youtube video of it being thrown out of a truck and attached to bombs with no product failure.

Some really good consumer interaction and feedback at: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=657662&highlight=GEIGERRIG

The website is www.Geigerrig.com.”

“looks good. I'll be trying this out.
Don't need the pack but will try out the 3 liter hydration engine with filter ready tube and a filter. Ordering now.”

“Hey Bard, did u ever find yourself a decent new bladder? I'm trying to figure out which one to buy and I saw you posted this a while ago.”

“I'm still having issues with Camelbak. I bought the new version and it leaked at the quick disconnect fitting for the hose. They sent me a new one that doesn't seem to leak, but I haven't stuffed in in a backpack with 35# of gear yet. The new wide mouth lid is great and easy to open and you get good flow from the drinking tube.

I prefer drinking from bottles.”

“http://www.geigerrig.com/

I used this this years AK trip and worked as my primary water filter. Very good quality.”

“I also prefer drinking from bottles. I do like Platypus bags. The screw top is easy to mate to a gravity fed filter and I use the bottle for backwashing the filter if necessary.”

“I've got a 3L Platy. Very happy with it although the C'Bak's bite valve is better and less likely to get mold. I took the bite valve off my C'Bak and put it on the Platy. Solved that problem.

I prefer the 3L size. Even if I only need 2L, I just bring the 3L and just put 2L in it. The weight difference is minimal, but sometimes I need that extra liter (dry camps, hot days, etc.).

HJ”

“My favorite bladders and valves are the Nalgene brand. Also it has a magnetic clip for my shoulder strap”

“I have a Source Outdoor water bladder. I am pretty happy with it- it has one of those tubes so you don't have to stop and open it on a hike. It holds 3L which is heavy enough for me!”

“I hate bladders. The get leaks. Give me a good metal bottle any day. Those will never fail in the field. I've really been enjoying the kleen canteen knockoffs that I got at tarjay for .99 a piece.”

“The only time I got dehydrated on a trip was using one. Great for cycling but I am a bottle baby hiking on the trail...that was I know how much I am drinking.”

“i use a 1l platypus. I started carryinga a 2l bladder as well to fill up in camp. that with my personal 1l gave my girlfriend and i enough water to cook with in teh evening AND the next am. had to fill up the small one to start hiking the next day.

platypus bladders are nearly impossible to damage. they can get stomped on, dropped dragged thru rocks and even dropped in teh fire (very briefly) and maintain integrity.”

“My 1l platy is for booze.”