Leaky hydration units.

[Maddy]

I went to Nalgene because I did not like the taste of Camelback.
My Nalgene is two years old now and the water still tastes great.
No leaking and self-sealing feature is nice when you want to disconnect the hose.

 

[Papa Bear]

Usually I use bottles but recently used my Camelback on an extended backpack. No leakage problems, but I used iodine to treat some questionable water and now can taste the iodine w/every filling! Anyone know of a way to get rid of the taste??

Vitamin C works for me. I just crumble a 500 mg pill in a liter. It clears the color and taste.

 

[percious]

I had the 3 liter (70oz) camelback, and it somehow sprung a leak near the screw cap. I was somewhat unimpressed with camelbacks durability so I purchased an MSR dromedary. I have so far been happy with it. It has stood up to about 1 year of abuse, often times being thrown in the same pack with my climbing rack (read, sharp objects). I guess I'm in the minority?

-percious

 

[Rob S]

I use both the Platypus and Camelbak. My old Platypus did leak many years ago, but Cascade Designs replaced it with a brand new design very politely and very quickly ...... for free. Has not leaked since. The Camelbak has never leaked. Neither bladder has ever had a bad taste. I believe properly cleaning them goes a long way, and really does not take much effort or time, IMO.

My daypack has a mesh sleeve built into it specifically for using a bladder. It also has a small opening with a rubber cover thingy to put the tube through. In the summer, I usually place the entire bladder into a plastic bag before putting it into my pack. This keeps the condensation from getting everything else wet.

I also carry at least one Nalgene water bottle. Makes filtering easier too. To each their own, but I cannot imagine hiking without a bladder, and find that I drink much more if I can sip every few minutes.

**HERE** is an old thread for those wishing to clean and/or deodorize the bladders.

 

[Rik]

My camelbak's have never tasted bad. I love the openings on the newer 3L. It's big enough to put your whole hand in for easy cleaning. My pack depends on the outing but I've been using the Camelbak Blowfish quite a bit.

 

[jbreen]

Originally Posted by i12climbup
I also carry at least one Nalgene water bottle. Makes filtering easier too.

I put a two inch length of quarter-inch copper tubing in with my filter to join the hoses.
If you get carried away with pumping, which I did once, the bladder can get pressurized quite a bit. Looked like a runaway fire hose for a few seconds.

Jim

 

[CaptCaper]

I put a two inch length of quarter-inch copper tubing in with my filter to join the hoses.
If you get carried away with pumping, which I did once, the bladder can get pressurized quite a bit. Looked like a runaway fire hose for a few seconds.

Jim

Thanks for that tip about the coppertube. I've put my Camelbacks threw a lot including winter freezeing and there still going good.

 

[Rob S]

I put a two inch length of quarter-inch copper tubing in with my filter to join the hoses.

Yeah, great idea!

BUT ..... I like to drink from a Nalgene bottle when eating lunch. (keeps the PB&J off the bite valve )So might as well still use it for filtering water.

 

[Neil]

After thinking about this leaky water bladder business and looking at what people have success with I came to the conclusion that simply tossing a "naked" unit into one's pack results in innumerable foldings and creasings at the junction of the rigid and flexible parts. Gradually, just like what happens when you bend steel back and forth enough times, the material fails.

I've seen units in the store that come with an elaborate protective "jacket" but have always eschewed them due to their weight. My daypack has a bladder sleeve but I have never used it. I've always chucked my bladder into my pack haphazardly. So, I will put a stop abusing my bladder forthwith by carrying it up my sleeve.