Hydration Pack vs Bottle

Used a couple of different bladder over the years, my first one was a generic cheapie. It worked well, can not rmeember how it broke. Replaced it with a 2.5L camelbak, was a good bladder but developed a leak after a few months. They are the most expensive plastic bag I have ever purchased. When I purchased mine I got it included with a small pack. I paid around $70 for both, the bladder by itself retails for around that normally. Think I might try pmcke idea next.

True, Baking soda is an affordable way to clean the bladders. Kept in the freezer will minimise the need to clean much at all. Bacteria growth is next to nothing in freezer conditions. The first place to get mould is usually the hose and bite valve because it's more of a confined space.

Getting back to the original subject of this thread "Hydration Pack vs bottle", I was really scathing of the hydration bladder idea at first. I used to keep a bottle in my pack and only drink at rest stops. I saw quite a few disasters with leaky bladders and people who somehow seemed to managed to syphon the contents of their water bladder into the sleeping bags. However I thought I would try it and I was instantly a convert. The concept of sipping as you go is a much better strategy to ward off dehydration and when you sweat on the track as much as I do then that is a real problem.

I heard much criticism of bladders from mountain guides about bladders and their preferred use of coke bottles but that seemed primarily cost driven. The fact is you don't have to stop to get a drink from a bottle and the argument that you don't know how much water left in the bladders is mute because you should keep a mental note anyway. I've 21 bladders of all types and never had a leak on an activity. An effort should be made to minimise potential damage while out there. There are lots of options to have a protective bag even if its an improvisation with a shopping bag and bubble wrap.

It doesn't hurt to carry some type of bottle for water collection and it can be multi purpose if its a wide mouth container. You can store clothing or food in it whilst carrying.

Recently converted to hydration bladder. Brilliant! Bought a camelbak with insulation cover and clip it to side of my pack. The water is right there, instantly available and I drink more water as I go and feel better for it at the end of the day.

I have found especially during summer that the addition of Horleys replace and constant sipping have worked wonders. I get through about 2 litres in 4 hours. Quite often hang the bag over the sleeping platform and sip away during the night. Like my walking stick i often wonder how we did without this in the early days. It was nothing to go all day with only the odd mouthful as you cruised through a stream and then nothing for hours after.

Bladders versus bottles seem to be a personal thing as far as I can tell. I like a bladder personally just because I prefer to try and avoid taking everything off when I stop and sit. (Just a thing I have against putting it all on again afterwards.) Maybe this will change one day. I had a 2L platypus for a couple of years which was great for the time it lasted. In general the bladder part never showed signs of leaking, although the bite valve fell off a few times, which I'd notice with cold water dripping down my leg and then franticly back-track trying to find it in a mess of grass, mud and leaves. The only thing I really didn't like about it was the zipper aspect (it was one of those platypus models). Once the zip was closed it was very reliable, but trying to get it closed on a cold morning with damp, numb fingers was sometimes very difficult. I'd sometimes have to spend 20 minutes trying to bash it with a rock until I was sure all the leaks were gone... and then it was fine until it needed a refill. The end of my Platypus bladder was my own accidental fault, and then I bought a Camelbak bladder (which I have now), which is more reliable for getting closed and seems to be going okay. These days I *do* also carry a 1L collapsible bottle (platypus has these in their range), primarily so I have a back-up way of carrying water if I suddenly find the bladder's leaking or if I've lost something off the end of the hose. It's almost weightless, but lately I've taken to leaving about half a litre of water in it and stashing it in the top of my pack. I figure I can carry half a litre less elsewhere, and this way I know when I have to start being more cautious, just in case I was getting through the bladder more quickly than I thought I was. The bottle's also far more convenient to use when camping, at a hut, etc. I've heard a lot about mould in these things, but so far I've never seen it in anything I've owned, in the tubes or elsewhere. Usually I just empty them when I get home, then fold them up and stash them in a cupboard for another week or three. I'm not sure if it's something to do with where I live, or perhaps I'm just lucky.

Similar thing for me i just rinse my bladder out and hang it to dry havent had a problem with that yet gets a clean out twice a year with a brush no problems.

I just switched over to a bladder and now drink far more regularly when walking, and I keep it strapped to the side of my pack. It's far, far better than a bottle IMO. One downside is the cost of accessories, e.g. the cleaning kits and drying frames are outrageously priced, but you can improvise.