I used to use the Platy and Camelbak bladders for years but have moved back to bottles last season. I have had one bladder rip open in my pack- oh so much fun that night was. Also been witness to a couple of leaks and having to share water over a week long trip because of a busted bladder. I usually use two 32oz Powerade bottles and a Sokool 1.5 liter bottle and insulated sling from Campmor. The 3 bottles weigh a total of 5.5 oz and the sling is 2.5 oz; added together and this is barely over a 3L Camelbak weight. The Powerade bottles slide into the side pockets of my Pinnacle and I hang the sling through the two compression straps on the side of my pack. Easy access drinking on the trail. The Sokool bottle is thin but hasn't had any issues so far.

I bring this up because I have met many people on the trail and through clubs that use bladders and sometimes cast a judgmental eye toward me; as if I was wrong somehow or a little slow in the head.

Please tell me there are others out there. Also, any other methods, bottles, contraptions, and such?

I'm not alone; am I?

Personal preference. Moi, I use one or two 1-L bladders inserted into my pack's side pockets -- connecting one to my hydration tube. I've never had a bladder or bottle mishap -- but prefer bladders to bottles because the soft-sided bladders are better at staying inside the mesh pocket -- whereas I've had a smooth plastic bottle jump out and escape once! One could argue theoretically that my method would cause a weight imbalance as I drink from one bottle at a time; but frankly, I can't tell the difference at all.

I dislike the idea of inserting one big bladder inside my backpack -- although I know that enough people use that method to make it a totally viable one.

I have so many bladders, bottles and contraptions! Bladders are expensive, hard to clean and dry, the bite valves drip and there is the possibility of having one leak in your pack.

But the real reason is that I like the bottles outside, where they don't rob space in a minimalist pack with a full load. I use a Steripen too, so large-mouth bottles are easier to live with. My water supply is divided in two (I usually carry two 1 liter bottles), so I can't spill more than half my supply. They are easier to fill and to cook with. You can take your water bottle to bed with warm water in it too. The Nalgene HDPE bottles are my favorite-du-jour. Of course, the good old recycled drinking water bottles are about as cheap and light as you can get and you can get a replacement anywhere.



If you want bottles and a drinking hose, there are gizmos to do that too (Google "SmarTube").

And I haven't tossed my Platypus bladders and hoses yet :)

I do use a big bladder, but I've sort of been moving away from it as my hiking abilities have improved. I keep one shaker bottle hanging from my shoulder strap and a 1.5 liter water bottle in my side pocket to allow me to refill my shaker bottle without digging into my pack. But now I drink less water, so I need the bladder less. I'm already tempted to switch to a smaller bladder, but may eventually add a second 1.5 liter bottle and get rid of the bladder. Unfortunately my biggest draw to the big bladder is that I can filter up to 6 liters while I'm doing something else...no having to switch out smaller bottles.

I used Nalgene's at first then switched to over-the-counter bottles when I realized that the 3 bottles weighed the same as 1 Nalgene. Made the switch.

Had 1 bottle pop out on top of a ridge on the AT in CT. Full of Red flavor Gatorade. Very pretty as it bounce then spewed a weird mostly red rainbow. Everyone cheered. They loved it. I cursed it. Learned my lesson and make a habit of checking them often.

I use a combination of both, sorta. I don't use a Camel Bak style hydration bladder, but do use the lightweight Evernew collapsible bottles in the 1L size placed on the outside rear side pockets of my Ohm, after filling up and dropping a Micropur tab in the water, I thread on my Frontier Pro filter to the mouth of the container and route my hydration tube and bite valve from the filters output, this then is clipped to the right shoulder strap. This is one method I use if I don't feel like stopping to hydrate and the focus is on putting down miles. If the flow of the day is mellow and I'm close to water I'll pack a 1L Gatorade or Aquafina bottle which is also thrown into the rear side pocket. I have yet to find a pack that allows me to reach back while hiking and grab a water bottle out of the side pockets. Perhaps it's my lack of mobility? Water never goes inside my pack, never.

I also carry a 2L Evernew container, that serves as camp vessel for cooking and drinking water. This rounds out the gravity filter setup I use at camp with the Frontier Pro.

I really like using bladders, but they do have their drawbacks. Currently I use a 2L bladder and a 1L bottle. Water gets filled and treated in the bottle, then dumped into the bladder. I like it better than either one alone.

+1 on the Platy--They have been my go to since I started backpacking. At 2.7oz you get 2 liters of H2O(84oz) and a drinking hose. I have backpacked with friends that use a Gatorade bottle and a 1 liter Platy which is fine but they have to stop and fill up there water bottles many more times compared to my 84oz Platy that will last a half a day or more if used properly..I would rather have a full tank from the get go compared to filling up your tank 3-4 times a day. Waste of time and energy IMO.

Edited by Creachen on 01/15/2011 15:59:00 MST.

Tried bladders for awhile, found them difficult to keep clean, difficult to deal with on the trail, and switched back to bottles. I like the Aqua Fina wide mouth quart bottles.

I have been using platypus bladders since 1996 (maybe before that) when they were a stand alone company in Berkeley. Never had one break or leak EXCEPT the BigZip II whose zipper was really hard to close properly. Lots of good: light, durable, compact when empty. Bad: hard to clean / fill, not great to drink from if held in hand because you can accidentally squeeze too much. While a bit heavier, I really like the Big Zip SL thanks to the wide top. Used it since 2008 with no problems. Makes a dandy gravity filter source.

As to are you missing something? Nope. People like different things. Have a friend who uses a couple of pop bottles attached to his shoulder straps. Another friend who likes Gateraid in the side pocket. Works great for them. More power to them. Actually, on one trip I was really glad one of the guys was using Nalgene bottles because it got surprisingly cold, so we stole his bottle as night to make hot water bottles for our daughters.

--Mark

Edited by verber on 01/15/2011 16:04:19 MST.

I got rid of my big hydration bladder with hydration tube stored internally in the pack because back pain.
Switched to four Platy plus bottles with slime guard. Switched the caps out from nalagene pill bottle caps for stronger than the stock caps.I carry only 2 filled when water is plentiful 4 when not and I have 2 liter platy rolled up in my pack for desert hiking if I need extra water. I like the platys because their light weight,roll up when not in use and don't pop out of your side pocket like bottles tend to do.

It really depends on the hike for me. Like the poster before me said, if water is plentiful I carry less at a time.

For a trail that is crossing rivers/creeks a lot or traversing alongside one, I'll carry two 1-liter platy bottles in the side pockets.

For a long dry trail I'll use a 2-liter bladder and possibly a 1-liter platy bottle.

In Big Bend I carried a pair of smart water bottles with the flip caps/blue nozzle looking things instead of a regular lid along with a 2 liter platy and a 1 liter platy.

Using the blue nozzle caps make refilling my 2 liter platy a snap and when I want to use the little platy I just move the hose system over to it.

Generally I just carry the 2 liter platy. I've had it for almost 2 years now.

I tried the bladders for awhile, just did not like them. Hard to get in and out of a loaded pack, hard to guess how much water was left, always the threat of a leaky bladder soaking my bag. I just don't need the hassle.

I usually carry two of the old white Nalgene bottles - yeah, I know they are heavier than the grocery store water bottles, but I've been carrying them since the early 70s, and have never had a failure. They also work great with the Steripen, my current favorite water treatment.

I still keep a couple of Platypus bladders, just in case I get crazy and decide to do a desert hike, and I sometimes use either a Nalgene or Platy 1 liter "canteen", if I want an extra liter or two on a particular hike. But generally it's the same two old Nalgenes riding in the outside pockets.

Never moved toward them in the first place.
Not sure why the trend toward bladders and tubes etc. Will skip the psycho-sexual wisecrax.
No need for tubes, probably because I hike for enoyment, not for distance, and often stop at nice spots and, among other things, pull out the water bottle to have a drink.
Have hiked with a friend who is distance conscious, and can see why the tube can be important for some (gasp!).

One problem with the bottles is that the real wide mouth Nalgene ones that are so easy to clean are quite heavy. Never noticed this until got into BPL and began weighing every item of gear. Wrote to Nalgene, begging for a lighter bottle, no luck.
Unfortunately, designed my current MYOG pack with a sleeve on each side to accept a 3.5" diameter bottle, and now cannot find anything lighter in the same dimensions with the same wide mouth. Rubbermaid makes a great wide-mouth one qt. rectangular shaped bottle in very light plastic, but it won't fit in the sleeves. Looks like I'm going to have to cut open those sleeves and sew in some bungee tape, but hate to do it to my own creation. Took a lot of care to get those sleeves to have just the right amount of snug fit to hold the bottles securely, but also allow them to slide easily in and out. But pride goeth before the fall, so I probably will do the surgery, and drop close to a quarter pound.

Also carry a very light qt. bottle formerly made by Kenyon that looks like a plastic coke bottle, but collapses into a disc only a little over 1" thick. Very cleverly designed. I use it when it is necessary to carry another quart. But when filled, carry it strapped outside the pack. Would not be keen on carrying water inside the pack in any form. Have been in a number of situations where it was safest to drop the pack down chimneys. (OK, maybe I could have lined it down with bear bag cord.)

To each their own. I like having wide mouth, easily brush-cleanable containers, especially for carrying tea and bug juice, that stand up fairly securely on rough ground and carry outside the pack. Know that some of the roll up containers are supposed to stand up, but haven't found them able to do so as well. Maybe someone at Nalgene, Rubbermaid or the competition will read this.

I have a 100 oz Camelbak, but I am now trying to keep from using it, mainly due to the weight. I really enjoy having it, but also hate messing with it (refilling and such)... so I figure this may be a good place to cut out a few ozs. I have a 1L Nalgene Collapsible Cantene and a 2L Platy Collapsible SoftBottle that I am toying with using as its replacement. I like the Nalgene since it has a wide mouth whereas the Platy has a tiny mouth, but the Platy weighs less...I also currently carry a 1L SmartWater bottle that I keep filled and drink from while hiking. It of course has the small mouth but it is much easier to fill than the Platy. I like keeping the collapsible bottles collapsed in my pack (takes up less space) and using it when I get to camp each day. (I only take one with me on each trip though, just trying to figure out which one I like best.) So, I am in the middle of seeing which works best for me...

Edited by Stick on 01/15/2011 19:59:21 MST.

Moved away from bladders a couple years ago. Found the large capacities encouraged carrying more water than I actually needed. The hassle of digging it out and filling it reinforced this behavior. Now I just use a singular Smartwater bottle. I like the narrow shape, makes it easy to retrieve from my side pocket w/o having to stop and mess with the pack. Find this promotes me stopping at all/most water sources and nabbing a quick drink(I don't treat water for the most part). And if or when it gets skummy I chunk it for a new one. Although, I am interested in picking up a 1L platty water bottle because of their low volume empty and duel use as a pillow!

Edited by mzion on 01/15/2011 20:21:26 MST.

"Hard to get in and out of a loaded pack, hard to guess how much water was left, always the threat of a leaky bladder soaking my bag. I just don't need the hassle."

I find this is mostly bypassed by laying the bladder(s) flat across the top of the pack contents. A dry bag or pack liner that's well tucked in is vital anyway so I've never really worried about them leaking. This packing strategy also keeps the pressure of the pack contents off the bladder since it's just laying on top. I'd assume it's much less likely to fail in this location. In this position it isn't particularly hard to check the water level either.

"I find this is mostly bypassed by laying the bladder(s) flat across the top of the pack contents. "

I might be over thinking the way I pack but I try and put my heaviest items as close the the center of the pack and as close to my back as possible. Reduces the 'sum of the torque' of the pack on your body. Obviously this weight decreases as you walk and use the bladder but while its full you will be increasing the effects of the weight on your body. In my case my shoulders and lower back get to suffer.

I use(2) 1qt Gator-Aid bottles in my side pockets that I can access while on the go, and I also carry a 2 liter platty, usually without a drink tube. I use the platty to hump extra water through dry sections.