Hydration Bladders

[wildgoose1uk]

Hi

I'm looking for some advice on a new day sack. Amongst others I am looking at an Osprey model that comes with rain cover and hydration bladder. However I see on the mountaineering Scotland website that they recommend against a day sack with bladder that had a magnetic clip for the tube,I think due to the risk of damaging your compass. Do people agree with this advice? On a broader note are hydration Bladders a good idea or a bit gimmicky?

On am even broader note does anyone have suggestions as to what I should be looking at? I'll be carrying kit for my dog and potentially my wife sometimes, probably only day trips.

Thanks in advance

Wg

[iain_atkinson_1986]

Hydration bladders have their pros and cons. Their obvious downfall is if they leak (like mine did half way round the Fisherfield Six - NIGHTMARE). It's not just cheap ones that leak either - I had a Hydrapak one leak new out of the box, though they replaced it quickly. That being said that's two negative experiences with them in about five years so not the end of the world. I guess cleaning them is a bit of a hassle too.

I'm a big fan of them otherwise as I get really thirsty on hotter days and don't want to have to faff about with getting bottles out of my bag. I find they help you ration your water a bit better too. I actually carry a 3L bladder which most would find overkill but I've just about got through it a few times during 9 hour days in Torridon.

On a side note, I'd tend to steer clear of rain covers as they tend to blow off and make getting access to your stuff harder. Probably better going with a dry sack for inside your bag.

[davekeiller]

I'd agree with the above. Personally I like Camelbak but I'm sure other brands are just as good.

If you have a magnetic clip to hold the tube in place then this can confuse your compass. Over time it might also affect the way the needle is magnetised, so you shouldn't store them next to each other. However, the magnetic field from something like that is small compared with the magnetic field off a mobile phone, and no one advises against carrying a mobile phone.

As to what you should be looking for, what sort of walking are you doing? Are we talking afternoon walks in the Pentlands, or munro bagging in Glen Nevis?

[kenncunn]

I love the idea of hydration bladders and have used them myself out on the hills as they are so convenient.The only thing that drives me back to the water bottle in the pack scenario is the horrible taste a hydration bladder gives to the water.
Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

[Marty_JG]

You have to thoroughly clean the bladder out several times. You can also experiment with putting a significant amount of ice in the bladder, the colder things are the less taste they have.

[AyrshireAlps]

I've been a MTBer for years, more of a walker these days though, bladders are great for biking as they're as hands free as you can get really, so can drink on the move.

However, I prefer a couple of bottles when walking, one water, one diluting just for a different taste. There's not the same requirement for hands free when walking, I can store them in side pockets of my pack and reach them, its easier to fill a bottle from a burn - taking a bladder out is a faff with a full pack.

The magnet issue sounds a bit of a myth tbh!

[scoob999]

Get one of these, bladders are crap!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Source-2031160200-Convertube/dp/B001GHIPDA/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2K92IHOD5RB1F&dchild=1&keywords=source+convertube&qid=1609455853&sprefix=SOURCE++CONVERTUBE%2Csports%2C163&sr=8-1

[Marty_JG]

That's a very nice length of pipe and three plastic screw caps.

But given it'll have cost maximum 27 pence to buy it wholesale, and more likely 2.7 pence, why are they retailing it for £27??

[Mal Grey]

I like hydration bladders for most conditions. They mean I do hydrate better, as you don't wait until you can be arsed to stop and open your bag before drinking.

Cheap ones are poor, and its hard to get rid of the taste of plastic. I like Platypus, though they seem to have fallen out of favour with retailers in recent years. Camelbak and Source have alos proven excellent.

Cleaning them can be an issue, especially if you use anything but water in them, but one trick is to keep them in the freezer after use. Leaving them in the skanky boot of the car for a week or two will mean you end up with fur in the tubes...yet still this happens...I should know better by now!

Another factor is their use in winter. The tube can freeze easily if exposed and full of water. Blowing the water back into the bladder after drinking can help, but I tend to use bottles and a hot flask in winter instead.

As for the magnet thing, once you know about it, I can't see it being a bit issue. Just make sure the compass doesn't live next to the magnet, and is nowhere near it when taking a bearing. As said, the magnet power will be pretty low.

[StephenStalker]

I love the idea of hydration bladders and have used them myself out on the hills as they are so convenient.The only thing that drives me back to the water bottle in the pack scenario is the horrible taste a hydration bladder gives to the water.
Has anyone found a solution to this problem?

I find that if i fill the pack with mildly salted water and just leave the pack sitting full for a couple of weeks before i use, then i rinse it out before filling up and going out on a hike. it helps to kill the taste but i don't know if the salt does anything or not but either way i don't really get a plastic taste anymore. Hope this helps 😊

[Booga]

I have a Camelbak bladder and have had no problems with it. As has already been mentioned, blow back into the tube in sub zero conditions to prevent ice from blocking the tube. Insulated sleeves are available. I know someone who puts a disposable hand warmer in the bag next to the bladder in winter to help keep the water above freezing too.

I keep mine in the freezer when not in use as it prevents bacteria and mould from growing inside it if there's any moisture left in it. Cleaning mould out of the tube is a nightmare even with the special long brush so this avoids the problem. If you do want to dry it out the plastic hollow practice golf balls work well and are cheaper than a specialist bladder drying frame.

Magnets and compasses are something to be aware of, I wouldn't want to store a compass near it although I presume the magnet is on the shoulder strap and not in the compartment of the bag, and be aware of not holding the compass near the magnet when using it. My Deuter day pack has a velcro strap for the water tube and this works just fine.

On the magnet subject I once heard a story of someone who packed their gear into a car boot so that their compass was next to the magnets of the speakers in the parcel shelf.

[regedmunds]

I use a Quest 'fully open at the top' type of bladder. I like it because I can fill it without taking it out of my rucksack. Have to be careful though, if I miss I get wet clothes, so far no mishaps at all.

[RosscoMac]

I'm a fan of bladders particularly for 3 season use. Yes, they need cleaning (so do bottles) and the tubes are particularly prone to freezing but, for on the move use, they are fab.

I've had the same two from different manufacturers for years and had no taste issues or leaks. I do take a small filter and have stuff sacks, etc. so won't have a problem when one eventually bursts.

I'd recommend a bite valve to save opening/closing the mouthpiece (often a two hand job and difficult with gloves) but I have had one fall of in freezing conditions and when I took my rucksack of, the tube fell below the bladder height and the gravity feed emptied it (I spent the rest of the day sucking snow ).