An IV bag with standard tubing makes a perfect 1 liter platypus. It doesn't have a bite valve, but it comes with a nifty little thumbwheel cut off that you can position anywhere along the tubing, and the plastic they're made of is tough as the dickens. I use a cut of 60cc syringe body (no needle) to fill mine, but any small funnel will work. ( I would love to claim originality on this, but in fact the early "Adventure Racers" came up with this, and in fact Platypus stole the idea from them)

For a bigger waterbag, go to the grocery store and get you a "Box O' Wine". Invite all your friends over and drink 5 liters of crappy California table wine. When you recover, tear the box apart and inside is a double walled plastic bag with a valve on one corner. The valve assy. will pop in and out for filling. Soak it overnight with baking soda and water to get rid of the wine taste. It doubles as an inflatable pillow.

If you add lemon juice to the baking soda and water, it will cause a fizzing reaction that supposedly helps get into all the creases of the bag. (Not something I can claim originality for either!).

Just use the needle attachment; insert directly into the blood stream and you'll have to worry about rehydrating ever again. :)

I think we may be on to something

Also, why replace all that yummy wine with nasty old water. Just bring the wine bladder along on the trail and we'll all help you get rid of it.

All kidding aside - your ideas are great.

d

An IV bag with standard tubing makes a perfect 1 liter platypus. It doesn't have a bite valve, but it comes with a nifty little thumbwheel cut off that you can position anywhere along the tubing, and the plastic they're made of is tough as the dickens. I use a cut of 60cc syringe body (no needle) to fill mine, but any small funnel will work. ( I would love to claim originality on this, but in fact the early "Adventure Racers" came up with this, and in fact Platypus stole the idea from them)

For a bigger waterbag, go to the grocery store and get you a "Box O' Wine". Invite all your friends over and drink 5 liters of crappy California table wine. When you recover, tear the box apart and inside is a double walled plastic bag with a valve on one corner. The valve assy. will pop in and out for filling. Soak it overnight with baking soda and water to get rid of the wine taste. It doubles as an inflatable pillow.

This is hilarious! :D

Though in all seriousness, how big is the IV bag (don't really plan to do the wino thing :-)). I have a day pack from REI. It has a bladder port basically built into it. Are these things kind of standardized?

BTW, I have seen different parts of these on sale, so I suppose you could theoretically buy the bite valve???

--des

IV bags are 1 liter, and without having my hands on mine right now, I'd say they're about 6x10x3 full. I know that they tend to be smaller than most "built in" water bladder pockets. Commercial bite valves will work, though you might have to tinker the valve/tubing fit...

Actually re: ClimberDave's comment about the needle attachment- I worked at a vet's office for a while, and for severely dehydrated animals we would inject large amounts of saline under the skin of the back. It makes an unsightly bulge, but is absorbed gradually by the body, keeping the animal hydrated overnight, over the weekend, etc depending on amount.
I supposed the same thing would work on hikers.
Any volunteers?

that's sooo gross

IV bags are 1 liter, and without having my hands on mine right now, I'd say they're about 6x10x3 full. I know that they tend to be smaller than most "built in" water bladder pockets. Commercial bite valves will work, though you might have to tinker the valve/tubing fit...

Actually re: ClimberDave's comment about the needle attachment- I worked at a vet's office for a while, and for severely dehydrated animals we would inject large amounts of saline under the skin of the back. ...Any volunteers?

Where do you get these things anyway? Went online last night and looked.
I think its a good idea for summer (where it is recommended you take a lot of water out here). I think the fit of a commercial valve (don't know what these run) might be adapted by using various pieces of aquarium type tubing. I did this with some other stuff and just put one inside another,etc.

For the suggestion re: dehyrdation, nope. THough they did this to a couple of my cats and they lived to tell about it, so to speak.

--des

If you add lemon juice to the baking soda and water, it will cause a fizzing reaction that supposedly helps get into all the creases of the bag. (Not something I can claim originality for either!).

Don't fill it up too much or you may have a LARGE, exploding waterbomb! :eek: (Hmm-m-m-m, :-? Now there's a thought ! :rolleyes:):banana

I am trying to figure out how one goes about getting their hands on an IV bag????

I am trying to figure out how one goes about getting their hands on an IV bag????

Same here. I have seen online sites. I wouldn't know what to order. Some of the bags seem to have solutions that are easily cleanable (saline), but you have to have a medical license to order.

They are cheap enough, but that is a problem.

--des

Seeing my Doc Monday; maybe I can get a sample.

Are you guys really bored or something? What is the point when you can buy a platypus so inexpensively? A platy is also a heck of a lot tougher than an IV bag, they are intended to be tossed in the trash, not used for an extended hike.

Yep I'm bored. :-)
Seriously though I enjoy a little challenge figuring out how I could make something. I really liked making my hiking stick-- probably could of bought one cheaper. So the idea of making something or figuring something out is fun. Some of these things I might never do.

--des

Yep I'm bored. :-)
Seriously though I enjoy a little challenge figuring out how I could make something. I really liked making my hiking stick-- probably could of bought one cheaper. So the idea of making something or figuring something out is fun. Some of these things I might never do.

--des

Seriously, and I don't mean to be a smarta$$, if you like making outdoor gear your time/energies would be better spent learning to sew. You can really save some money that way, and have some cool gear in the process.

Seriously, and I don't mean to be a smarta$$, if you like making outdoor gear your time/energies would be better spent learning to sew. You can really save some money that way, and have some cool gear in the process.

I am sewing impaired. In Home Ec., circa when they only let girls take it (and boys took shop), I couldn't even thread the needle on a machine. My stitching is horrendous. I can tie knots though.
Too bad.

--des

You could always get them recycled, just make sure they didn't hold whole blood or interferon or something...

Don't fill it up too much or you may have a LARGE, exploding waterbomb! :eek: (Hmm-m-m-m, :-? Now there's a thought ! :rolleyes:):banana

True, it does expand! I usually leave the cap off until it's stopped fizzing so much and then close it and give it a good shake and sometimes have to open it to let a little more pressure out.

Mine wine box bag is soaking now, seems a bit flimsy to put in my pack though, I will try it and the cap from my old gas can fits great. Getting the pourer spout off is a pain, but I see you can use it like it was intended.