View Full Version : Patch a Water Bladder?
Can you patch a water bladder?
I have a small leak in a Camelback.
I was thinking Sil Net. Would this be harmful to the drinking water?
I know Platypus makes patches for their bladders.
Camelback doesn't seem to sell a patch kit. I did some looking online and the repair kits for above ground pools are said to work well for a Camelback.
I know Platypus makes patches for their bladders.
The Platypus patches look nice. Although, I'm having a hard time finding it, outside of the UK. Most online stores don't seem to carry it any more. Found one place but they require a min. $20 order.
Why would you risk a catastrophic leak? Particularly if you carry it inside your pack.
Bladders are cheap to replace.
garlic08
05-25-2009, 16:43
I've never done this or seen it done, but I've heard you can make an emergency patch with duct tape, and sometimes it actually works.
I learned the lesson this year that seasoned desert hikers here in Arizona don't carry bladders. They're not reliable enough where water supply is critical, and there are too many sharp things here.
I've never done this or seen it done, but I've heard you can make an emergency patch with duct tape, and sometimes it actually works.
I learned the lesson this year that seasoned desert hikers here in Arizona don't carry bladders. They're not reliable enough where water supply is critical, and there are too many sharp things here.
I've got a nalgene cantene that's been patched with duct tape for 300+ miles of hiking.
use aqua seal can get at outfitters used to repair neoprean
bigcranky
05-25-2009, 21:22
The Platy Patches work great on Platypus and Nalgene Cantene bags -- they even work when water is streaming out of the hole. They ought to work okay on a Camelbak, but I've never tried it. The only thing they won't fix is a seam leak where the water is coming from way up inside the edge seam.
The leak is not on a seam. I is about 1 inch from the bottom, where it buckles slightly.
In regards to Aqua Seal, do you mean the same stuff you use to waterproof boots?
Phoenixdadeadhead
05-25-2009, 21:50
I use Red RTV to fix leaks in my bladders and in my bottles. I am sure other RTV would work just as well but I keep a lot of red around
Hikes with a stick
05-26-2009, 00:22
Just send it back to camelback, and they will send you a brand new one. I had a pinhole leak in my camelback bladder a year or two ago, and they replaced it free of charge. I think they have a lifetime warranty.
john gault
05-26-2009, 08:51
I patched my 100 oz platypus, I used a patch designed for tents and it's still holding - over a year later. I didn't want to take it back to the outfitter since the puncture was my fault.
The Solemates
05-26-2009, 10:33
i have a peice of duct tape on my platypus that's been sufficient at stopping my leak for nearly 2 years now.
I've never done this or seen it done, but I've heard you can make an emergency patch with duct tape, and sometimes it actually works.
I learned the lesson this year that seasoned desert hikers here in Arizona don't carry bladders. They're not reliable enough where water supply is critical, and there are too many sharp things here.
That last bit seems like an overly-broad generalization. Many of the very seasoned AZ hikers I know hike with nladders. I've never met anyone who had a bladder punctured by a cactuc spine or cholla needle. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it seems unlikely. The leaking issue is more of a pressing one (my bladder decided to leak on me on my way up the Rincons) but the easy solution here is just to not store more than a liter of water in your bladder. If the loss of 1 liter will doom you, you're hiking too near the edge anyway.
flemdawg1
05-27-2009, 11:40
warranty@camelbak.com (warranty@camelbak.com)
Camelbak bladders are warrantied for life, email them for a new one.
warranty@camelbak.com (warranty@camelbak.com)
Camelbak bladders are warrantied for life, email them for a new one.
I emailed them over the weekend. No response yet. Thanks guys.
I patched my air bags (for whitewater canoing) with "Vyna Bond" adhesive and patches made from the clear plastic you can find in a fabric store.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/product.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&category_name=19349&product_id=13898&MSCSProfile=95385A1F52DEA1A229D5B375420544642A6755 28D8CEB545DB0F75ADF2CD476CE3B4DEB7BE5BABF20BA2EC5D 4F7BA5C8CA4264542AE0180FE0292D013D2464AD17761812ED 15F53167A592CDE37D264C87E6BCE8B8B580E03E4355A17FE7 064FCF730E51FA834D9641475CF6BE26C993088EF3E9DECC20 557950CF8FB9690EFCCF078730A92373E2
JuiceBox
05-30-2009, 21:54
There's some stuff called Tear-Aid that I carry with me all the time. It's an elastic type plastic that is super strong and has an insanely strong adhesive on it. It won't dry out if exposed to sunlight and is completely waterproof. That would definitely work if you can find it.
Look at a bike shop for these Park Tool pre-glued patch kits.
http://www.sagecycles.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TL01PRPK01&Category_Code=TL01&Store_Code=sc&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=na&utm_campaign=froogle
They stick PERMANENTLY to ANYTHING. I've used them to repair bladders, rafts, rain gear, and yes, bike tubes among many things. Immediate and permanent.
Every other patch material I've used sucks by comparison. It's like comparing DEET to that hippy natural bug repellent that doesn't work at all.
Duct Tape. Duct Tape. Duct Tape. Duct Tape. Duct Tape.
Silliness to send it back.
I've never done this or seen it done, but I've heard you can make an emergency patch with duct tape, and sometimes it actually works.
I learned the lesson this year that seasoned desert hikers here in Arizona don't carry bladders. They're not reliable enough where water supply is critical, and there are too many sharp things here.
I've used a piece of duct tape on a dry Platy to seal a leak for 800 miles on a PCT thru hike until I could find some Aqua Seal that fixed it fine. I would have simply bought another Platy the same size if I could have found on. They are less than $10 in the 2.4 L size at every place I've ever bought one. I've also heard the Platy patches work well, but rarely do I find them available.
All in all, I've found the Platypus to be highly reliable. I wish all my gear was as reliable or durable. I've only had leaks twice while using them, sometimes 2 2.4 L at a time, during the last 4 yrs of hiking on a wide range of trails(AT, PCT, JMT, LT, Hayduke, ArizonaTrl., CT, SHR, etc,). I've used them with no problems in the Mojave, Saguro, and Great Basin deserts. My two leaks came on the AT and northern Cal on the PCT. I don't know why I hear about so many failures with this product. I don't know if it's because people have tendency to exagerrate a bit, that I store it in my rear pocket of my pack that helps safeguards it, that I don't abuse it, people just got a defective unit, or what?
At less than 2 ozs for the 2.4 L model, costing less than $10, and being as reliable as it has I will continue to use these larger water carriers as my #1 choice for hauling water.
Last year I ended up patching one with my thermarest repair kit and 100 MPH tape
The tape alone would probably have worked
Thanks for reminding me....I meant to return it and forgot
I patched mine with Duct Tape 2 years and 1000+ miles ago and it is still working fine.
Ox97GaMe
06-20-2009, 23:54
I patched a hole in the side seam of a platypus once with Duct Tape. I wasnt using the platypus every day at that time, but was going out quite regularly for weekend trips. The duct tape patch lasted until I got a new platypus about 3 months later and threw the old one away.
If you have one of the blue water bladders, this might not work. or if the hole is in the side of the bladder vs on a seam.