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katyk
03-01-2016, 16:58
I have a camel back that came with my backpack. I'm wonder is it better to use it or carry water some other way?

AlyontheAT2016
03-01-2016, 17:25
Get out on the trail and figure out what you prefer to use. I prefer to use a bladder so I don't have to stop and drink (I have an attachment that lets me refill it from a water bottle through the hose, without having to pull the whole setup out of my pack). Other people prefer drinking out of bottles, and still others prefer to guzzle as much as they can at the water source so they don't have to carry water at all.

DuneElliot
03-01-2016, 17:53
I actually prefer a combination. I have a bladder in my day pack that I want to try in my multi day pack, but I also carry Smart Water bottles to use with my Sawyer filter. But the best thing to do, as AlyontheAT said...get out and try it. See what works best for you

tiptoe
03-01-2016, 18:20
I like to carry both, too. Water bottles are easier to fill (I use an old ULA gravity filter) and to pour water from when cooking. They are also easier to rinse out when I use them with flavoring.

A 1-liter Platypus is nice for sipping from as I hike.

So my routine is to carry the Platy as well as two 1-liter Powerade bottles and maybe even a smaller plastic bottle for the flavored treat. I rarely fill all of them, but in the event I need to, I have them.

bigcranky
03-01-2016, 18:28
Lots of hikers like the camelback style bladder. The bladder makes it easy to drink on the go, and carries well inside the pack. But it's difficult to see how much water is left inside, and can be difficult to refill and get back inside a well-loaded pack. Plus, the hoses can be difficult to keep clean. Try it for a while, if you don't like it you can buy some 1-liter Gatorade bottles for about a buck each at the grocery store, and they come with free Gatorade inside :)

Odd Man Out
03-01-2016, 18:30
I have Gatorade bottles (20 oz each) that strap to my pack shoulder straps. I don't like drinking from a hose. As already pointed out its a personal preference. I like the way the bottles ride on the shoulders. The help to balance the load on my back and I can reach them easily when hiking. I have two Evernew water bladders (900 mL each) which is for extra water if I am hiking a hot dry stretch or dry camping. One is used for dirty water for my filter. The other is a backup.

Hosh
03-01-2016, 18:46
I have always thought bladders were better for hauling large quantities of water between sources. Typically for us, we use 3L Ospreys for desert hiking in UT or AZ.

If water sources are frequent, a single or 2 bottle system works. Also if you use mixes, the bladders are more work to clean.

Auto Draft
03-01-2016, 19:07
I used a bladder plus one dirty Smart Water bottle plus one clean Smart Water bottle plus a 2.5-L Platypus for extra capacity at night. The dirty bottle was used to filter water into the bladder or clean bottle.

If I was to do another thru hike, I would not do the bladder. I would carry two 1-L Gatorade bottles and figure out a way to mount them on the front of my shoulder straps. Instead of a filter I'd use Aquamira. One bottle would be drinkable while the other one was treating. I'd also carry a 3-L Platypus for extra capacity.

At the end of my hike, the Sawyer was getting hard to get water through, even with backflush. Filling up the Smart Water bottles in a stream took three times as long as the wide-mouth Gatorade bottles.

Vegan Packer
03-02-2016, 04:13
For this season, I am switching completely to bottles. I just don't want to chance it with carrying a bladder inside of my pack. My last pack had a sleeve that was outside, but it was much heavier than my new pack, which doesn't have an external sleeve, and I just don't want to take the risk of a leak inside of my pack.

I have a problem with being able to reach back to my pack's side pockets, so I am going to carry two half liter bottles on my shoulder straps (one on each shoulder), which should cover me for while I am walking, and then I will carry larger Smartwater bottles in the pack's side pockets, so that I have enough capacity for at camp. That gives me a total capacity of up to four liters, if needed.

hikernutcasey
03-02-2016, 09:42
+1 for Gatorade bottles. I'm a section hiker so I just buy a couple 1 liter Gatorades and once they are empty just fill them up and treat it with Aqua Mira. To each their own but I can't think of a more simple and cheap solution.

garlic08
03-02-2016, 17:38
I had some problems with the reliability of bladder systems years ago and won't use them any more. 1) Bite valves and bushwhacking don't mix! 2) Set your pack down on whitethorn acacia in the Sonoran Desert and it will puncture the bladder through pack cloth. 3) When you fill the bladder at a natural source and there are pine needles in the water, one will get stuck in the bite valve, requiring a tear down and reassembly in a cloud of mosquitoes. 4) Setting the pack down on the bite valve will result in the loss of all your water. (Most have a shut-off valve now, maybe partly because of the nasty letters I wrote after that desert hike adventure a dozen years ago.)

MuddyWaters
03-02-2016, 17:49
2x 1L dasani bottles If you have a pack with real side pockets designed for them

If you have to take pack off to get water, or rely on others to hand it to you, you need another system. Many arent flexible enough to use side pockets and bottles efficiently.

Captain Bluebird
03-02-2016, 18:13
I now prefer water bottles over a bladder. The main reason for the switch is my Osprey bladder started leaking at the site of the screw on cap. No matter how many tries I made, water slowly leaked into my backpack, down the backpack and down my shorts! The bladder was just over a year when it decided to fail and unfortunately, out of warranty. I never knew the water content with the bladder and it was a task in filling while on the trail. By the way, I prefer Smart Water bottles over G-rade. They're slimmer in nature and lighter!

trpost
03-02-2016, 18:39
I find I drink less water when I use a bladder and a bite valve. Small sips taken often keep me feeling better than occasional drinks from a water bottle. I suffer from dry mouth, so that makes drinking often important.

I have had a problem with the bite valve letting lots of water out when I accidently left it open and set the pack on it. My pack has a sleeve, and I have not had any problems putting a full bladder into the sleeve. I do carry a liter bottle as well, so when my water bladder runs dry I know I have one liter left. How much water goes in the bladder depends on how far it is to the next water source.

bikebum1975
03-02-2016, 22:55
Depends bout the only time I like a bladder is on the bike otherwise I prefer bottles. I actually prefer the army style canteens that Nalgene makes

squeezebox
03-03-2016, 00:36
I went from a 3 L bladder to q 2L because it fit better horizontally in the pack.

GreenBlaze
03-03-2016, 01:26
I've been using both bottles and reservoirs for a few years. If I'm day hiking or on my bike I always use a bladder. Just so much easier to manage. I'm not sure about LD hiking with a bladder though. I think if you get the sawyer connection kit and allow yourself a way to fill it while inside the back it wouldn't be a big deal. This is what I do, but I haven't field tested it for long miles. I'd go bottles if I found that I had to remove it from my backpack often. There's also the risk of leaking, bit if you've got a pack liner (trash compactor bag) the only real risk is losing water when you need it most!

AlyontheAT2016
03-03-2016, 01:49
Along the lines of previous posts, I should have mentioned that I also carry a separate Gatorade bottle for drink mixes so I don't gum up my bladder, and on my thru hike I plan to carry a 1L smartwater bottle as well as an Evernew bag, both of which work with Sawyer filters.

Leo L.
03-03-2016, 06:02
For my desert hikes I got some industrial square shape 1,5lt bottles, carrying a max of 6pcs. The size is just perfect for handling, and the square shape gives perfect fit into the backpack without wasted space.
IMHO ist absolutely mandatory for such a critical resource as water in the desert, to spread it over multiple containers, in case of a leakage. Have seen some leaking bladders and would take a bladder only for a short and sportive action.
At times I have to fill up "bad" water, a kind that I only would drink in emegency case, so I mark this bottle with a stripe of tape, and empty it as soon as I get better quality. Easy management, using a number of smaller bottles instead of just 1-2 big containers.

I have a 0,4lt bottle dangling from my bumbag (containing the digicam and some small emergencies) belt for drinking between reststops.
For LD hike where steady progress is more essential I would rather take two slim 0,75lt bottles attatched to the shoulder straps.

Traveler
03-03-2016, 07:33
Lots of hikers like the camelback style bladder. The bladder makes it easy to drink on the go, and carries well inside the pack. But it's difficult to see how much water is left inside, and can be difficult to refill and get back inside a well-loaded pack. Plus, the hoses can be difficult to keep clean. Try it for a while, if you don't like it you can buy some 1-liter Gatorade bottles for about a buck each at the grocery store, and they come with free Gatorade inside :)

I had the "how much is left" problem for a while when I switched to bladders a few years ago and had to figure out a way to estimate water load without having to remove the bladder from my pack. I found that I have a fairly predictable consumption over set distances and could use miles traveled as a guide to start looking for water sources. This allows me to carry a minimal amount of water and figure out where the next water fill stop will probably be. Every once in a while I will stop and have more water than I figured on, but rarely do I have less. This may not work for everyone but seems to work well for me.

LittleRock
03-03-2016, 16:56
Depends. If I'm hiking solo, I like to use a bladder because otherwise I'd have to take off my pack every time I wanted a drink. If I'm hiking with someone, then I like to use bottles because it's easier to monitor consumption.

lonehiker
03-03-2016, 18:43
I started with hard nalgene bottles but switched to a bladder (3L) around 20 years ago. I frequently just start with 3 liters of water which allows me to skip water sources throughout the day. My pack is light enough that 3-4 extra pounds for part of the day doesn't bother me. I generally know about how much water I have remaining in my bladder based upon years of using a bladder. I've always just filled directly into bladder without removing it from pack. With the Sawyer, I used to have an adapter on it then I would just pull bite valve off and attach to end of hose but have since switched to a quick-connect system. On the southern sections of the PCT I went with both a 3L bladder and a couple of bottles. On big water hauls I drink bladder water first. This allowed me to know exactly where I stand on water (once bladder was depleted).

One additional draw for me on the use of bladders is that a significant amount of weight is positioned perfectly in my pack, close to my back and the right height. This also acts as padding for the times I carry my kindle. I place it between the bladder and my back.

I've never had a bladder leak on me but I do replace them as needed. Perhaps every other year on average. Have had the bite valve come off on 3 or 4 occasions but have always located them. But because of this I now carry a spare in my repair kit.

Another Kevin
03-03-2016, 18:55
I have had a problem with the bite valve letting lots of water out when I accidently left it open and set the pack on it. My pack has a sleeve, and I have not had any problems putting a full bladder into the sleeve. I do carry a liter bottle as well, so when my water bladder runs dry I know I have one liter left. How much water goes in the bladder depends on how far it is to the next water source.

I see you mention accidentally leaving the valve open, so you know it closes... but a lot of hikers I've met seem to be unaware that a Camelbak bite valve has a shutoff valve. (That piece of yellow plastic on it turns, and shuts off the flow of water.

A worse problem is that I've, exactly once, got the valve caught in a 'biner that I had clipped to a ladder strap. It pulled out and the entire contents of the reservoir siphoned out all down the front of me. I was not a happy hiker. But I don't think I could do that trick again if I tried!

Harrison Bergeron
03-03-2016, 19:11
A camel back is great for dayhikes, but not much use for really long hikes. They require frequent cleaning, you have to unload your pack to fill them, they take up room in your pack, they leak all over your stuff, you can't tell when you're running out, and most of all THEY'RE HEAVY!


For the weight of my camelback (7.8oz) I can carry:


2 liter platypus for camp: 1.3
2 - 700 liter Ozarka bottles: 1.2
20 oz Poweraid bottle with wide mouth for powedered drinks: .6
DIY Water bottle holster: .4
DIY Water bucket: .8
Top of Smart Water bottle cut off for use as funnel: .6


Total: 4.9 oz


Savings: 2.9 oz.

jbix1958
03-03-2016, 20:54
I just purchased a ULA Catalyst backpack and the shoulder straps have adjustable water bottle elastic holders built in to the straps up front as well as reachable sleeves on the sides for additional bottles. Think I'll ditch the bladder & go bottles only...2 Gatorade and 2 Smart water. Four bottles along with my Sawyer should do me fine.

shakey_snake
03-04-2016, 08:21
Use a hat.

Only use an old boot when absolutely necessary.

Traveler
03-04-2016, 09:08
A camel back is great for dayhikes, but not much use for really long hikes. They require frequent cleaning, you have to unload your pack to fill them, they take up room in your pack, they leak all over your stuff, you can't tell when you're running out, and most of all THEY'RE HEAVY!


For the weight of my camelback (7.8oz) I can carry:


2 liter platypus for camp: 1.3
2 - 700 liter Ozarka bottles: 1.2
20 oz Poweraid bottle with wide mouth for powedered drinks: .6
DIY Water bottle holster: .4
DIY Water bucket: .8
Top of Smart Water bottle cut off for use as funnel: .6

Total: 4.9 oz

Savings: 2.9 oz.

To present the opposing point of view, I use bladders pretty much exclusively without much trouble. I have not seen conditions where any bladders I have used require frequent cleaning, though that may be more of a personal issue as to how often one cleans them out. I do not mix flavored powders in the bladder, so that may reduce the need for cleaning and I filter water from ground sources so that may have a cleaning impact. I don't have to unload a pack to get water into the bladder and can refill it in place.

I have not had issues with leakage and getting stuff wet, though I have seen people try to save grams by trimming the plastic edges of bladder seams too close and develop a leak, do not pay attention when sealing the lid that allows them to leak when squeezed, or not close off the bite valve that can siphon water out of the bladder in some situations. I do not trim edges of the bladder and pay attention when securing the lid and hosing hardware to avoid that potential. The packs I use have a bladder compartment so gear space is not impacted.

The CamelBak I carry is a 3 liter size (100 fl oz) with hosing and bite valve, total weight by my scale is 6.3 ounces (advertised specification states 6.5 ounces). I will usually carry about a liter with me most of the time, depending on the distance of the next water source and have been able to determine what my basic water consumption is per mile, which makes source selection easier. I will fill it up when making camp.

Overall, my water containment weight is only 1.4 ounces heavier and does not have as many things associated with it.

This doesn't mean my system is better or worse than others, just another way of doing the same thing.

Another Kevin
03-04-2016, 13:52
To present the opposing point of view, I use bladders pretty much exclusively without much trouble. I have not seen conditions where any bladders I have used require frequent cleaning, though that may be more of a personal issue as to how often one cleans them out. I do not mix flavored powders in the bladder, so that may reduce the need for cleaning and I filter water from ground sources so that may have a cleaning impact. I don't have to unload a pack to get water into the bladder and can refill it in place.

I'm another Camelbak user, but being a clueless weekender, I probably am doing it all wrong. I basically don't drink untreated surface water, ever. (I make an exception for a couple of springs that I know have artesian sources.) So there's nothing in the bladder but clean water. The other thing that causes bladders to need frequent cleaning is biofilm formation. I find that if I use Aqua Mira at least once every day or two, even if I'm otherwise filling the Camelbak from a Sawyer filter, that does a great deal to cut down on film formation in the first place.

My usual load of containers is a two-litre Camelbak and a one-litre Nalgene. The Nalgene bottle also is my coffee maker / hot cup / thermos (I made a Reflectix cover for it), so I'm willing to carry the few extra ounces. I don't carry a separate coffee cup, and I tend to want coffee with my porridge in the morning, not before or after it.

In winter, the Camelbak stays home, because the hose freezes too easily. I bring a couple of extra Nalgene bottles - all with Reflectix sleeves. I don't like using things like Gatorade bottles for the purpose because too often I'm pouring in boiling water and the soft drink bottles don't hold up to that very well. Some of them also impart a plastic taste to hot water, which must indicate chemical leaching, which can't be good. I do bring one Smartwater bottle on winter trips, but that's for wastewater, not drinking water.

I've on at least one occasion tucked a Polident tablet in a resupply box, to give the reservoir a thorough cleaning while I was in town with access to piped water. That also helps with removing the lime deposits that it tends to get if I'm hiking in karst terrain.

Jack Tarlin
03-04-2016, 14:21
The advantage to bladders/hydration systems is that you have constant accessibility to your water, i.e. no struggling to reach (and replace) a water bottle after you drink. You also tend to drink more often, which is a good thing, as hikers are pretty much chronically dehydrated from not drinking enough.

The dis-advantage to hydration systems is that they can leak, or lose a bite valve, and some are easily punctured. However the real dis-advantage is that when it's buried in your pack. it's easy to lose track of how much water you've got left; you don't want to find yourself sucking on an empty bag and then discover you're five miles away from the next water source. So if you opt for the bladder, check it periodically so you know how much is in your tank; you may also want to carry a small (16-20 oz.) plastic bottle as a back-up.

Instead of Nalgenes, a lot of folks are switching to Gatorade or better yet, 1 qt. Powerade bottles, which are narrower and have a better hand grip. And we're seeing lots of 1 liter Smart Water bottles, which are really narrow, fit easily in and out of sleeves on the sides of your pack, and best of all, work well with the increasingly popular Sawyer filtration system.

Another Kevin
03-04-2016, 18:57
Instead of Nalgenes, a lot of folks are switching to Gatorade or better yet, 1 qt. Powerade bottles, which are narrower and have a better hand grip. And we're seeing lots of 1 liter Smart Water bottles, which are really narrow, fit easily in and out of sleeves on the sides of your pack, and best of all, work well with the increasingly popular Sawyer filtration system.

Yeah. I still don't trust the Gatorade/Powerade/SmartWater bottles wiht boiling water. In summer, I carry one Nalgene to serve as a coffee maker. In winter, I may be boiling all my drinking water (if I need to melt it, I might as well boil it) and so I want my containers to be able to handle it. If I didn't use a bladder, I'd surely use the lighter bottles in warm weather, because I only need one coffee pot.

I do throw maybe a pint of water in the one Nalgene I carry, as a "reserve tank" in case I space out and let the bladder run dry.

Secondmouse
03-07-2016, 13:45
I drink a lot of water so I use a combination of 2L bladder, 1L Smartwater and 1L Gatorade bottle, though I don't fill them all at the same time.

the 2L bladder is for drinking on the move. this is normally all the water I carry but I can supplement with the Gatorade bottle.

the Gatorade bottle is for in camp, with drink mixes, etc.. it's normally empty on the move but I'll sometimes fill it if I'm not sure of supply, It's also an alternate source in case the Platy fails.

the Smartwater bottle is my dirty water because the Sawyer filter screws right on. I carry it empty and filter when water is available and needed. If something happened to my bladder, I could throw some tablets in there to sterilize the bottle and use it as an alternate clean water container.

Longboysfan
03-07-2016, 18:06
I have the 2L Platupus internal and 2 gatorade bottles full to start.
In the heat - over 50 degrees - you will go through water quickly.

I used Sawyer Squeeze, not the mini.

katyk
03-08-2016, 14:55
Thanks guys, I hate the taste of my camel back and hose but I haven't tried to carry it on my shoulder strap so I will try it this weekend. This is my first AT hike and my first overnight hike. I am hiking the Georgia part of the AT the last week in April. I am trying to get the best possible of everything without spending a fortune.

One Half
03-11-2016, 01:42
my problem with a bladder has always been accessing it to refill it. Trying to get it out of a tight pack and then back in when full. Any suggestions?

cbr6fs
03-11-2016, 06:05
I used to use water bottles but left the cap off one time and the contents spilled out ;-)

Hikes in Rain
03-11-2016, 06:45
I found the pocket for my bladder to be impractical for that reason. Now I just lay it flat across the top of the load. As it collapses, it's shape conforms to the top of the other stuff so it doesn't shift. That part worked better than expected.

Odd Man Out
03-11-2016, 09:14
I have two water bottles for drinking, but have two 900 mL bladders. One is for dirty water when filtering with a Sawer. The other is a backup. One or both can be used for extra water if I hit a dry stretch, or if I need to dry camp. The can fit in the side pockets, but I find they carry better if I lie the on the top of my pack , right behind my head. The most efficient way to carry weight is centered over the spine. When I hike, I lean forward, so the extra water weight is in an optimal location.

Another Kevin
03-11-2016, 12:10
my problem with a bladder has always been accessing it to refill it. Trying to get it out of a tight pack and then back in when full. Any suggestions?

I take the bite valve off my Camelbak and plug my Sawyer Mini into the hose. I can feel the back pressure when the bag is full.