View Full Version : Watr Rexervoir or not?
tucker0104
10-13-2008, 08:44
I wanted to get everyone's opinion on whether they like water reservoirs or not. It seems like it is mixed opinions
I used one for camp, but not while hiking. Hard to know exactly how much water you have left in a bladder, while this is apparent in a water bottle. Also easier to fill a water bottle on the run.
I think you carry too much water when you are using a bladder while hiking. Maybe an extra pound or two.
Love my camelback bladder system, extremely convenient.
I used one for camp, but not while hiking. Hard to know exactly how much water you have left in a bladder, while this is apparent in a water bottle. Also easier to fill a water bottle on the run.
I think you carry too much water when you are using a bladder while hiking. Maybe an extra pound or two.
Ditto. I carry a big Nalgene bladder for camp water only. For hiking water, I use a couple of Gatorade bottles. I replace them every once in a while.
I use a Platy reservoir and hydration tube. Love it. I was very slow in adopting, but find it very convenient now. I also carry an extra Platy bottle for camp water - very compact and light when not in use.
In winter, the hydration systems are not as optimal due to freezing. At night in cold weather, make sure to blow the water out of the tube before bed, or you will be fighting a frozen system in the AM.
They are handy in camp. I don't hike with a hydration system. I simply use bottles.
Blissful
10-13-2008, 11:23
Used Platypus system for drinking on the trail - 3 liter bag. Used a Nalgene canteen for camp - but there were two of us, so that worked out better for our water needs.
bigcranky
10-13-2008, 12:50
I tried several drinking tube systems, and went back to bottles. (1-liter Aqua Fina bottles -- cheap, readily available, last forever, and come pre-filled with water for your convenience.) I do carry a 6-liter platypus bag for collecting and treating water. I find it easier to go collect water once, and treat it all at the same time using Aqua Mira.
I liked the convenience of the drinking tube thing, but they required a lot of maintenance to keep the bladder and tube clean; more than I was willing to do.
daddytwosticks
10-13-2008, 14:54
The same as Big Cranky, however, I keep the platy bag as a dedicated dirty water container while in camp. This allows sediment and other junk to settle out. I decant water from the platy into my Gatoraid bottles and treat with aqua-mira as needed while in camp.
gonewalkabout
10-21-2008, 11:48
I switched from bottles to a Platypus 5 years ago and will never go back to bottles. I carry a three L. I only fill as much or as litle as I think I need. After you've hiked enough you can gage you water left without looking. If you use Naglene botles the platypus is much lighter. I fill it with my solo pot 0r a zip lock if needed (bags are hard to fill by smarging in water). Alsothe system allow you to slip water more often which I belive is beter than drinking a largr amount of water every time you remember. With bottles I only drank when I stopped or remembered to which might not have been for an hour. In cold weather I go back to bottles with wide mouths. The wide mouth is good for pouring hot or boiling bervage in and easiler to keep the mouth from freezeing.
garlic08
10-21-2008, 19:40
I use a one liter water bottle daily and carry a 2L playpus which stays empty 90% of the time.
MileMonster
10-21-2008, 21:59
My 2 cents:
I use two 1L Aquafina bottles while hiking - 1L Aquafina bottles have a wide mouth. I used a bladder for a while years back but moved away from it. On the AT the 1L bottles were easy to find and I could throw them away every so often for new clean ones. I carry a 4L platypus for use at camp. It is nice to go to the water source and bring back a bunch of water, especially when the source is not right next to camp.
- MM.