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dhooton
01-20-2009, 23:59
What brand of hydration bladder has the least offensive aftertaste? I have a bladder from Mountainsmith that I got ten years ago, and a cheap Walmart off-brand bladder that I got two months ago. Both of them taint the taste of the water, no matter how many times I wash the bladders out.

Serial 07
01-21-2009, 00:01
i used a platypus...never thought i had a "taste"...

Alligator
01-21-2009, 00:12
Nothing from platypus, but I have noticed odd tastes in two bladders that have come with packs that I bought. (Bike packs). I bought them for the packs though, I figured the bladders were cheap.

Gaiter
01-21-2009, 00:14
another vote for platypus

Compass
01-21-2009, 00:19
Platypus or the Nalgene that feels like the Platypus. I think the harder the plastic the less flavors taint it.

Tennessee Viking
01-21-2009, 00:47
What brand of hydration bladder has the least offensive aftertaste? I have a bladder from Mountainsmith that I got ten years ago, and a cheap Walmart off-brand bladder that I got two months ago. Both of them taint the taste of the water, no matter how many times I wash the bladders out.
I got the Walmart bladder. My first one I didn't treat the bladder, and I eventually got used to the taste. But just use some lemon juice, it does work wonders. But keep an eye on the cap, it will crack easily if you over fill it or pack it too tightly.

theinfamousj
01-21-2009, 01:21
No flavors from either Platypus or Nalgene Canteen.

Mercy
01-21-2009, 08:31
none from MSR Cloudliner

Summit
01-21-2009, 09:53
One of the reasons why I don't use bladders . . .

kytrailman
01-21-2009, 10:21
nalgene and platy bladders are made from food-grade poly that does not pick-up taste. Many other bladders ( like camelbacks) are made from some rubbery looking/feeling stuff that definitely gives it a strange taste. Get a platy and be done with it.

rp1790
01-21-2009, 11:54
I have a Camelbak 3ltr bladder and that has a bad taste. Also have an MSR Cloudliner and that has no taste at all.

snowhoe
01-21-2009, 12:21
Are you cleaning the bag after you use it? I once forgot to dump out my playtus and left it for a bout a week and it tasted a little funny after that. I just cleaned it good and now its fine.

kytrailman
01-21-2009, 12:34
yeah- bad taste in a platy is just from sitting water- it can be cleaned pretty easily- the others actually create the taste from the bladdder material.

dhooton
01-21-2009, 14:08
That seems farily unanimous to me. Thanks everyone.

jrnj5k
01-21-2009, 15:26
ive heard that if you take a 2 liter diet coke and let it go flat and then pour it into your bladder and let it sit there overnight, when you empty it out in the am its supposed to take that bad taste out.

snowhoe
01-21-2009, 20:20
I kinda heard the same thing except you dont let it go flat you just pour it in fresh and add 4 mento's to it and put the lid on real quick

Jack Tarlin
01-21-2009, 20:38
I've had the same water bag for a decade or so and never noticed a problem.

Then again, unlike some folks, I actually clean mine out once in awhile.

All water carriers should be cleaned out regularly. Gatorade bottles, Nalgenes, and Platys should be regularly washed with soap and hot water.

Pay attention to the threads, where the mung tends to collect.

When you change your toothbrush (assuming you intend to do this over six months), that's a good time to use your old brush to scrub out the neck threads on your bottles.

If you're using disposable bottles, replace them regularly.

With good water bags, like MSR Dromedarys, it's a good idea to wash them out occasionally with soap, warm water, and a little baking soda, which you can buy for cheap, or find at most hostels.

But like a lot of other things, (filters, cookpots, scrubbers, etc.) it's not so much the normal accumulation of crud that is the issue as much as it is a hiker aversion to regular maintenance, care, and simple hygeine.

Or to put it simply, on the Trail, things that get washed regularly tend to stink less.

Imagine that.

Mongoose2
01-21-2009, 22:02
Wash your bladder out with baking soda, this will remove the "after taste"

Blissful
01-21-2009, 22:07
I've used drops of bleach to disinfect my playtpus and a pipe cleaner (you can get them at craft stores for craft projects) to get the gunk out of the drinking tube. No problems with it.

Tennessee Viking
01-21-2009, 23:54
I kinda heard the same thing except you dont let it go flat you just pour it in fresh and add 4 mento's to it and put the lid on real quickI would love to see that.

Tinker
01-22-2009, 00:22
No flavors from either Platypus or Nalgene Canteen.

Ditto. Can't say the same for the MSR plastic one, though.

Tinker
01-22-2009, 00:24
I kinda heard the same thing except you dont let it go flat you just pour it in fresh and add 4 mento's to it and put the lid on real quick

Don't forget to shake well. :D:eek:

dhooton
01-26-2009, 22:53
I kinda heard the same thing except you dont let it go flat you just pour it in fresh and add 4 mento's to it and put the lid on real quick

And then use the bite valve to direct the spray at my hiking partners... Brilliant.

River Runner
01-27-2009, 00:18
I usually just rinse my Platy out well then throw it in the freezer until the next time I need it. Works well for me.

Lyle
01-27-2009, 00:49
Platys - never noticed any taste.

Also I use AquaMira. This should remove many of the "tastes" associated with various water sources. Keep your bladders for plain H2O. Make any mixes in Gatorade bottles.

d'shadow
01-27-2009, 01:42
be sure and air them out well, the problem could be mold.