To bladder or not to bladder... that is the question!

[HangNhike]

I am headed out to the AT on Tuesday for 4 days - 40 miles (Springer to Neel's Gap). I just purchased my first internal framed back, I was using a VERY old Kelty external for years, so I am excited. Well my new pack has pockets on each side for bottles (typical) as well as a seperate compartment for a hydration bladder. The bottles I have are 48oz Nalgene's equaling 96 or almost 3 liters. I don't currently have a hydration bladder. Should I make the investment into a hydration bladder of rthis trip or is it overkill?

We are using a Katadyn gravity filter so we can fill up accordingly. I've read some articles stating that you shouldn't carry more than 2-3 liters at a time, other say carry as much as you can. I just wanted some input from those who actually hike this area

[Rocket Jones]

I haven't hiked that area, but I cut the hydration bladder pocket out of my pack to save a couple of ounces. I just use bottles in the side pockets, and have a 2 liter platypus softside bottle that rolls up and stores small. I use the 2 liter if I need the extra carrying capacity or for my overnight camp.

[Wise Old Owl]

There is a current thread going on
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?94554-Bottles-vs-Bladders

[slbirdnerd]

I haven't hiked that area, but I cut the hydration bladder pocket out of my pack to save a couple of ounces. I just use bottles in the side pockets, and have a 2 liter platypus softside bottle that rolls up and stores small. I use the 2 liter if I need the extra carrying capacity or for my overnight camp. +1, only I haven't cut up my pack yet. ;)

[bfayer]

I find I love bladders for hiking, but I hate them for camping.

They are a pain to pull out of the pack and refill, they are terrible to get water out of for cooking, and in cold weather the hose freezes.

But I love the ease of grabbing the hose and drinking on the go.

If I know I will be hiking long days in hot weather, I take a bladder. If I know it might freeze, or I am planning on cooking more than one meal a day, or spending more time in camp, I take bottles.

Both have their place.

[Energizer Bunny]

I live in N Ga and we have had our fair share of rain so far this year (and last). There should be no water shortage issues. With that being said I have found that I love the bladder when I am hiking, but like bfrayer said it is a pain at camp. I recently started taking a nalgene with me that I fill for cooking and camp stuff and found it works out well. I hope this helps - enjoy!

[HangNhike]

Well I guess I will have a lok at the map and see where the water spots are. Last year when we did a section in TN the only was source was a dribble and very muddy. The other two guys are "over packers" and have 2 32ox z nalgenes plus 70oz camelbacks each so we had enough to get through the second day. Part of me just doesn't want the extra weight... the other half doesn't want to run out of water lol

[Nutbrown]

I actually like the bladder for camp. Mine holds 4 liters, so I fill it up 1x, and have it hanging from a tree branch with the hose clamped. Easy water for cooking, washing, and plenty to last through the evening and on till morning for coffee and breakfast. With the bottles you are always going for a refill.

But to answer your question, I wouldn't bother with the investment on this trip. I tend to make one big purchase each section hike, and a bladder system will cost about $100. I would wait till the next trip. ...it always stings a little when you finally have all the gear you need and you don't get to make the one purchase each time, so spread the joy ;)

[redseal]

You do not need a bladder. If you found a system that works for you that is all that matters. For me, I like a bladder as I can grab a quick drink while walking. I typically carry an empty bottle such that I can mix up a breakfast shake or something when I do not want to "pollute" my water bladder.

[HangNhike]

But to answer your question, I wouldn't bother with the investment on this trip. I tend to make one big purchase each section hike, and a bladder system will cost about $100.

$100? I was looking at the 3L Camelbak Antidote and it was $35... the Osprey and Lezyne are similar. Which bladder system are you refering to?

[Nutbrown]

I got the whole system...the 2 bags and the filter in between. It's the platypus.

[Nutbrown]

Sorry, I thought you were considering changing the system, not just the carrier...

[HangNhike]

Ya just the carrier. I am considering ADDING the camelbak to my exsisting 2 Nalgene's... It just seems liek it may be a bit much

[Sarcasm the elf]

I am a huge fan of my hydration bladder. Simply put, having a drinking tube on your shoulder strap encourages you to drink when you're thirsty and does a much better job of keeping you hydrated then hiking for an hour in between water breaks.

What I am NOT a fan of is the internal hydration sleeves that manufactures build into packs, it just isn't practical to have to remove all of your gear in order to access your bladder each time it needs to be refilled. My bladder rides on top of my other gear inside my pack, usually with 1-1.5 liters of water in it. This way it is the very first thing I see when I open my pack, I can see how much water is in it and I can easily refill it without having to dig it out of my pack.

I will often use a 1 liter nalgene as well, keeping a liter in my bladder and a liter in the bottle. When the bladder gets empty I pour the water from the Nalgene into it, then when I pass a water source I just fill up the nalgene, add aquamira and put it back in the side pocket.

[Nytro]

I have bottles as well and bladders, I prefer bottles as I feel bladders get grimy after a couple of days. Also even with a large 3 liter platypus zip big, the water tastes funny when theres only a little left.

[lemon b]

Won't use one. They seem unclean.

[Slosteppin]

We all develop our own preferences - and biases. I like using a hydration bladder and hose for hiking. I've used a two liter bladder inside my pack for several years. There are two big negatives with this system. First, the bladder inside takes up pack room and second it is much harder to refill the bladder. I've started using two one-liter bladders, one in each side pocket. When I empty one I switch the hose to the other. It is easy to stop at the next water source and refill the bladders.

[Rolls Kanardly]

I bought a Osprey 100L day pack and found a spare Osprey 100L bladder on sale for 50% off retail to use as a spare. I checked the volume in both bladders and each one was 12 ounces less than listed. 1 or 2 ounces to me would be an accepetable tolerance but 12%? Use your own judgement when chosing your hydration baldder.:(
As far as using a bladder I really like to use one. I also add a two liter bottle on four miles or greater hikes since I live in AZ and hiking in the summer time makes me real thirsty.

[Half Note]

I only use mine for day hikes. It just takes up too much room once it's in the pack. Although I have seen some that apparently go on the outside of the pack, that's very ingenious and I would possibly reconsider using one for my weekend hikes if my pack had that capability.

[MDSection12]

I only use mine for day hikes. It just takes up too much room once it's in the pack. Although I have seen some that apparently go on the outside of the pack, that's very ingenious and I would possibly reconsider using one for my weekend hikes if my pack had that capability.

They generally hang off the back of your pack... Putting what is likely the heaviest thing you carry far from your center of gravity is a bad idea.

[turtle fast]

I find that its more of a pain to use a bladder, though lighter than a Nalgene bottle for example, they are prone to punctures and leaking thru the bite valve, as well as cleaning/disinfecting the thing is a pain. I as well am not a fan of drinking like a gerbil as if I want to take mega gulps I can do that. Also, you can mix drinks in a Nalgene and as well use it to hold hot drinks, and cleaning/disinfecting it is easy. Weighs more....yes....but a Nalgene is more versatile than a bladder.

[JaxHiker]

I replaced my bladders with Gatorade bottles years ago. Much lighter than Nalgene and no wondering how much you have left. Filling the bladder in the pack never worked. Either it was too compressed by everything else or it got more air than water in it.

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[Trance]

Forget the bladder and Nalagene bottles..... it's all extra weight you dont need.

Opt instead for 32oz Gatorade bottles and for mass water, carry a nalagene canteen..... thin one that you can collapse. I got one from REI 96oz and like $10... used it carry water on hot days. Can grab water and pretreat it in the canteen too. Nice to wake up and have it ready and cool too.

[turtle fast]

I use Gatoraide/Poweraide liter bottles as well for my water, but a Nalgene is nice to have when the temperature plummets and you boil up some water (good also when purifing you water by boiling) and you got a nice hot water bottle on the bottom of your sleeping bag and something to drink and make breakfast in the morning.

[litefoot2000]

I carry two 0.5 liter bottles. No exceptions.

[Another Kevin]

I find I stay hydrated better if I can take little sips without even breaking stride, so I use bladder and hose. I also carry one Nalgene so that I have something I can put a hot beverage in, and because it fits the flange on my filter. In a well-watered area I might be carrying it empty.

If I need a fourth litre I use an empty soft drink bottle of some sort. I have a four-litre water carry coming up, I think. A stretch of trail in which all the water sources are 600-1000 feet of elevation loss. I'd rather carry a fourth litre than have to climb down and up that more than once a day to fetch water.

[billnchristy]

We carry 3l bladders but I think I want to drop to 2l. I also pack a platypus .5l for cooking. I filter straight to it and use it to cook, then fill again to clean up. It works pretty good.

If you go with Platypus hosers you can use the hose on any of their bottles, even the little .5l.

[Walkintom]

I get thirsty easy and often so I use a bladder. The convenience of drinking sips all along is a game changer for me.

However, I also find the frustration of getting a bladder in and out of a hydration sleeve on most packs to be a huge pain - and one that I now avoid by not using the hydration sleeve. Depending on how full my pack is, the bladder goes in last on top of everything else (preferred) or gets strapped on the outside of the pack. I'm done unpacking and repacking half my goods because of poor hydration sleeve placement.

Of course, on the Osprey Aether, the hydration sleeve is accessed from outside the pack, which means my next heavy duty pack may be an Aether...

[4eyedbuzzard]

We carry 3l bladders but I think I want to drop to 2l. I also pack a platypus .5l for cooking. I filter straight to it and use it to cook, then fill again to clean up. It works pretty good.

If you go with Platypus hosers you can use the hose on any of their bottles, even the little .5l.I've found the 3 liter bladder lies much flatter and nicer in the pack filled to 2 liters rather than a 2 liter bladder filled up most of the way. Not a big difference in weight.

[Walkintom]

I've found the 3 liter bladder lies much flatter and nicer in the pack filled to 2 liters rather than a 2 liter bladder filled up most of the way. Not a big difference in weight.

+1. The extra capacity is a good thing and is achieved for minimal weight/space.

[billnchristy]

I've found the 3 liter bladder lies much flatter and nicer in the pack filled to 2 liters rather than a 2 liter bladder filled up most of the way. Not a big difference in weight.

I was going to try that next, I think my wife filled them to 3+ as they were fatter than a wiffle ball bat and wouldn't fit anywhere!

[Tipi Walter]

There's a simple drawback to hydration ports and bladder tubes etc --- they supply water as you hike when in fact I think water breaks are better done with off-pack reststops. A constant flow of water at every suck may be a pacifier solution but what's wrong with dumping the pack and sitting down for a few minutes and taking a water break? Take some time to pen a few thoughts in your trail journal. Stop and talk to a toad. Maybe we should also have attached urine port tubes to drain the bladder so we won't have to stop hiking.

[billnchristy]

I like those "dump the pack" situations to stop and have a snickers, clif, slim jim, whatever break. If they become too often they become tedious, hydration shouldn't be tedious.

I was in the Navy and served in the gulf. It was 130 in our engine room, seawater temps were 100+ degrees which meant a cold shower was 100+ degrees. I dehydrate pretty easy even though I would drink 1+ gallons in 2 hours down there. I need constant water, if I took a legit break everytime I would get nowhere. I am slow enough right now!

If that is what works though, who cares. I do agree that sitting down and taking a long swig of cool water is far superior to sucking on a tube, but on those uphills I am glad to have it!

[Wyoming]

Lots of variety in likes/dislikes.

I won't carry a bladder since they cannot be reliably cleaned in my opinion. Plus not having a bladder and that hose crap lets me be more UL.

Same with nalgenes or any other heavy bottles. No way I am carrying them when I get new gatoraide bottles every resupply.

I do carry empty platapus's for when I need big water carries. I have 4-6 gatoraide bottles with me out here in AZ depending on the hike and 2 platapus's. Nice thing about my new Aarn pack is I can access 4 of the bottles of water without taking off the pack if I want to drink while hiking. Can also get to a full days hike of food the same way. Front pockets are really nice.

[VashFive]

For everyone having a hard time refilling their bladder, I'd recommend using a Fast Fill Adapter. It connects to your hose and allows you to refill your bladder from there. You won't need to dig out your reservoir anymore. The one I use is designed to connect to my sawyer squeeze but you could easily use it on a platty bag.

Link to Fast Fill Adapter: http://www.rei.com/product/858765/sawyer-fast-fill-hydration-pack-adapter-kit (http://www.rei.com/product/858765/sawyer-fast-fill-hydration-pack-adapter-kit)

Hope this helps!

[Rolls Kanardly]

I haven't hiked that area, but I cut the hydration bladder pocket out of my pack to save a couple of ounces. I just use bottles in the side pockets, and have a 2 liter platypus softside bottle that rolls up and stores small. I use the 2 liter if I need the extra carrying capacity or for my overnight camp.
I took my 100 ounce hydration bladder out of my pack and replaced with 2 x 2 liter roll up platypus'. Saves weight and space when empty and gives me more when I need it. Also the bite valve was not giving me the water flow I wanted. I get refreshed quicker when I use a bottle.
Rolls

[Mr Liberty]

Here's my take on the matter:
I like a Nalgene because I can put boiling liquids in it and it's basically indestructible. But I'll only ever need one.
I like a bladder because it's easier to drink while hiking, rather than stopping every few miles. With a WidePac (zip-top) opening, I don't find it difficult to fill.
I like collapsible bottles because they take up very little space when empty and hold a lot of water for practically no weight.
I like disposable bottles because they are easy to replace, rigid, and weigh nothing.

How do I reconcile this?

I carry one of each. Or, I can mix and match to suit the trip. I'd never only carry one kind, though, so I have the versatility to solve any problems that come up.

[Cedar1974]

This may sound like bad advice, but trust me on this. Before you spend lots of money on expensive stuff, go to Wally World and grab a cheap bladder setup to try it out. Some people just don't like the feel of the hose near their neck or having t bite down on a valve. Others prefer to actually see the water they are using. So don't rush into something like a bladder system that costs an arm and a leg until you are sure it is something you like. And I've used the Wally World bladders for years, they are rather well made and now they insulated hoses that prevent the water from getting hot in the tube or letting the water freeze in the tube.

[Deadeye]

+1, only I haven't cut up my pack yet. ;)

+2, haven't cut my pack, either. FWIW, I tried the drinking from the hose thing and didn't like it. I found I drank less because I was sipping just enough to keep my whistle wet. I prefer to camel up, and fill a liter (two if I'm unsure of finding frequent water) for the next hour or two of hiking.

[Cedar1974]

+2, haven't cut my pack, either. FWIW, I tried the drinking from the hose thing and didn't like it. I found I drank less because I was sipping just enough to keep my whistle wet. I prefer to camel up, and fill a liter (two if I'm unsure of finding frequent water) for the next hour or two of hiking.

And this is why I said get something cheap from Wally World rather than gettign the expensive stuff up front. The great thing about the stuff from there is it isn't too expensive, and will at least last long enough for you to see if you like it enough to upgrade.

[Busky2]

I have for many many years filtered and stored water in gater-aid bottles and nalgeens. Just this year I tried a bladder for the first time while going through the dry northern PA area (Lehigh area). I used a 100 oz Camelback and I have to admit I was really happy with it, how happy well it will always be in my pack from now on. I felt better hydrated, it was there where and when wanted, and could not be easier to drink from. To think I used to cut the hydration sleeves out of my packs, oh well I lived and I learned from those kids and there newfangled ideas.

[Cedar1974]

Another thing, Sawyer has a set up to fill your hydration bladder without havign to remove it from the pack, though I think it only works with the squeeze and not the mini.

https://www.sawyersafetravel2.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_31&products_id=122

[Another Kevin]

I'm another one that mixes it up. I carry one Nalgene with a Reflectix wrapper because it's my coffee pot and thermos. I carry my 2 litre Camelbak any time that I don't worry about the hose freezing. If I am out in weather where the hose might freeze, I carry either soft-sided bottles or a second Nalgene. (Having the Reflectix jacket on the Nalgene helps me carry water that isn't frozen when I want to drink it.)

On trips longer than a weekend, I carry at least one soft-sided bottle if only to have a backup for the squeeze bottle on my Sawyer Mini. Platypus bottles fit the threads.

I carry an empty SmartWater bottle in winter, for personal purposes on those cold nights in the tent. I don't carry water in empty wide-mouth disposables, so as not to mix them up.

[krshome]

I have used a bladder inside my pack for years and never had a problem. I used a quick connect fitting at the bite valve to fill the bladder so I never had to take it out to fill. I decided to change from my loyal hiker pump filter to a sawyer squeeze and that made me rethink my set up. I tried the bottle thing up front on my shoulder straps but after a while I went back to the bladder. I now use a small Smartwater bottle for camp and a 1.5 liter Evernew bladder set up in a side pocket on the outside of the pack when hiking. Here are some pics of the things I have tried all working great.
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[Five Tango]

I have used a bladder inside my pack for years and never had a problem. I used a quick connect fitting at the bite valve to fill the bladder so I never had to take it out to fill. I decided to change from my loyal hiker pump filter to a sawyer squeeze and that made me rethink my set up. I tried the bottle thing up front on my shoulder straps but after a while I went back to the bladder. I now use a small Smartwater bottle for camp and a 1.5 liter Evernew bladder set up in a side pocket on the outside of the pack when hiking. Here are some pics of the things I have tried all working great.
318043180531806318073180831809

So I searched the Sawyer site to no avail.Where did you get the quickdisconnect and pickup straw for the Sawyer bag in the third photo?Thanks.

[krshome]

Sorry, should have said all the details. Those parts are all DIY things I have made.


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[rafe]

I carry a 3L Platy bag and like to start with 2-3L in the AM. Subject to prevailing conditions of course. If water is likely to be found I might carry less. If it's unlikely to be found, I make sure it's pretty full. Carry too much, it's just dead weight and that's never good. Carry too little and it can make your day quite miserable and play heck on your body.

[JaxHiker]

I'm not a big fan of the bladder because I never know how much I have left. That dry sucking sound isn't good when you still have a ways to go and no water on the way. At least with my dual Gatorade bottles I know exactly what I have left.

Early on I tried leaving the bladder in the pack (before I ditched it completely). In my experience (ymmv) it didn't work out too well. The stuff in the pack just kept putting pressure on the bladder and it was a trick proposition even with the quick release adapters. I also found my Hiker Pro tended to introduce air if I wasn't too careful.

I did use a bladder on a recent trip to the Frank Church Wilderness but that's because one of my bottle pockets was holding the fishing rods and I didn't want to carry a single bottle w/o anything else. :)

[Etoryn]

Started using a bladder, but no longer take one when I go. I find using 2 Powerade or Gatorade type 1 liters easier and quicker to fill and treat water. When I come to a water source I don't have to take my pack off and take it out and put it in right. I also enjoy not having it move it every time I need to get into my pack to get something (some packs have a dedicated bladder spot). I seem to stay just at hydrated without the bladder.

[theinfamousj]

I have a 1 L Platy and a 2 L Platy (I also have a 3 L Platy Big Zip at home but it hasn't gone out on any trips with me).

I have a hydration cap attachment that fits both the 1 and 2 L Platy bags. My usual MO is to, at a water source, fill the 1 L Platy with water and treat it, then carry that in a side pocket until the treatment time has elapsed, at which point I transfer it to the 2 L bag which also contains whatever water remains from the last time I did this. The empty 1 L then gets rolled and stashed until the next water source.

My 2 L is almost never full. It doesn't have to be. Much like your pack capacity, you can always store *less* inside.

For me, the ability to take sips from a tube was a game changer in terms of hydration. I'm short and have short arms, and no matter where I carried hard bottles, it was a major PITA to get the bottle from its location or to put it back. So I would avoid hydration just to not deal with the hassle. With the hose, I don't even think twice. It sits on my right shoulder and when I am thirsty, I take a drink.

Inside my pack, the 2 L sits atop all my other gear. I haven't ripped out the hydration sleeve (small thoughts of "what if I resell the pack?" whisper in my ear), but I also don't use it for my bladder.

On my last day of hiking any trip, after the final water stop, I just go ahead and hook the 1 L Platy to the hose rather than pouring its contents into the 2 L.

[GScout]

What I love about the bladder, besides the convenience of the hose for drinking, is that my water weight is balanced in the center of my back. I don't have to worry that one bottle of water or the other will throw me out of balance. Those little changes in weight distribution can add up quickly when you are grinding up and down mountains all day. Why risk an injury from an imbalanced pack?

It takes a little time to stuff my Platypus down into the hydration sleeve, maybe 30 seconds. How does that compare to taking out and putting back water bottles in external pockets all day?

And I would avoid Camelback. The one I had at least made the water taste only of plastic. Platypus does not leave an aftertaste.

One more thing - I did carry empty SmartWater bottles to use to refill my bladder. Easier than trying to fill the bladder directly, and the empty bottles weigh nothing.

Happy hiking to you! I am missing the AT mightily and can't wait for my next section hike.

[nsherry61]

. . . Where did you get the quickdisconnect . . .
These types of fittings are common in laboratory settings. A quick internet search provided this link (http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23885).

[Lambo]

Im personally not a bladder fan. You don't know how much water you have, have to take your pack off to refill, and I usually drink less water with a bladder. Im a bottle person myself but everyone has their own preference. You just have to do what works for you.

[Del Q]

I like them, have done a lot better job the past few years coming up to water supplies dry or really close. In spots where water is scarce, camel up and fill up. They also pack small vs large hard bottles.

One thing that I also like is at night...........have often not drank enough at night and muscles are stiff, etc. I keep the drinking tub within arms reach in my tent so that I can quickly drink at night ..... and keep a pee bottle in the tent as well for output.

[SWODaddy]

Another thing, Sawyer has a set up to fill your hydration bladder without havign to remove it from the pack, though I think it only works with the squeeze and not the mini.

https://www.sawyersafetravel2.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_31&products_id=122

I just bought a camelback quick connect (you can buy them individually) and use that with some tubing to refill my camelback using a Sawyer mini. Normally, I use a platypus dirty water bag. The whole setup is extremely fast, compact and lightweight. Plus, my hydration bladder never has to leave my pack the whole trip.

[Gravytrain]

I find I love bladders for hiking, but I hate them for camping.

They are a pain to pull out of the pack and refill, they are terrible to get water out of for cooking, and in cold weather the hose freezes.

But I love the ease of grabbing the hose and drinking on the go.

If I know I will be hiking long days in hot weather, I take a bladder. If I know it might freeze, or I am planning on cooking more than one meal a day, or spending more time in camp, I take bottles.

Both have their place.

We ran into this problem when I was in the Army and we introduced hydration systems like Camel-Bak into our packing list. What we ended up doing was pulling the bladders out when we got to our bivouac for the night and put them inside our sleeping bag with us. of course, we used those big heavy USGI MSS, so we would put our boots down in the bottom too. They would be almost completely dry by morning, and more importantly, NOT frozen!

Some of the guys that brought those Warm Hands air activated heaters for your gloves, would instead slide the heater inside the carrier for the bladder at the end of the day, and that did a decent job of preventing a full freeze.

[cycle003]

I like bladders for day hikes but don't take them camping anymore. The reasons for me are 1) It's hard to know how much water I have left with a bladder; 2) There are lighter options to hold as much water; 3) They are inconvenient to take in/out of the pack for refilling and using around camp, meaning I'll usually want another type of water bottle anyway; 4) I've experienced leakage, probably due to the stress from how they pack into most packs.

[The Solemates]

only time i bladder is mtn biking. i hate them hiking.

[poolskaterx]

We all develop our own preferences - and biases. I like using a hydration bladder and hose for hiking. I've used a two liter bladder inside my pack for several years. There are two big negatives with this system. First, the bladder inside takes up pack room and second it is much harder to refill the bladder. I've started using two one-liter bladders, one in each side pocket. When I empty one I switch the hose to the other. It is easy to stop at the next water source and refill the bladders.

I use this same system but also carry an additional 70l platypus dirty water bag for filtering or additional water storage; don't get the camel-backs bladder, they weigh a TON! I do switch out the platypus bite valve for the camel-back one though but that's just my preference. All 3 bladders weigh less than my old camel-back bladder (and cost less too)

[Hummy585]

I've used only a bladder, only bottles and sometimes both. Depends on how far I'm going...

[Time Zone]

FWIW I tried a 2L bladder for the first time this past weekend - on a hike where I drank 3L, had a 1 L bottle in my side pocket. In general I did not prefer the bladder/hose/bite valve combo because:
1) too slow at delivering water
2) too hard to drink thru bite valve while breathing hard, because you have to suck it out
3) takes up room in pack instead of bottle pockets on outside, 4) can't tell how much is left, 5) refilling is a pain because it's all floppy, etc.

I just prefer to use a couple 1L plastic bottles that used to have zero-calorie flavored water in there or whatever. Cheap, and fits Sawyer mini on top if needed.

It is slightly nice not to have to make an awkward reach to one's water bottles, but I think I prefer that to all the other shortcomings a bladder has. Glad I didn't spend a lot, but at least I know what I've been missing.

[CJOttawa]

Bullet points for brevity...



not all bladders or accessories are equal
you can buy a refill adaptor for the Source (http://sourcetacticalgear.com/hydration-accessories/33-uta-quick-refill-hydration-adapter.html) (and maybe other?) bladders so you don't need to remove the bladder to fill; while it's mainly for faucets, you could hook this to a pump filter
some packs have an external hydration sleeve (http://www.ospreypacks.com/images/product/series/features/xenith-xena-external-reservoir.jpg) that isn't in the pack itself (I'm looking at several Osprey packs).
Source brand "Storm" valve (http://sourceoutdoor.com/en/source-accessories/14-storm-valve-hydration) is ultra-high flowing and doesn't require a "bite;" you twist for on or off and it gushes water
If you really have a problem with low flow, there's the pressurized GeigerRig Hydration Engine (http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hydration-Bladder-Reviews/Geigerrig-Hydration-Engine). Pump for pressure and you can even spray water.


I keep a hydration bladder in my pack's dedicated sleeve but don't always fill it. If I have any doubt about water availability or it's stupid-hot out, I'll load it up. Otherwise, I've always got a filled Hydrapak SoftFlask 750 (http://hydrapak.com/shop/softflasks/).

Better to have a very light hydration bladder and not fill it than not have one and realize you've got a long way to go until your next water source. I'll take the 200-gram weight penalty.

[Hosh]

Like almost all gear, no one size fits all environments. Bladders work well for hikes that require a large volume of water to be carried. We use them in the Grand Canyon or SW Utah. A 100 fl oz bladder will weight nearly 7#'s when full. It much easier to carry a heavy item near your spine.

Otherwise, the bladder itself is a lot of weight overhead when water sources are plentiful. Gatorade or Smartwater bottles are a better option

The Evernew 2l bag is 1.5 oz empty and provides a good option for situations where large quantities of water need to be carried on a temporary basis.

[lonehiker]

I like the convenience of the bladder. Not sure what the big deal is regarding filling a bladder. I gravity feed using my Sawyer. Has always worked well. Guess over the last few years I have become a hybrid user. I carry a 100oz bladder and also a bottle or 2. I like ample capacity for the long waterless stretches.

[Hosh]

I like the convenience of the bladder. Not sure what the big deal is regarding filling a bladder. I gravity feed using my Sawyer. Has always worked well. Guess over the last few years I have become a hybrid user. I carry a 100oz bladder and also a bottle or 2. I like ample capacity for the long waterless stretches.

And that is when a bladder excels, we drank 4l going to the bottom of the GC on S. Kaibab in mid May.