What is the lightest water bladder

[setterhills]

In my quest to lighten everything I still would like to carry a water bladder what is the lightest while still being somewhat durable.
thanks

[Wise Old Owl]

Serious The very lightest option for carrying water is also the cheapest. The thin plastic water bottles are the absolute lightest.

Some vessel to hold water is a piece of REQUIRED GEAR. But, Bladders, hoses, bight valves ARE NOT REQUIRED GEAR.


Hense what you are looking for is a Platy zip with no hose...

[leaftye]

Try asking a better question. The lightest bladder is probably the smallest one. The best capacity per ounce is probably the biggest.

Serious The very lightest option for carrying water is also the cheapest. The thin plastic water bottles are the absolute lightest.

They're crazy tough too.

[Praha4]

I use these:

1L Powerade plastic bottle
20 oz Gatorade plastic bottle
2L Platypus softbottle or 2L Evernew softbottle

I quit using the Platypus Hosers and Camelbak Hydration hose systems .... just got tired of messing with the hoses, mouthpieces, pulling out the bladder from the backpack to refill it, then trying to squeeze it back into the sleeve in the backpack.

some hikers still like the hoses and use them ... to each his own

[Slo-go'en]

Umm, one with out water in it? Serously, I've seen too many people have too much trouble with those things for me to want to buy or use one...

[Dogwood]

Water bladders come in various sizes, durabilities, and features. Your question can't be fairly addressed unless one compares like bladders.

I have a 2 L/70 fl oz Platypus for extra water hauls that weighs just under 1.5 oz. On my shoulder strap harness I'll carry 1 sometimes 2 small Gatorade, Dasani, bicyle type, or UL thin walled aluminum bottle for water while hiking. Some hikers are tougher on their gear and don't trust the durability of the Platypus bladders but I would classify then FOR THE WAT I TREAT THEM as reasonably reasonably durable and reliable. I've said this 1000 times before and I'll say it here again for the 1001 time - if you want UL or the lowest wt gear that sometimes entails committing to the fact that it may be less durable. You need to find the balance that's right for you.

[MuddyWaters]

I assume you are referring to a camelbak type setup, bladder, hose, mouthpiece?
They are all pretty darn heavy when compared to lightweight options.

Eco- type water bottle (aqua fina, for example ) 1L = 0.77 oz
2L platypus (holds 2.5 L actually) 2.5L = 1.26 oz

[Odd Man Out]

Another thing to consider is that if you are going to be hiking where having water is a matter of life or death (Grand Canyon, e.g.), it's best not to put all your eggs in one basket, or all you water in one large bladder.

[shakey_snake]

And,iIf you need to bear bag, you can't use your bladder (or ****ty super-thin plastic bottles) as a rope weight like I do with my 32oz Gatorade bottles.

[leaftye]

And,iIf you need to bear bag, you can't use your bladder (or ****ty super-thin plastic bottles) as a rope weight like I do with my 32oz Gatorade bottles.

I think you can. Those bottles are tough as hell. I agree about chucking a bladder at a tree though.

[garlic08]

The 2L Platypus Dogwood mentions get my vote for a good all-around water carrier. Good point above about not carrying everything in one bag. Two 2L is better than one 4L. The only failures I've seen in the Platy is after a couple of seasons a seam might fail, and I've punctured one on white thorn acacia here in AZ. I don't carry them in AZ anymore, going with tougher and cheaper Gatorade bottles. But I miss being able to roll up the Platy when it's not in use.

[Tuxedo]

I use these:


I quit using the Platypus Hosers and Camelbak Hydration hose systems .... just got tired of messing with the hoses, mouthpieces, pulling out the bladder from the backpack to refill it, then trying to squeeze it back into the sleeve in the backpack.

some hikers still like the hoses and use them ... to each his own

My style of hike does include a bladder but once upon a time I felt this way. I have the camelback 3L and hose to shoulder strap loop. Carried a 1L bottle too Nalgene if I want wide rim or used over again bottle from convenience store if I want just water.

If id not had the pull straps on the outside of the backpack I would not have liked the bladder method the first backpack I had you could put the bladder in a sleeve inside that had to be near empty when bladder is full to place in. Was a nightmare to get in and sweats on humid days. In the pic it would ride outside

weight question never crossed my mind for the reasons of not stopping for water breaks as often, everything trades one set of complications for another on gear.
Jimmy ATJuly 1 001.jpg

Edit: the bladder is nice to have an extra mouth piece as that would crack from use and leak, mice also would nibble on it and most of the leaks was a result of that not product failure.

[flemdawg1]

I own 3 hyd bladders, one Camelback, and 2 Outdoor Products. The Outdoor Produst ones are lighter, but I generally take the one that connects the best to the outside of the pack I'm taking. I generally carry mine in the side pocket with the top strap on the compression strap.


I apparently have some Tyranosaurus Rex DNA in me that prevents me from being able to reach behind me to get water bottles out of backpack pockets without taking my pack off. So a hyd bladder system is a must for me.

[J5man]

A free one would be the empty platty out of a Bota Box wind container. More durable that a plastic bottle and lighter than a commerical Platy. Downside is that you cant connect a hose to it so it would be for storage only (but it does have a spout). That said, I am a hoser and use the commercial Platy/hose combo for the overall convenience and carry an extra bottle in the side mest pocket as back up. Having extra water is my emotional safety net.

[J5man]

Wine container....not wind .

[J5man]

Btw, I got the Bota Box platy idea from Skidsteer.

[Dogwood]

And,iIf you need to bear bag, you can't use your bladder (or ****ty super-thin plastic bottles) as a rope weight like I do with my 32oz Gatorade bottles.

Shakey Snake, NEVER has it crossed my mind when choosing a water bladder factoring in if it could be used as a rope wt. Thanks for the uhem enlightment.

Wine container....not wind .

Glad you quickly cleared that up. Read your first post and was saying to myself, "what the hell is a wind container?" Now, I'm on the way to the liquor store. NEVER used I gotta go to the liquor store to get a water(wind?) bladder as the reason to go there! You're doing what? Going to get a water bladder. Yeah. J5man told me to go there for a water bladder. Not so sure the GF will buy into it though.

[Bucho]

Platypus tends to do a good job weight-wise by not having a separate giant fill opening with all sorts of hard plastic. A 1L platypus bladder without the hose is lighter than a gatorade bottle. http://www.rei.com/product/768123/pl...h-pushpull-cap

Adding the hose brings you up to 3oz http://www.rei.com/product/767109/pl...rvoir-34-fl-oz

[tridavis]

I sweat profusely even in the cooler temps. I have a 3Lgreat bladder I use and will empty it in about 7your hrs or so. There is no way I could last on a couple of plastic bottles .....besides it makes it alot easier to drink more frequently. And my pack weight is 19.7 lbs.....sans food and water.