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

[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 (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 that isn't in the pack itself (I'm looking at several Osprey packs).
• Source brand "Storm" valve 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. 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.

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.