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Posted by Bill S on April 29, 2008 at 1:10:07 pm EDT
In reply to Water bottles or bladders? posted by Gr8tAuntyH on April 27, 2008 at 1:34:45 pm EDT

For some of the reasons mentioned (cleaning problems, freezing in cold weather, etc), I avoided hydration bladders for many years. I still avoid "hydration systems" and "hydration packs", those "packs" with miniscule capacity. They aren't large enough for use as a daypack or small enough to carry the few things needed for a 20-30 mile bike ride.

However, I eventually learned how to keep the bladders clean with as little effort as keeping a water bottle clean and how to keep them from freezing (I have used them with no problems in high mountain and Arctic/Antarctic conditions, in measured temperatures in the -35 to -45 range). Like any piece of gear, it just takes learning a few techniques, some of which don't make a lot of sense when written down, but become obvious when demonstrated.

I have tried several different "systems", and keep going back to the Camelbak 72 and 100 ounce bladders, the 72 ounce (2.5 liter) in an original "Classic" bag. While I like BCA's bite valve, it is hard to clean. I have several problems with the Platypus with no satisfactory solution, despite changes they have made in their design over the years. A couple people mentioned that they have leakage problems with Camelbak's "Big Bite" valve. The simple solution to this is to use one of the linear or right-angle shutoff valves.

The big advantage to hydration bladders is that the water (or hydration mix) is right there to take small sips all the time. This is much more efficient for staying hydrated, especially on hot days. On bike, you don't have to worry about retrieving the bottle from the cage, tilting your head (and hence looking away from the road and the riders around you in the peloton), then trying to get it back in the cage. This is especially nice on a steep climb (or fast, steep descent). I find when hiking or climbing, if I have to haul a water bottle out of my pack, I don't drink nearly enough, whether it is hot days or in a blizzard (I actually have more problems with icing in a water bottle in sub-zero weather, even with a cozy, and in the inner part of the pack than using a bladder the right way for subzero weather).

One significant problem with bladders in bicycling, at least during long races, is that you can't hand up a new bladder, where you can hand up water bottles and discard the empties (your team should be picking up the discarded empties, of course). If you are on a tour, and if you stop for a rest when you drink, then it doesn't matter whether you use bottle or bladder.

A problem with bladders in climbing is that they get in the way in cracks (especially off-widths) and chimneys. I use one of the bottles with the pivoting bite valve for those climbs, clipping it on the back of my harness with a minibiner.

Fred, don't worry about specially designed packs for bladders. When I put it in the pack (3-season, not winter and subzero), I just stick it in the main compartment with the hose routed out the top and over the shoulder. I have an ancient Cairn rucksack (bought in the late 1960s) that I do this with (the Cairn is the best-designed all-around mountaineering pack that was ever made - too bad no one has made this design for some 20-30 years now).

How to keep a bladder from freezing - that's a topic for another thread and another season.

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