If your going to spend any time in the woods or taking on a big mud run event – you will need a good hydration bladder.
Everyone from elite Special Forces to 50k trail runners and Spartan Race athletes rely on hydration bladders to refuel under extreme conditions.
Check out the reviews below and you decide which one is best and that you will trust on your next long distance endurance event. You dont want a cheap hydration bladder that will leak and leave your dry.
Geigerrig Hydration Engine (3-Liter) review by Andres: I bought a Geigerrig hydration engine and took it for 11 days in the High Sierra, stuffing it into three packs (none made by Geigerrig) and carrying it on long hikes and alpine rock climbs. The pressurized hydration bladder is a great concept and works well, especially when you’re moving fast at high altitude. Who can spare the energy for sucking hoses when they’re busy gasping for breath? It’s also good for sanitary sharing, spraying down your handkerchief for a swamp cooler effect, and irrigating wounds. I love being able to disconnect the hoses to keep them from dragging in the dirt on the way to the creek for a refill. (In fact, when doing an easy downhill hike or carrying only a small daypack I prefer to leave the pressure hose disconnected and use the bag like a normal hydration bladder.)
Every feature they highlight is dead perfect and works as intended.
I have only one long term concern:
Will the clip-in part of the tube (where it connect to the bladder) eventually break?
Platypus Big Zip SL 2-Liter Hands-Free Hydration System review by DC: I bought the Platypus to replace a 2-year old Camelbak bladder that had gotten all chemical-tasting on me. This one was an improvement- I didn’t taste the plastic until the water had been in the bladder for about 16 hours, and even then it was slight. I’m not sure I love the zip-top closure- the Camelbak’s twist-on closure felt more secure. I do like the on/off mechanism of the mouthpiece though. You just twist the mouthpiece. The Camelbak has a little lever that I could never remember what position was open and what was closed. Compared to the Camelbak, the bladder isn’t as pliable, but I don’t feel a difference when the backpack is on my back.
MSR DromLite Bag with Fill Handle, 4 Liter (Red) review by Peter: Excellent Lightweight Water Carrier. I bought a few of these MSR Dromlite bags for a backpacking trip to desert country in Arizona and Utah.
Knowing my routes would take me through some mostly water-less country.
I needed something lighter and more comfortable than than my old 2-liter plastic pop bottles.
I bought the Platypus to replace a 2-year old Camelbak bladder that had gotten all chemical-tasting on me.
This one was an improvement-
I didn’t taste the plastic until the water had been in the bladder for about 16 hours, and even then it was slight.
Camelbak 100 Oz Omega HydroTanium Replacement Reservoir review by JT: Quality used to be in every product but now it’s a word I use less and less often. I think that any company that offers a lifetime guarantee knows that they are making a quality product. I am confident that I could run this over in my car and it wouldn’t break. What else can you say that about? This was a good addition to my Eagle Industries AIII hydration capable backpack. I also ordered a CamelBak 100-Ounce UnBottle for use outside of my pack. Either way, CamelBak make superior quality products.
Osprey Raptor 10 Hydration Pack
Best hydration bladder ever – but then it is only my 2nd. My first pack was a cheapo $30 bag and I thought it was pretty good. It lasted 5 years and did its job but the raptor is on a whole other level. The quality of this bag and all the little features are so much nicer.
The Osprey Hydration Pack works really well.First ride out I got to test out the removable tool pouch and it worked very well. I’m not going to bother going over everything since there are very good videos on certain sites that can do a much better job but if you are wanting a good pack and don’t mind spending the money this is a good one.
One really nice feature that I will bring up is this thing has a life time guarantee. You break a clip, rip it, a zipper dies, whatever they will fix it for life. I went with the green which comes off as really bright in some of the online pics but in person is a really nice olive green.
Nathan Speed 2 Hydration Belt I’ve struggled with many different hydration packs over the years and have never found one that is right. Prior to purchasing the Nathan Speed 2, I was using the Fuel Belt Endurance 4 Bottle Fuel Belt, which was a pain because the bottles sloshed around and the belt wasn’t a true fit. Additionally, it required the use of two hands to remove a bottle. That might not sound like a big deal, but the sloshing (the bottles bouncing around) can be incredibly annoying on a 1 mile run, much less after 14. And using two hands to grab a water bottle that is behind your back throws your balance off and tires you out much more quickly. A good analogy would be to say it was like stopping and doing a jumping jack every half mile. While a single jumping jack is no big deal, any endurance runner realizes that a change in your natural running motion after such a long distance will really throw you off.
Question from our readers.
Question: What is a way on how to seal a camelbak bladder without a clip? We used a rubber band in a pinch.
Question: Do you have a list of the top ten hydration bladders? Yes; check out the list above.
If your going to spend any time in the woods or taking on a big mud run event – you will need a good hydration bladder.
