Platypus Hoser Ultralight Taste-Free Water Reservoir / Hydration Bladder

I like these "minimalist" bladders the best... very light, pretty much indestructible. The clip is junk and I just throw them away...all the bags have loops anyway.Some people complain about the "low" water flow on these but I disagree. I don't need to feel like I am sipping from a straw, I get plenty of water per draw and I think too much flow allows me to waste water by drinking too much.Some people complain about the ease of cleaning these bags... but I say huh? Its easy... I don't even use soap! I just mix a bit of baking soda and a few drops of bleach with warm water, pour it into the bladder, attach the hose and shake vigorously for about 3 minutes and drain it through the hose by pinching the mouthpiece.. Then I rinse it with tap water (for the light chlorination) 5 or so times, then hang it in a dry place not in direct sunlight for sometimes a week...easy but it does take time to dry. There are more labor intensive methods, but if you have the time why other?All in all I like these better than the wide mouth bladders... I never use ice and I only use water and the fill is not too much of a bother for me. It is much harder to fill in a hiking situation if you don't have a filter system...but not from a faucet and for wild water I use a filter system that goes straight into the bag.

Alright the bite valve kinda sucks. With that out of the wayI have had my share of hydration systems. All of them have been punctured, had the hoses or closures start to leak, or just gotten so nasty I could never get rid of the smell. This thing is great.The plastic is stiffer than most hydration packs, softer than the other Platypus bags I have, but still stiff enough. This helps with propping it open so it can properly dry. Anyone who has a silicon bladder will understand the pain.It has a hang loop in the middle which has always been fine in whatever backpack I've tested it in and doesn't cause any problems with moving around or favoring one shoulder while hiking/mountain biking/dirt bikingWith this I also purchased a Sawyer Squeeze and a Camalbak quick disconnect fitting. I spliced the fitting into the hose about half way down as it came out of my pack. This allows me to quickly detach my bite valve, hookup the Sawyer Squeeze, and push filtered water into my pack from any river or body of water without ever unzipping my pack or removing any hosing from the loops.On it's own this thing is great, but with a couple extra parts it becomes amazing.

This bladder seems really sturdy and worked well during an 8-mile hike in my backpack. The 3-Liter size was a little hard to fit in the backpack, but I made it work, and it was really the only water I needed for the entire trip. The bite-valve worked well, and the only complaint I have is that I could not get the plastic taste out. I washed it several times, even with bleach and baking soda, and it just would NOT come out. Other reviewers said that it didn't have a plastic taste, so maybe I just got an older model or something that still had the plastic taste, or maybe I'm just picky since I'm used to drinking filtered, taste-free water (as opposed to treated water that tastes like flouride, chlorine, etc). Overall, I'd still buy it again, as I think any plastic water container like this will have some kind of taste to it.

I recently purchased this item to prepare for a two day hike I was going on with a group of friends. Being a relatively inexperienced hiking/camper I was unsure of which product I wanted to buy. After reading reviews and researching the issue on the internet I purchased this product.First, for any serious hiking I would suggest buying a hydration pack that carries two liters or more. You may find that you consume more water than you would think when exerting yourself. This product can hold three liters of liquid, which was more than enough for my two day hike/camp.The tube extending from the water bladder to the bite nozzle is plenty long and I never had any difficulty making it reach from my backpack to my mouth. The bite nozzle takes a little getting used to. At first I had a tendency to bite the inside of my mouth. However, in no time I was used to it and able to drink easily. A clip is attached to the end near the mouthpiece which makes it possible to clasp the tube onto the shoulder strap of you backpack. This keeps the tube out of your way when you don't need it, but easily within reach when you want to take a drink.One last note. I would recommend washing out the water bladder upon receiving it. I used soapy water, however, I have heard individuals will use a small amount of bleach combined with water. Several sites on the internet will explain the best method of cleaning a water bladder. Furthermore, water bladders may grow mold on the inside of the bladder and may need to be cleaned in between hikes.Overall I would say that this product is an excellent purchase.