Any thoughts on daypacks with hydration systems

DRS

DRS

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I'm going to upgrade from my 25 yr. old basic daypack in the very near future and I have seen where some current models can use a hydration bladder. I can see where this would handy and a potential improvement from my nalgene liter bottles stuffed inside the pack. Has anyone experiences any downside to using this type of system?
 
I pretty much exclusively run bladders as opposed to bottles. Just make sure you get a good bladder not a cheap one. The biggest issues are 1. the hoses tend to freeze when it gets below 20 degrees and 2. You need to get a good seal on the bladder lid especially with camel back bladders.
 
I generally use bottles. Bladders have failed me a few times soaking the inside of my pack. I keep going back to bladders occasionally because in theory it seems like a better system--but I haven't stuck with it consistently because of failures.
 
I second the issue with the hose freezing in colder temps, always a pain when that happens. Also make sure you get a pack that can hold the hose on your not shooting shoulder. My run and gun pack only has the holder loop on the right side which makes aiming your gun a little more difficult. Just some food for thought there.
 
Pretty much all packs today will have some sort of allowance for hydration systems. I run platypus in my Mystery Ranch and have never had an issue with it leaking or making my pack wet. I also don't have an issue with the hose freezing but I put a neoprene hose insulator on it. I prefer the black to the blue tube anyway and it doesn't shine either. I also have an old-school CamelBak on off valve for mine. It's just habit to turn it off when I'm not drinking out of it.
 
wllm1313 said:
I pretty much exclusively run bladders as opposed to bottles. Just make sure you get a good bladder not a cheap one. The biggest issues are 1. the hoses tend to freeze when it gets below 20 degrees and 2. You need to get a good seal on the bladder lid especially with camel back bladders.
Click to expand...
Same here. Under @ 20* I also find the hassle of keeping a hose thawed is not worth it. I prefer Platypus personally. I've never used a "hydration system" really, I just put the bladder in my pack and poke the hose out the top, easy. The obvious downside is you can have a catastrophic leak. Never happened to me but obviously it can. I always have a secondary water bottle of some sort even if it's empty (empty bladder, little nalgene for coffee/tea, etc.) Being a bunch of miles deep with no way to carry water can obviously be a trip ender if not travelling along a creek.
 
The downsides I've had are that the tube freezes and if you're backpacking with a full pack you often have to unload a portion of your bag to refill it. I've seen the Sawyer "system" where you can flip a valve and force water back into it, but I highly doubt it would be as easy as shown. Also, a Nalgene works really with with a UV style water treatment.
 
I'm like everyone else in that the hose end of the bladder will freeze in very cold weather. I also fine that the valve will drip even in the closed position. Not much but enough to get the strap and my shoulder wet. Which obviously is not good in cold weather. I do like that it holds 2 ltrs of water though.
One thing I don't like about my day pack with the bladder inside is that in warm weather it makes my back sweat a lot.
 
I have a Kelty pack with bladder/hydration
sytem,works great.Easy to fill and carries out of the way
agains my back.I have 2 interchangeable valves.
one suction draw and the other mechinical. 😎
 
My Exo pack has a waterproof spot for the bladder. I use a neoprene cover on the tube and blow air back down the tube when I’m done drinking in the cold. The only times it’s froze is when I forget to blow the air back in.
 
I've used hydration bladders for about 15 years now, prefer it to bottles. I much prefer it to bottles. I used to run a cabelas version but it split open, and I replaced it with a camel back....that was well over 13 years ago and have had zero issues. As mentioned above, the tubes tend to freeze when it's really cold, so I found blowing back into the tube to force the water into the bladder is the answer to that issue, only thing is for me I hear he sloshing around in the top of the bladder if I put too much pressure on it, and with my OCD that drives me a bit nuts....
 
First thing I did when I got my packs was remove that thing. For me bottles are just more convenient than sucking water from a bag through a hose. Also easier for rinsing hands, if you have to share, filling up, cleaning, etc..
 
I am a bottle guy. I run the ultralight nalgene with the little "sipper" insert. Weighs 3 oz. It seems like I drink more water when I have a bottle (better hydration = feeling better) and it's easy to keep track of how much I'm drinking and to see when I'm getting low. I will bring a 64oz Sawyer bag in my pack if I think I will need to carry more water while I'm out.

I've never had a bladder that I was completely happy with
 
I run both depending on conditions. I use either a 3 liter Platypus or a Nalgene bottle(s), but I have also found the slender Smart water bottles work well also,( especially with the Sawyer filters). I have never had an issue with my water bladder, but just in case, I always pack a Smart water bottle with my water bladder .
 
PrairieHunter said:
First thing I did when I got my packs was remove that thing. For me bottles are just more convenient than sucking water from a bag through a hose. Also easier for rinsing hands, if you have to share, filling up, cleaning, etc..
Click to expand...

My problem with bottles has always been volume. Bottles are great if you are just carrying a couple liters but I now run a 3L bladder and carry a 6L bladder if what sources are sparse. Carrying 9 bottles would take up way to much space and weigh a ton.
 
wllm1313 said:
My problem with bottles has always been volume. Bottles are great if you are just carrying a couple liters but I now run a 3L bladder and carry a 6L bladder if what sources are sparse. Carrying 9 bottles would take up way to much space and weigh a ton.
Click to expand...
Why in the world would you carry 9 liters of water on a day hunt? Mojave Desert??

That seems like a lot for day hunting, you must stop to pee a lot. But I know you are extreme and do things the hard way, hunting far away from subway and coyoting out for multiple days at a time on antelope hunts far from roads, etc...

The weight of water in bottles and those bags is the same. Are you really that hard pressed for space in your pack when you are day hunting? My pack is normally pretty much empty until I shoot something. Then I drink or dump what's left in the water bottle and walk out.

For the average guy doing a day hunt there is really no need for the bags as most of us are not going to need 9 liters of water or close to that. Throw a liter or 2 in the pack and go hunt. But if you are extreme a person could go with multiple bladders, mountian house for lunch which requires a stove, and a spot messenger. But I don't really think that is necessary for most day hunting.

I see those bags as more for backpackers on extended trips than day hunters but to each their own.
 
@PrairieHunter lol sorry: “Bottles are great for day hunting, the only time I think they don’t work that well is when you are backpack camping in areas with limited water...”

Carry on.
 
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