bladder vs bottles - what would you do if the bladder broke?

J

JCK

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Nov 7, 2009
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So as you know there are heaps of people who use water bladders, i.e. camelbacks etc.

There are also a fair few who use water bottles or canteens etc.

I was wondering, to all those that use bladders, what if it were to get pierced in some way, would you be screwed? Or do you have materials to repair it, or do you carry backup bottles?

Just thought this would be an interesting topic to discuss.
 
Have bladders but I use bottles. For me the bladders are a pain to fill in the field, clean at home, and I and my friends have had leaks on em. My Nalgenes have never let me down :)
 
I usually carry a Guyot while hiking, but do do dayhikes with a Camebak M.U.L.E. I always have superglue and duct tape in my kit, and my plan involes some sort of a fix using those two.

One problem I could see is running out of water because you don't know it's leaking. My Camebak has a very sturdy Cordura fabric that is very waterproof. The bag has a eyelet in the bottom to allow the water to drain out, which I may not feel and may not notice until all of my water is gone...
 
Bladders can be repaired with simple light weight no glue bike tube patches. It takes a lot to puncture a bladder and even more to burst a seam on a camelbak bladder, they have a life time warranty on seam failure. You would have to be pretty careless to puncture one to.
Bottles are great but I personally find them bulky and lacking in volume, and I enjoy the hands free approach. Bladders aren't as easy to clean so tht is a draw back with them
 
Im with Bill on this, I have cleaned one to many bladders that reaked of mildew. Katadyn and Bottled water for me.
 
Bill Siegle said:
Have bladders but I use bottles. For me the bladders are a pain to fill in the field, clean at home, and I and my friends have had leaks on em. My Nalgenes have never let me down :)
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I still have my original bladder from 10 years ago no leaks ever, and I have taken so hard spills on my bikes with it. I am not the normal trail riding type either, my falls are usually from missed landings on drops and jumps from 10+ feet up. If your friends bladders are leaking I would suspect that 1 they are not Camelbak or 2 they misuse them in some way.
 
I use platypus bladders, two 2.5L along with my nalgene which had built in UV pen. Yes, the bladders are a pain to fill themselves, so use either a hard bottle or your billy as a scoop.
 
I've never had a bladder leak on me, they seem pretty tough. Not really worried about a leak. Typically I carry 1.5 liters in a bladder, and 1 liter in a bottle.
 
In my kodiak gearslinger, I carry a 100oz coleman bladder, and in the water bottle pocket, a 27oz kleen kanteen. To supplement that, I have an inline water filter and 3oz bleach for water purification.
 
As far as filling bladders is concerned: the Camelbak Omega and Beast bladders have a nice hard plastic handle at the mouth which make them almost EASIER to fill than Nalgenes. It's like gripping a salmon behind the gill and filling it up with water. I also have never had a problem with a leaking bladder (In my pack or pants), but my brother had an offbrand one that drained all over his gear on a hike last year. It's really nice when you have to carry the water, but can't drink it!

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I have used Camelback bladders (in carrying sleeves) since they were introduced. Have never had one leak, break, split, or go mildewy.. I also use ss bottles and Nalgenes too.

the reason bladders go all mildewy is people put crap in them other than water. Juice, pop, beer, sports drinks, booze etc. All that sugary goodness spawns mildew and bad odors. Water does not, esp when you drop in a chlorine tab.
 
Am mostly out on shorter hikes and daytrips. So I use a lightweight aluminium bottle from Sigg (Swiss made). Perhaps kind of oldschool but it works great and have never let me down.
 
Bushman5 said:
the reason bladders go all mildewy is people put crap in them other than water. Juice, pop, beer, sports drinks, booze etc. All that sugary goodness spawns mildew and bad odors. Water does not, esp when you drop in a chlorine tab.
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if people are wanting to take juice, beer, powerade etc , couldn't they put it in their bottles, which are easier to clean? and therefore, as I think bushman is implying, use the bladder for only water?

Also it seems most people carry bladders and bottles, can I ask why? is it so that you have some easy accessible means of pouring water to say clean a wound, or just becuase you like them?
 
I have never had my CamelBak bladder rupture. I do carry some duct tape and super glue, so I guess I could patch it in a pinch. I saw some tape at REI that I am going to investigate later that is supposed to be waterproof and all that.

I also carry a small Nalgene clipped on my pack. I have successfully drained it and my 3L CB on short hikes, so I try to carry as much water as possible.
 
i have never busted a bladder, but I always have a bit of duct tape to fix a small leak if that were the case(but I will carry gluelesss tube patches like mentionned above).

for downhilling or mountainbiking I use a bladder; hands free and extra back protection.
for road biking, it's 2 bottles mounted on the bike, that way I can splunk big sips without having to suck it in... just squirt from the bottle.

for adventure racing, or otherwise performance oriented hiking over more than 6 hours I use BOTH. 2 small plastic bottles in the pack, and a camelback. that way I always know how much water i got left.... darn camelbacks can be a surprise sometimes when you suck in and find out it's all gone.
note: only large opening bladders can be well refilled in the field.
NOTE: when you need to cross water (swimming or otherwise deep fording) I blow lots of air INTO my bladder for extra flotation. you need to cinch down all the straps tight and low on your back though!
 
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