I suppose I shouldn't really contribute to this 'cos I've never used a plastick bag for water just on H&S grounds. My little aluminium bottles have been scratched, dropped, clunked, squashed, rolled, ... but are always easy to refill, clean, sanitise.

I can move them easily from a big ruckie to a little ruckie or squish them in to a mini bumbag.

LOL - know what? I reckon I'm just a luddite!

Just think about what all that aluminium has done to your brain though....

Sigg bottles get quite battered over the years though, though I've only cracked one. My Markill alu botttle never dented in the few years I had it before it was stolen - doh!

Bladders make on the move hydration possible with a minimum of fuss, and tend not to dig into your back despite how badly your rucksack is packed. A big (4l) bag like the MSR Dromedary can also carry less water for the day, or enough for an overnight 'reservoir' and so is my usual choice these days overnight, or a platy for day walks. I've had two platy leaks now and an accidental zip end explosion - painful - but I'm not very good at looking after them.

Well I decided through the helpful advice of this thread to drop 24 quid (bargain!) on a CamelBak Unbottle 3l at Up N Under (South Wales' Finest Outdoor Emporium). Took it out on hike on Sunday and it was lovely - convenient waterey goodness!
Thanks for the Info
Danny

Does anyone think the Camelbak is a little over engineered? Are the extra features worth the money?

some of the hydrapack ones are pretty cheap about 30£ for bladder and backpack and are supposed to be good. the new ones apparently have a roll top for easy cleaning and filling from streams etc.

-/|\-

I've got an Unbottle 3l as well. I like the tap on the tube, it stops me emptying the thing into the boot of my car / onto the ground et.

The cover it comes in really does keep the water cool, worked in Italy at 28-30 degrees c, so should be ok in this country.

Can't comment on durability yet, but I've been told by people who have got them that they dont fail like my Platy did.

Not sure if its worth £25 (or thereabouts), but I'd rather pay more money for something thats reliable.

Saving a few quid isn't too much consolation when you want a drink and your platy has sprung a leak!

Si(C)

I've been using a Platy Hoser 2l for about 3 years now. First one did de-laminate around the base of the bag but after contacting Cascade Designs, they kindly sent me a new bag (and a hose to boot despite me only returning the bag!) even though it was about 2 years old. Great service from them. Have got the dodgy stuff growing on the inside of ther hose so am off to get some Milton at lunchtime! Also worth knowing that you can screw an ordinary 2l plastic lemonade or Coke bottle to the hose no probs if you want to save buying a bag as well.

Only thing I don't like about them is that you can suddenly find yourself with an empty bag having merrily drunk all the contents - just have to hope you're near a water supply to re-fill. Apart from that, they're great I reckon.

I have lost the clip for the hose to be attached to the rucksack strap...can't find any replacement ones in the shops either.

The shops round here have them in stock Alex. Platy changed the design recently from the placky one to a croc clip version, WIMHO is much better.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr will have to get down to your neck of the woods then!

Hang on I remember thinking I'd lost my placky one and buying a replacement, only to find the old one. When I eventually get home (I'm off now cycling in wildest Warwickshire, picnic and tin of beer in my rucksack, no planning just off somewhere to sit and watch the sun go down. Isn't life wonderful) or even eventually finish those brackets, I'll have a look and if I can find it I'll send it to you.

Mike you are a gentleman and a scholar...

I'm off to watch the penultimate episode of Voyager!

Well I have found that my 2L platty hoser fits nicely in the side pocket of my Berghaus dart 35 daysack! my try putting in the top of the pack instead as it can make the pack slightly unstable!
But I have had no probs with it!

Ben B: yep if the choice is brain (aluminium) or brain & repro organs (phthalates) I prefer aluminium! lol

What worries me a wee bit is: all that surface area in contact with water, the thought that sometimes the idea is to keep bacteria or bug intake to a minimum, ...
<effectys of too much aluminimum kicking in>



to name a few

But, hey!, if your into outdoor pursuits, time racing and all that, it must be a great way to re-hydrate (from a placky bag I mean)

MIKE....

Platty hose holder arrived this morning!

You are a gentleman! Thank you very much!

I owe you a pint.

No probs Alex.