 If ever I'm not going to be using my Camelbak and Platypus for more than a couple of weeks I try and do the right thing to keep them clean e.g. a rinse out with baby's bottle sterilization fluid and set them to dry completely. This drying out though can take ages. The Camelbak is not so bad as I have one of the coat-hanger dryers but the Platypus, with its small opening, takes ages to fully dry out and seems to he hanging around for ages after the rest of my kit has long been squared away. Does anyone know a quick way to get these dry? With thanks
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 Afraid I don't bother, Flashing Blade, I just keep them in the freezer. But I'd also be interested to know!!
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 WHy do you keep them in the freezer KAte? TFB I just ensure that the lid is off and it is in a dry environment. TBH I seldom wash it ou, I mean it has had water in it....?
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 If you freeze (a la Kate) you don't need to dry it. If you wanted, once frozen you could take it our, break the ice off & shake it out - should be pretty dry by then.
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 always freeze them it stops them going mouldy and if you when you take them out with a bit of ice in them there nice and chilled for a bit
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 Havnt tried this myself, but
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I'm impressed Frum. Not by his system but by the fact that you recommended something that didn't involve conflagration 
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There's a thought CB. A Frumlight in the platy would dry it even faster.
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Frum - good work - I obviously haven't been using YouTube to its full potential! What an obscure find (not sure if I'll try it though!)
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 Here's how I do it... For the main Platypus bag, get a dry cotton cloth, twist it into a kind of 'rope' and feed it through the opening into the bag. Scrunch the bag in all directions and any drips inside will soak into the cotton. The trick is to leave a bit of the cloth poking out of the opening, so that you can pull it out again. For the hose... here's the clever bit... Get a couple of long, clean bootlaces and tie them in a knot. Thread one end of the lace all the way through the hose, then pull it so that the knot travels the whole length of the hose, scouring it of water drops, algae and any other accumulated gunge. You'll have to experiment to find exactly the right length of bootlaces and the right size for the knot to do this effectively.
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 I dry mine sitting on a tea towel resting on a radiator, when the central heating's on and at this time of year, on a sunny window sill.
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 stick it in the airing cupboard until you need it. Stays bone dry so no bugs (camelback not sure about others but this worked of me - rinse first). Its not rocket science - bugs grow with food, water and warmth. I would suggest water is the most vital so a very dry atmosphere is best. Rog
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 I use a source widepack so drying the bladder is easy peasy but I'm gonna try Paddy's idea with the bootlaces and the tube. Paddy you are a genius!. I also keep mine in the freezer just to slow down any nasty growing things I have missed.
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 To dry a platypus you gut it, cut off its head and feet, bone it, skin it, cut it into strips and hang them out in the sun or use one of those dehydrator thingies. Oh, I nearly forgot, you tan its hide and hang it on the shed, Fred.
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| Edited: 01/07/08 10:12 |
 <rtfl> the bag dries well on a sunny windowsill or CH radiator. to dry the tube whirl it around your head a bit (slays flies wonderfully) to get the drops out, then leave in a current of warm air - dangling in front of a sunny window, or above or in front of the boiler.
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 I work in a lab, and we have loads of cilica tubes. The ones that get split, I tape up and shove into my platapus and screw the lid back on. When it turns from blue to pink (couple hours) and pull in out, shove another one in, and put it away with the rest of my gear. Thats laboratory grade stuff though, but I have heard that the little pouches that come inside bags and stuff work just as well, except you need a few more of them and you cant shove them in the oven top re-use them.
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