I've had platys for years and they have never leaked nor let me down. Yet.

However I'm not overly impressed by the bite valves and at odd times they have leaked.

That 'funny taste' sensation had started to creep back even though I've been very precious with them - always using only pure bottled water and storing them in the freezer - so I have just gone through the seasonal spring-clean of my collection (wash in soapy water and stew in Milton solution overnight them rinse and return to the freezer).

I like the look of the Camelback kit and I would like to know if anyone has used both systems and could comment on both their pros and cons for me? At some point I'm going to have to replace the tubes and/or bladders and it may be a good time to look at alternatives.

Camelbak for me. I use the Unbottle versions as they protect the blabber and insulate for very little increase in weight. I've not found any problems with taste ro leaks apart from me sitting on the bite valve.

Also used platy's and found the plastic used can leak at fold point and the closure on the hosers is pretty lame.

I was in a gear shop in deepest darkest Crickhowell on sunday and noticed a new platy with, what looked like a redesigned valve, similar to the camelbak ones.

Had a camelback, and found it better, but mine wasn't a Unibottle so it lost an argument with a sharp rock when full in a stream in Honduras.

The Camelbak valve is definitely better than the Platy, flows more and has an optional ergo 90-degree and lock-off valve extension thing.

The older Platypus plastic used to fold and delaminate with use in the fold point, but the more recent ones are apparently much better.

At the moment my fave combo is a Source bladder with a Camelbak valve, which will plug straight in. The Source valve is okay, but can hole if you sit on the valve when the plastic internals press against the outer material.

Which reminds me, I must buy a new Camelbak valve. Ripped one.

Top tip if you lose a valve is to fold the tube over so it's watertight and use a zip-tie to hold it in place. To drink, slide the zip-tie back, then replace afterwards. Happened to me at night in the Andes...

Thanks for comments so far...

Don't get me started on Platys...

Haven't used Camelbak (switched to Nalgene I hated Platys durability so much), but I second Jon's comments about delamination at the fold point. I kind of thought half the point was to fold them when not in use, but this resulted in a hole developing after a year of use.

My other advice is do not keep a biro in your bag with the platy (I was doing fieldwork and had a biro leak on my platy). It was impossible to get off and it looked like it was mouldy. Never been so embarrassed as when I filled it up at a YHA-people must have thought I was a right tramp!

My platys used to leak as well-not at the bite valve but at the top.

Used both types. Platys were great until they split along fold lines. Not used the newer ones that Jon mentions.

I use a Camelback Unbottle now. Sometimes the Omega port tries to leak a little bit, but if I do it up a bit tighter it stops leaking. This MIGHT be a problem for you JJ if you've not got strong hands. Having said that I believe that the new ones dont have this problem.

Overall I much prefer my camelback.

HTH

Si

Hmm strange, all this talk of platys leaking.

Ours are 3-4 years old and have been used intensively in that time; they've been folded, rolled, used straight from the freezer - all the abuse they are reputed not to be able to take - which is why I suspect there could a catastrophic failure REAL SOON...

Yea, I think you might be right there JJ, I killed one after honduras, it was brown inside after being used with Iodine tablets, and it smelt minging even after being left to stew with milton.

I prefered my Camelback,

I can only say the same as those above. I had a Platy Hoser and didn't really like it. (They were called Hosers weren't they?) It sprung a leak on a fold line after about a year. Plus I absolutely detested the 'zip-lock' opening. There was a couple of times I was almost in tears of frustration because I couldn't close the damned thing with cold fingers.

I now use a 2ltr Platy bottle turned upside down attched to the original Hoser pipe and valve and I find this works well.

The Hoser also makes a crap wild camping water container as you can't stand it up.

Haven't tried Camelbak so cannot comment, but if I was ever in the market for that style of water container I'd definitely go for one of them.

I'm a Platy person myself.
have a hoser 2 and a Big Zip 3 and so far been really good and no bad tastes.

Have only killed 1 within 4 years. But a lessor make managed to expire within the year. and that was due to the fold delaminating.

I think the years of use with only water and plenty of that being used with steri tabs have allowed it to remain taint free.

Ooot - I use my 2L hoser standing up....the base fans out and it stands on a fairly level surface. Only works if it's full though.

Dunno what the zip-lock opening is - mine has a screw cap. And if you want a spare cap, all the ones from ordinary water bottles are from the same injection mould. DON'T buy the Platy ones.

That's just a normal bottle isn't it JJ? That's what I currently use too.

The Hoser is flat with a zip-lock opening at the opposite end to the hose attachment

Never had a problem with platy bottles, we have used 1 and 2 litre for about five years. However the hoser tube developed mould that I could never get rid of. No probs with the bite valve either.

FWIW, I haven't had any problems with the normal bottles either. Only the Hoser.

It's a 'hoser' I have. Ooot. I also have 'bottles'. The hoser has an off-set round cap that leads to the hose and no opening besides that. It has a bottom which fans out like the bottles do. It's a model from about 3 years ago.

Maybe two different models?

Richard - soak it in Milton...works for me when ours get discoloured.

Think it must be different models JJ. I can't find a picture of the one I had on F&T or Ellis Brig. Maybe they stopped making them as so many people were having the same problems.

You are right, the Hoser does have a flat bottom these days it seems.

Richard - soak it in Milton...works for me when ours get discoloured

Thanks for the tip JJ, do I put it in a bowl of miltons or what? Does the miltons need to be diluted?

I get the 'own brand' Tesco type.

It is 15ml of fluid to 2l of water but check the direction for your fluid. A bottle lasts years unless you have a baby.
Ahem. If you know what I mean.

I fill a bowl with the stuff then drop the hose in and suck fluid up throughout its length. It's so dilute that a sip in the mouth won't harm you terribly if you spit it out....it's then heavy/dense enough to stay under the water.

It's harder to fill up the bottles/pouches unless you actually stand them up and fill them that way but TBH a good swish round with soapy water and a soak in milton soln with some of it in the bottle/pouch seems to work. I leave them overnight. You could use ordinary chlorine bleach but the correct dilution isn't so easy.

After you're done, keep the soln in the bowl and leave the dishcloths and sponges in the soln for a hour so it's had two uses....

If your Platypus shoud fail catastrophically, yet another type to consider is the MSR bladders made from coated fabric, eg. the Hydromedaries.