Platypus Internal “Hoser”

[Dane Fliedner]

OK, so in the scheme of things this one probably isn’t that exciting, but if you have ever had to take off your pack and adjust your play bladder because you are toward the end of the H2O and the bladder has collapsed onto itself or your gear has shifted, blocking your suction, you’ll like this one:

Go to hardware store and buy:
1. clear vinyl tubing of 5/16″ OD (mine has a 3/16″ ID by the length of your playpus bladder (Lil’ nippers are obviously much shorter than a 3 liter, you get the idea).
2. Plastic flat faucet washer of 3/4″ OD size. (internal hole diameter not important, since you will drill it open unless you find a 5/16″ ID hole, which I didn’t)

Drill the internal hole of the flat faucet washer to 5/16″ (the diameter of the tubing), then insert one end of the tubing about 1/2″ down. Shove the short portion of the tube into the bottom of the hoser (ie the part that secures the tubing you will drink from that is held down by the screw-lid) and thread long end of tube into the bladder. The washer will keep the tubing in place in the hoser set-up. Basically, makes a straw that goes down to the bottom of the bladder, so no matter how the gear shifts onto your water bladder, it won’t get pinched off and you’re out of water!
Total cost: $1. Total time: 5 minutes

PS– yes, I know you can flip the bladder over. I just don’t trust upside down water over my down sleeping gear.

PSS– yes, I know that playpus makes the big zip with the outlet at the bottom. It also costs 3 times as much. And, besides, isn’t MYOG about stickin it to the man? :)

[Joshua Mitchell]

I may be doing it all wrong, but i’ve always installed my platy (just a standard one) with the hose inlet on the bottom (aka ‘upside down’). Yeah it makes the hose, technically, shorter but I’ve never had a problem with it reaching my mouth / shoulder clip.

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