More durable water bladder?

[lisa r]

I overhauled my hydration system this year and am now using a UL hard water bottle for drinking and a Platypus Platy 2 bladder for storage. A few days into my inaugural trip using this system the bladder had sprung two separate leaks. Fortunately I was able to fix this with Tenacious Tape, but clearly it’s not a good sign that it’s already leaking after so little use. I treated the bladder gingerly as the plastic seemed brittle, so I’m not sure what happened. In any case, I’m wondering if there are any other options out there that might weigh about the same and have similar carrying capacity but might hold up better? Thanks!

[Alex H]

I am surprised by the problems with the Platy, I have 4 or 5 two liter Platys and have only had one (an old one) with a leak.  They used to fail around the neck where people carry them but even that seems to be a thing of the past.

[Mark Verber]

I am surprised you sprung a link in your platy.  No one I know has ever had one sprung in a leak (except when it met a cactus) and I haven’t seen many reports on the web. Maybe you go a rare defective one?

Cnoc Outdoors water bags seem pretty good, but they haven’t been around long enough to know long term durability.

[Miner]

They shouldn’t seem brittle, they should seem flexible.  I’ve been using them for years and usually only replace them after they just look beatup, not because they leaked.  Only had 1 leak about 10 years ago on the PCT.  After 6 weeks of use, I moved it outside my pack to make room for a bear can in my side pocket.  It wasn’t properly supported as it was only supported at the bottom by the water bottle pocket and halfway up by a compression strap so the top part tended to flop over and it was always sorta folded at the same location.  It started to leak on the edge of that fold after about 3 weeks.  Some duct tape did keep it usable until I could get it replaced.

[Bruce Tolley]

Brittle? +1 to above comments. Did you buy it recently?  If it came that way I would guess some sort of defect or perhaps you bought a counterfeit product.

I have some Platy bottles that are 14 years old and still flexible.  There was one time I managed to poke a hole in the middle of one of them that I had to patch.  I never had a seam leak.  Once while car camping in Bristlecone National Monument once, I did have birds attack my 2.5 gallon collapsible water jugs.

[Worth Donaldson]

Had a raven puncture the bladder to my gravity water filter. Your bladder should be quite flexible. Mine get beaten up and replace when I lose it. Never have had one fail and am still using some that have to be going on 5 years.

[Jerry Adams]

I use Platypus bags

After a few years they turn yellow and brittle so I replace.  Haven’t had one fail.

[John S.]

I used to store my sawyer mini by wrapping the half liter bag around it. Over time, with the bag wrapped around a hard object, it failed during a trip. Just a reminder that flexible bladders can have problems if stored against hard objects.

[Jeffs Eleven]

I’ve had some platys leak. The newer (well like 5 years old as opposed to 10 years old) softer plastic. Both near the top where the valve or whatever is glued in.

one is on a one-liter bottle, one is in my ‘clean’ 4L tank of my gravity flow.   Actually I just remembered that there’s one in my 2L hoser. (Hydration style bag).
two of the holes are from the corner of the plastic bit that is the male nozzle. The clean bag is leaking straight out of the corner where the nozzle is but not from a puncture, rather, where the seal failed.

my ancient ones with the noisier ‘crispy’ plastic are fine. They are at least 10 years old.

so weird.

[Brad W]

Evernew? Been using these a couple of years and they are great.

[lisa r]

Hm, very curious. I guess I’ll try another Platy and see if I have better luck (and will carry TT to repair if needed). Thanks all.

[Anonymous]

Not a joke, but have you ever considered a medical grade silicone enema bag?  These would be bullet proof.  Also medical grade silicone leaches the least of any human made materials that hold water that I know of.  Though, from what I’ve heard, it’s best to boil them in water for a little while to get rid of any initial leaching or residues.

Obviously, you don’t want to use it as a multi use tool… Single application use only!

[Adrian Griffin]

I have a couple of Juvale 5-liter collapsible water containers. Seem to be the same construction as Platypus. Got them from Amazon–$8.99 for two of them, so it doesn’t matter if they don’t last for decades.

[Anonymous]

For those that care about waste, it does matter.  The silicone containers I mentioned will likely last for decades +.

[Chris]

Great, now I have “medical grade silicone enema bag” in my search history…. they do look interesting though.

[MTN]

I love my MSR “camel back” style bag. I’ve had it ten plus years and used it quite frequently. It has lasted me in various conditions wo a leak. I don’t think I treat it gently. I had an older style platypus that did not last a year before the ziploc style top failed me. Very much the older style.

[Author]

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