Review of Hydration Bladders & Hoses

Originally Posted: March 2022
Updated: September 2024

Camelbak Antidote Hydration Reservoir/Bladder
Platypus Big Zip LP Hydration Reservoir/Bladder
Platypus Big Zip Evo Hydration Reservoir/Bladder
Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir/Bladder

General Comments

Like the majority of outdoor enthusiasts, I rely greatly on a hydration bladder, or reservoir, system during most of my outdoor day trips. Whether I’m hiking, scrambling, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing, or snowshoeing, I find that a bladder and hose is the most convenient and efficient way to stay hydrated. I can load 2 or 3 liters of electrolyte drink into my bladder and get through a day without stopping to refill.

Many people also use a bladder for overnight or multi-day outings, but that’s where I find bladders to become less advantageous. During the course of a multi-day trip, it is often more efficient—or even necessary—to refill on the go rather than to begin each day with a full tank. This is especially true in mountain ranges such as the Cascades and Olympics, where clean water tends to be plentiful in the high country; here, it is much more convenient to simply dip a water bottle in a stream. But this is just a matter of personal preference.

The following reviews discuss the pros, cons, and details of three different bladder systems that I’ve used the most during the past five years. These three systems might also represent the two most long-standing brands in the hydration bladder market: Camelbak and Platypus. Recently, my wife purchased an Osprey Hydraulics bladder, so I have added some initial review comments regarding that system.

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Affiliate Disclosure: My gear reviews may contain affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something that I’ve linked to, I might get a small commission at no additional cost to you.  Be assured, though, that my reviews are unbiased and involve only gear that I (or a mountain partner) have used extensively.  For all items, I discuss the cons as well as the pros.

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Gear Review Summaries

Camelbak Antidote Hydration Bladder Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Conveniently placed handle on rim makes filling easy.
• Quick-release fitting on bladder allows fairly easy attachment and detachment of hose.
• Bite valve is simple, effective, and easy to replace.
• Shut-off valve on hose is easy to use and very effective.
• Bladder plastic is less tacky than some brands, allowing it to slide into tight bladder pockets.
• Available in 1.5-, 2-, and 3-liter sizes.

Cons:

• Threaded lid is difficult to screw on and off, especially as bladder ages.
• Screw-top opening makes bladder difficult to clean compared to slide-top opening.
• Bladder plastic seems more prone to mold growth than other bladder plastics.
• Dark blue plastic bladder and hose conceal mold growth more than clear plastic components.

Bottom Line:  A poorly designed bladder combined with a well-designed hose.

Product Link:  This specific model is no longer available but Camelbak now makes an upgraded model.

Similar Products & Links: 

Camelbak Crux hydration bladder (a new version of Antidote bladder with some improvements.)

Camelbak Stoaway Insulated hydration bladder (Identical to the Crux bladder but comes with an insulated sleeve for the bladder and hose.)

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Platypus Big Zip LP Hydration Bladder Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Slide-top opening makes filling and cleaning easy compared to screw-top opening.
• Slide-top closure is more reliably leak-proof than screw-top closure.
• Top handle is convenient for carrying.
• Quick-release fitting on bladder allows fairly easy attachment and detachment of hose.
• Bladder plastic seems more resistant to mold growth than other bladder plastics.
• Clear bladder allows unrestricted view when checking for mold growth.

Cons:

• Lack of handle on bladder makes filling somewhat difficult.
• Bite valve does not provide adequate flow rate.
• Shut-off valve is difficult to operate and is prone to leakage.
• Bladder plastic has a slightly tacky surface that makes it difficult to slide into tight bladder pockets.
• Blue plastic hose conceals mold growth slightly more than clear plastic components.

Bottom Line:  A well-designed bladder combined with a poorly designed hose.

Product Link:  This specific model is no longer available but Platypus now makes an upgraded model.

Similar Products & Links: 

Platypus Big Zip Evo hydration bladder (a new version of Big Zip bladder with notable improvements.)

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Platypus Big Zip Evo Hydration Bladder Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Slide-top opening makes filling and cleaning easy compared to screw-top opening.
• Squeeze handle makes filling easier than old LP bladder.
• Slide-top closure is more reliably leak-proof than screw-top closure.
• Top handle is convenient for carrying.
• High-mount quick-release fitting on hose allows very easy attachment and detachment of hose.
• Bladder plastic seems more resistant to mold growth than other bladder plastics.
• Clear bladder allows full view when checking for mold growth.
• Bite valve provides better flow rate than old LP bite valve.
• Shut-off valve on hose is easy to use and very effective.
• Available in 1.5-, 2-, and 3-liter sizes.

Cons:

• Bladder plastic has a slightly tacky surface that makes it difficult to slide into tight bladder pockets.
• Blue plastic hose conceals mold growth slightly more than clear plastic components.

Bottom Line:  A well-designed bladder combined with a well-designed hose.

Product Link:  Platypus Big Zip Evo hydration bladder

Similar Products & Links: 

Osprey Hydraulics bladder (a popular slide-top bladder with a different bite valve design, but provides essentially same function)

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Full Gear Reviews

Camelbak Antidote Hydration Bladder Review

The Camelbak brand is virtually synonymous with hydration bladders, and I’ve personally used several different versions of their bladders for the past 25 years. My current Camelbak bladder carries the model name Antidote, and although it has been replaced by the slightly improved Crux model, most of my review comments apply to either model.

The Antidote utilizes Camelbak’s standard blue plastic bladder with a screw-top opening, very similar to the current Crux. Over the course of several years, I’ve found several serious problems with this design. First, and most important, is that the screw-top lid becomes progressively more difficult to open and close, possibly due to frictional resistance associated with the rubber gasket. Only by using extreme force was I able to get the lid fully shut, which meant that I often experienced leakage around the lid. If I was able to get the lid fully tightened, it would be very difficult to loosen at the end of a trip. My wife also used an Antidote bladder and was almost never able to tighten or loosen the lid by herself.

Another annoying problem was the propensity for mold to grow inside the bladder. I usually put an electrolyte drink such as Gatorade or Powerade in my bladder, whereas my wife typically put plain water in her bladder, but we both observed mold on a regular basis. The dark blue plastic obscures the interior of the bladder, thereby making early detection quite difficult. Further exacerbating the problem is the relatively small opening, which does not readily accommodate a scrub brush. The new Crux models advertise an improved antimicrobial plastic, but the dark blue plastic and small opening will still be a problem for mold detection and removal.

The Antidote hose attaches to the bottom of the bladder via a quick-release fitting, which allows the small end of the hose to be easily fed through hose straps and ports on backpacks and rucksacks. The other end of the hose features Camelbak’s standard rubber bite valve with a shut-off lever. I have always found this system to be convenient and effective; the bite valve delivers a good flow of liquid with no unwanted leakage, and the shut-off lever prevents accidental discharge when the bladder is not being used.

Overall, I think Camelbak makes an excellent hose system, but I do have two gripes. First, the dark-blue color of the hose makes it very difficult to check for mold growth; a clear or light-blue hose would be much better. Second, Camelbak does not sell replacement O-rings for the hose end that slips into the quick-release fitting. This tiny O-ring naturally wears out over time—just as all O-rings in the world do—and causes minor leakage at the fitting connection. I’ve had several of them wear out when other system components were still going strong. However, Camelbak’s website does not offer replacement O-rings or even complete replacement hoses. Short of contacting customer service, their only retail solution is to replace the entire bladder and hose system!

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Platypus Big Zip LP Hydration Bladder Review

Due to shortcomings associated with the Camelbak Antidote bladder described above, I switched to a Platypus Big Zip LP bladder several years ago and have used it on numerous mountain trips. Platypus has since replaced the Big Zip LP with an improved bladder called the Big Zip Evo, but many of my review comments below apply to both models.

The first thing I noticed about the Big Zip LP was the convenience and security of the slide-top opening. Filling, emptying, and cleaning the bladder is much easier with the full-width opening, as compared to the Camelbak screw-top opening. Over the course of 50-some outings, I have never experienced a drop of leakage through the top, and the robustness of the design gives me confidence that it probably never will leak. When it’s time to clean the bladder, I can readily stick a big bottle brush through the opening and give a good scrubbing.

A notable benefit of the Platypus bladder design is that the clear plastic provides a good view of the interior, so I know right away when a cleaning is needed. This was always a problem with the dark-blue plastic used for Camelbak bladders. In addition, the Platypus plastic seems to be more resistant to mold growth than the Camelbak plastic, although more time is needed to fully assess this. One small negative aspect of the Platypus bladder is that the plastic has a tacky surface, which makes the bladder more difficult to slide into tight hydration pockets of rucksacks and backpacks. However, I mitigated this issue by making a simple nylon slip-sleeve. How to make a slip-sleeve for a hydration bladder.

Sadly, the favorable aspects of the Big Zip LP bladder do not extend to the hose. I immediately noticed that the bite valve has a non-ergonomic feel and does not deliver an adequate flow rate when compared to the Camelbak hose. Worse yet, the bite valve tends to leak a tiny bit, and the shut-off valve leaks even more when closed! I won’t even mention how poorly designed the shut-off lever is.

Given the pros of the Big Zip LP bladder and the cons of the hose, my workaround solution was to replace the Platypus hose with a Camelbak hose. I was delighted to find that the quick-release fittings are adequately compatible, so that I could enjoy the best parts of both systems. The only issue is that the Big Zip LP bladder is designed for an L-shaped fitting, whereas the Camelbak has a straight fitting; as such, the hose exits the bladder horizontally and must be curved upward, thereby sometimes causing a small kink in the hose. Nonetheless, I used this hybrid system to good advantage for several years.

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Platypus Big Zip Evo Hydration Bladder Review

Based on my extensive use of the Camelbak Antidote and Platypus Big Zip LP hydration systems, I recently purchased a Platypus Big Zip Evo system. This is Platypus’ latest offering in the hydration market, and it appears that they heeded a lot of feedback—both positive and negative—regarding their previous product. The initial review comments below reflect my observations after several trips with the new system; I will post a full review after subjecting it to a full season of use.

The new Big Zip Evo retains all of the good things about the older Big Zip LP bladder and then adds a few improvements. It still has the excellent slide-top opening with a convenient carrying handle, and it still uses the same clear plastic. The main improvement is that the quick-release fitting is now mounted in a higher position on the hose, such that it can be disconnected more easily when shoved into a hydration pocket on a backpack. Another notable improvement is the addition of a plastic handle located just under the zippered rim; when pinched, this handle holds the rim open to aid in filling the bladder. I immediately appreciated both of these new features. A third change is the addition of a stiff plastic baffle in the center of the bladder, which helps to maintain the bladders shape and make it easier to slide in and out of a pack.

The most important changes with the Big Zip Evo are found at the working end of the hose. Platypus redesigned the bite valve to increase the flow rate, and the shut-off valve now has a very easy-to-use lever that can be operated even while wearing gloves or mittens. In my preceding review of the Camelbak bladder, I complained about the company not selling replacement O-rings for the quick-release fitting, nor even selling a complete replacement hose for their bladders. I should therefore point out that the Platypus website likewise does not offer replacement O-rings, but they do at least sell a complete replacement hose.

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Initially, I was also very happy to say that the bite valve does not leak. After a full year of use, however, I have noticed a small but nearly constant bit of dripping at the nozzle when the shut-off valve is open. Furthermore, the shut-off valve itself gradually became very sticky and difficult to open or close. Although I’ve been happy with the rest of the bladder system, this dripping was unacceptable. Fortunately, I was able to find an effective and inexpensive (about $10) solution: I replaced the faulty Platypus valve with an Osprey Hydraulics bite valve, which fits nicely into the Platypus hose. After several hikes and rides with the new fix, I’ve had no leakage problems.

Thus far, my use of the new Big Zip Evo system indicates that Platypus has really delivered a top-notch product that addresses many shortcomings of their previous model. Hopefully, they will be able to fix the dripping and sticky valve problems. Meanwhile, I will continue to use my Platypus bladder in conjunction with an Osprey bite valve on both summer and winter trips.

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Initial Gear Reviews

Osprey Hydraulics Hydration Bladder

My wife recently purchased a 2-liter Osprey Hydraulics hydration bladder, and I’ve had a chance to use it a couple times. I was immediately impressed by several of the features. Most evident was the plastic handle, which makes filling and moving the bladder very easy. I also appreciated the plastic stiffener plate on the back, which helps the bladder keep its shape when squeezing it into a backpack slot. The slide-top opening is convenient and seems very secure.

The Osprey Hydraulics system is manufactured by HydraPak, a company that has become fairly well known for its various sizes of lightweight, collapsible water jugs. The plastic used for Osprey’s bladder seems to be the same plastic used for HydraPak jugs. I would describe the plastic as relatively thin, subtly textured, and very pliable. Frankly, it doesn’t inspire me with a lot of confidence for use as a hydration bladder, but time and usage will ultimately tell how durable the whole system is. Stay tuned for future updates.

From a functional standpoint, the Osprey bladder provides a few key features. One is a quick-connect fitting near the top of the unit—something I regard as essential. The business end of the hose has a special type of bite valve that Osprey has used since 2010 or so. My limited experience has shown the valve to be leak-free. My only complaint is that this valve (combined with a relatively small hose diameter) results in a slightly lower flow rate compared to other systems I’ve used. However, I’m willing to accept this minor downside in return for a leak-free upside. In fact, as mentioned above, I recently replaced the finicky bite valve on my Platypus hydration bladder with an Osprey valve.

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