Hydration Systems vs. Water Bottles – Survey Results

[Aushiker]

SectionHiker survey results on how day hikers carry their water.

63% of the day hikers we surveyed use water bottles instead of hydration reservoir+hose drinking systems citing reduced expense, ease of maintenance, and ability to see how much water they have left as primary benefits over hydration systems that include a reservoir and hose.

[wayno]

in sub zero conditions, the water in wide neck bottles doesnt freeze as much as in water bladder tubes...

[Aidan]

I've tried a few different bladder systems and the ones I've tried all taint the taste of the water to a greater extent than I wish to drink.
I've had both Camelback and Macpac amongst others in hydropod systems.

Regarding plain bladders my Ortleb isn't too bad but I'd heard and read more than a few brassed off with their MSR Dromedary flavours.

I like that my MSR Miniworks is an easy fitment to my widemouth Nalgene bottles.

Even they arent perfect taste wise in hot conditions but so far are the lesser of all the evils I've tried.

[Gadgetgeek]

I get more flavor out of my old dromy than my new dromlite. But still some with town water. Tank water, or filtered water is better, I remember reading that its one of the chemicals (bromine?) that brings out the plasticy flavor, and not all places use it.