Bladders or Bottles

[Waka]

Morning Pilgrims

Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.

My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.

Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.

I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.

 

[BerlinPilgrim]

I like the drinking bladders for two reasons:
1) You can drink while walking and without taking off your backpack, so you stay generally more hydrated while walking (at least in my experience)
2) When it is hot outside the bladder keeps the water quite cool for some hours. So no disgustingly warm water =D
I usually combined blatter and bottle, I use a 2l bladder and one 1/2 ltr. bottle where i can put some minerals in and take a quick refill at a fountain.

 

[ifranz]

I use a hybrid system. I keep a plastic bottle (16-20 oz) in a side pocket of my pack, it starts the day as sports drink and gets topped off with water when available. My primary source of water is a 1.5l camelback. I like the new design that has a quick release between the hose and the bladder, it makes refill and cleaning much easier. Like any piece of gear you should train with it, if your going to use it. I find I stay better hydrated with a bladder system. I'd only put water in the bladder, sports drinks and juice can get gross quickly. I keep a quick disconnect cap on the loop of cord I use to hang the bladder in my pack.

 

[wayfarer]

This is going to be a lively debate.
Well it is bottles for me, I didn't like the taste from the bladder I bought so I use two 0.75 L water store bought water bottles with the device in the link below. You can refill the bottles or buy new and rinse the tube every day, no need to remove the backpack to drink and with one bottle each side the balance is better.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/SmarTube-Tri...7783763?pt=Fahrrad_Schuhe&hash=item19c4505e53
Edit:
The tube comes with a straight fitting, you have to request the angle one shown in the picture, I found the straight one better.

 

[dougfitz]

Irrespective of what you choose, having water readily accessible so that you can drink on demand is the best way of staying hydrated.

I use a 2 li bladder and depending on where I am, will also carry a 750 ml bottle as well. This combination has worked well for me for many years. It is slightly heavier than using the thin-walled bottles, but more accessible.

 

[PANO]

Morning Pilgrims
Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.
My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.
Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good. I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.

Ahhh, the water debate again! You'll see two "religions" here: the bladder/tap water guys and the bottlers. (I belong to the latter). Guess it depends on your drinking habits. If you generally tend to drink a lot, you'll need a bladder (+ bottles); I manage my liquid requirement easy with 2-3 half-litre bottles bought on the way and with occasional refreshment-stops.
To easily access your bottle: http://www.niteize.com/product/Drink-N-Clip.asp

 

[MTtoCamino]

I was strictly a 750 ml bottle bottle guy. Not that I don't use or haven't used bladders. 22 years in the military I just got use to having it on my hip. My general rule was to add a bladder when it is over 85 degrees F all day long. Water was easy to find & it was early spring. It did take some effort to find the correct pouch to hold the bottle & adapt it to my Osprey pack for ease of use. The bladders are fine if you add a fitting so you can fill from the hose you drink from. In any case it just boils down to convenience so you stay hydrated. My biggest complaint about the bladders is taste & cleaning. But one thing about it there are a lot of bars with beer to break up that beverage issue

 

[aname4me]

We started our Camino (Sept/Oct) with 2-750ml bottles each. We always left with them full, and topped them up as we walked. We suspected that we were carrying too much water. The decision to get rid of one of the bottles was made easier when we dropped one and it broke. The lesson repeated itself a week later.

What did we learn....

A single 750ml bottle each is usually enough. Stop at every water tap, take a big drink, and fill up the bottle, this includes before you leave in the morning. The best place to carry water is inside you.
This is easier for males, as we have less problem getting rid of any excess amounts.

Read your guidebook, looking for water taps.
If there are very few the next day... buy a bottle of water to take.
If it's going to be hot and sunny the next day... buy a bottle of water and leave earlier.

Test your water bottle before you leave. Drop it (or imagine dropping it) from a meter height onto concrete, a few times.

Carry your water bottle on your right side, the water stays cooler. The sun is always behind you, or on your left. If the sun is above you... you started too late. If the sun is in front of you, your lost, or your really late.

Ask yourself... How much time/money did I spent to lose a kilogram from my backpack.

1 litre water = 1 kilogram

 

[jpflavin1]

Bottles for me. I often prefer to carry something with electrolytes and found cleaning the bladder a nuisance. Gave it away after a week. If your issue with bottles is access, you can make up a simple bottle holder to hang off pack straps or there are many tubes you can purchase to connect from bottle to strap for easy access. Tube much easier to keep clean than bladder, imo.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Mark Lee]

It's all preference of course, but I found carrying two 1/2 liter bottles with me was more than adequate for 90% of walking the CF (only time I found three useful were the first day from SJPdP to Roncesvalles and the stretch across the meseta out of Carrion de los Condes). At every water point, be it a fountain or tap from a cafe etc, I would drink at least one full bottle and refill it. Also in the morning I made it a point to drink at least one full bottle before starting out. As I've said on here before, one would have to work really, really hard to be a heat casualty on the Camino Frances. The weather is not that warm for most of the average walking day of the average pilgrim and there are lots of places to get potable, free water. Oh, and wear a good hat.

I bought the water in SJPdP and carried the bottles in side-pockets on my pack (ain't that hard to get to them folks) and refilled them all the way to Santiago and upon arrival dropped them in a bin. I'm not a big fan of the wastefulness of plastic water bottles. I'm convinced one day the earth will be covered in them along with those small plastic bags.

The only complaint about the bladders is that they can leak and can get slimy inside. We had them when I was working in Afghanistan, but we didn't use them much.

 

[scruffy1]

If your bladder is brand new, water tastes like the smell of the inside of a plastic bucket - used they too often smell and taste like an aquarium that should have been cleaned a month ago. I am a bottle person, I seek out a member of Shel Silversteins' giving tree family, one which gives a lot of shade, take off my backpack, and enjoy a refreshing drink - not rehydration, a refreshing break. There are many many fountains, wells, spigots along the Camino clearly marked potable or non-potable and bottles are so much easier to refill.

 

[Introibo]

I used a Camelback Eddy 0.75l coupled with a hands free drinking system ( the same as the bite tubes you get with bladders )
My favourite piece of kit. In the UK, the hands free adapters are supplied by Millets.

 

[Lottie Ericson]

Great info - now I just have to make up my mind!!!

 

[jeffnd]

I think both is the way to go. A bladder so you never run out, and a small bottle so you can refill it with fresh water when you get a chance.

 

[Waka]

Some very interesting points have been raised and I thank you all. It's interesting that some of you think there is a place for both bladders and bottles, I hadn't really thought of that.
@wayfarer and @PANO thank you for the links, very interesting.
I shall have to digest all the information and see what best fits my needs, also I'll have some trial runs with both systems to see how I get on with them.

One of my biggest problems when walking is that I don't take in enough water, I always think I'll stop in a minute, but never do. I've just completed a 14 mile hike and probably only consumed about 1 ltr of water, I'm sure I should have at least doubled the intake.

 

[Icacos]

I started off with a bladder but soon found it to be a nuisance to deal with. I switched to a water bottle and, using an 'S' hook (both water bottle and 'S' hook I already had with me), I hung this off the side of my pack for easy access while walking. It worked like a charm.

The metal water bottle can also double as a hot water bottle to warm one's sleeping bag if necessary. Mind you, the one time I could have used it, the albergue had run out of hot water.

 

[Mark Lee]

Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?

 

[Waka]

Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?

Certainly not I, when you've got to go, you've got to go.

 

[Icacos]

Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?

Probably. I recall approaching Castrojerez from a distance and feeling the need to go, when I spied a peregrino up ahead step off the trail. He visited a tree for a few seconds, then continued on his merry way. It's not so easy for some of us.

 

[Mark Lee]

Probably. I recall approaching Castrojerez from a distance and feeling the need to go, when I spied a peregrino up ahead step off the trail. He visited a tree for a few seconds, then continued on his merry way. It's not so easy for some of us.

Yeah, there is no way I'm gonna sacrifice hydration for modesty.
On my first Camino, just outside of Logrono I had to do nature's call. There was a little area off the trail, but you had to kind of go up a small embankment. It was muddy and when I stepped up to get on it I promptly went down like the proverbial sack of, ummm, potatoes . I sprained my left wrist going down and was lucky I didn't break it (that would have really sucked). Hurt like hell and swelled up for a week, though. Anyway, after that I decided no more stepping off the trail for doing the old number one. I'd just wait for a break in peregrino traffic and go (calm down, not on the trail itself). I figured we all do it, and it shouldn't alarm anyone and anyone who sees me do it can just get over it anyway.

 

[Inbar]

Some areas seem to be quite bare, like the Meseta... What should a lady do when she has to go in such instances? I tend to drink a lot of water....

 

[SYates]

Some areas seem to be quite bare, like the Meseta... What should a lady do when she has to go in such instances? I tend to drink a lot of water....

Go whenever you find a good spot and don't wait until things become urgent. SY

 

[Camino2010]

Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?

Yep, there are some! I'm not one of them, because after my first Camino when I was told that drinking more water would ease the muscle cramps I was experiencing early on (and it worked), I'm good at making sure I drink enough now. But as a woman, it is a little more challenging to pee in private on the Camino! I've mastered the art of keeping my pack on while I pee, so that saves a little time, but I really shake my head sometimes at the guys and how it seems so much easier for them... I remember walking into Sarria, at a big intersection with all kinds of cars and people around; a male pilgrim ahead of me walked up to a telephone pole in broad view and did his business. I'm pretty sure a woman dropping her pants and squatting in the same situation would have raised more than a few eyebrows!

My first and second times on the Camino Frances were in Sept-Oct and it was relatively easy to find a place (and time) to pee along the trail without anyone coming by (though I did get caught with my pants down by a cyclist on the way up to Alto do Poio, haha! I'd spent about ten minutes walking extra fast to gain time on the pilgrims behind me and be able to pee before they caught up, and then out of nowhere here comes the bicycle!). But it was ridiculous on my third Camino, when I walked in June and July! Way more people walking, and catching a break in between them was not gonna happen. I really had to pee on the stretch between Mansilla and Arcabueja... there's a stretch where the Camino is on the left and parallels the highway. There was too much traffic to hope for privacy from that, and there were too many pilgrims (it was one of those days when it was like a pilgrim parade). Finally I went off track and walked down a laneway for a couple of minutes to find a tree to crouch beside. My tired feet didn't appreciate the detour but my bladder was happy.

The other place that sticks in my mind is the stretch just out of Burgos, under a tunnel and across a hay field, and then past highway construction (which may be finished now). There was nowhere to hide there. My friend got caught out on that one! But yes, when it comes down to it, if you've gotta go, you've gotta go. It's really not a big deal, and most pilgrims will politely look the other way. I was thankful that the cyclist who passed me was going pretty fast, and I like to think that what he said to me in Italian was something like, "Oh, don't worry, this sort of thing happens all the time! We cyclists are quick and sneaky!"

Rachel

 

[MTtoCamino]

The Camino reminds us daily that we are all human, & we simply must be respectful of everyone regardless if it makes us uncomfortable. So here is my experience:
In the beginning there seemed to be an equal number of young to old pilgrims. It was interesting how most age groups mixed well. But there was an older couple in there 80's the wife simply could not controll her bladder at times to make it places that would give much privacy. So as she had the right she would simply stop & do what was required. Her very nice husband would try to shield her the best he could. Seems with age most of us understood averted our eyes & kept moving on. This couple were very fast walkers & always kept up. Unfortunately some of the youngsters were not kind about it.

Please be kind.

 

[dougfitz]

If your bladder is brand new, water tastes like the smell of the inside of a plastic bucket - used they too often smell and taste like an aquarium that should have been cleaned a month ago.

This was certainly an issue some time ago, but I don't think it happens much now. I recently replaced my bladder when the closure began to leak, and there was no noticeable taste or smell. I still gave it a wash with warm soapy water - which you would want to do anyway with anything that you are going to use to store food or beverages.

 

[Waka]

This was certainly an issue some time ago, but I don't think it happens much now. I recently replaced my bladder when the closure began to leak, and there was no noticeable taste or smell. I still gave it a wash with warm soapy water - which you would want to do anyway with anything that you are going to use to store food or beverages.

Thanks that's good to know.

 

[dougfitz]

Some areas seem to be quite bare, like the Meseta... What should a lady do when she has to go in such instances? I tend to drink a lot of water....

As a bloke, it is less problematic, but I know that avoiding drinking to avoid urinating is just not a good water hygiene strategy. It is a recipe for becoming dehydrated with its attendant issues.

My own strategy was to use the toilets before I left the albergue in the morning, and then at a bar/cafe after finishing my coffee, whether I felt like I needed to or not. I still needed to use the outdoors, but infrequently.

 

[Robo]

Are there pilgrims who are hesitant to drink a lot of water on the Camino because they don't want to pee in the great outdoors?

Yes. Most of the ladies I have met!

I had to almost force a walking buddy to drink, and she had loads of blisters. Coincidence? I think not.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests the gals get more blisters than the guys.....same reason ?

 

[jpn321]

I am on the CF right now and would like to put in my 2 cents worth. I am using the Smartube system and like it quite well (see link in wayfarer's post near the top) I don't drink enough water and I agree with an earlier post - I would delay drinking because stopping and taking off my pack multiple times to get to my bottle is a pain. If you can get to it without stopping though, then by all means, use a bottle system.
That is for the bottle question, now for the bladder . I am female, newbie walker and yesterday walked from Los Arcos to Logrono. No public toilet options until Viana - about 4 - 4.5 hours. Really had to go for last hour but not seeing a good spot. So I did stop drinking- didn't want to make things worse. Not a good plan I know. In future, will find a spot, even if not perfect because it's necessary. I expect the Meseta will be worse so I have to get over this. Always have had an issue with peeing outdoors. Guys have it so easy

 

[Mark Lee]

Yes. Most of the ladies I have met!

I had to almost force a walking buddy to drink, and she had loads of blisters. Coincidence? I think not.

Anecdotal evidence also suggests the gals get more blisters than the guys.....same reason ?

yeah, in a lot of ways I don't blame them...
it is more convenient for men outdoors

 

[Camino2010]

Wow... it never occurred to me to make a connection between water intake (or lack of it) and blisters! That's motivation to drink more right there! I would love to have a completely blister-free Camino. I even made a picture about that after my 2012 Camino, haha! Thanks for the tip!

(I'm just a little bit jealous. )

 

[Waka]

I guess with "Bladders" in the title of this thread it had to go down the route of relieving ones self on the camino. Evan though I'm a male I would feel uncomfortable doing it while others are walking by, male or female.

Anyway getting back to the original question, I've had a serious look at the Smartube system and have to say I like it a lot. Because I do a lot of casual walking with a small rucksack and cycling, I try to but equipment that can be adapted to suit, and I think the Smartube can, so thanks to @wayfarer for pointing me in the right direction.

What's has again been interesting is that there is no right or wrong answer to the original question, it's all about preferences.

Thanks once again for all the comments and answers, and may we all pee in harmony.

 

[Mark Lee]

Wow... it never occurred to me to make a connection between water intake (or lack of it) and blisters! That's motivation to drink more right there! I would love to have a completely blister-free Camino. I even made a picture about that after my 2012 Camino, haha! Thanks for the tip!

View attachment 18365 (I'm just a little bit jealous. )

I met several pilgrims on both Caminos that walked the whole way with no blisters. Me? I suffered a total of four for both Caminos (two per Camino). All on the outer edge of my little toes. I guess that's the only place I had any degree of friction and contact with the shoe.

 

[Donna Sch]

http://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/sou...M73xhdWHfMHeNCRtyK_d_A8jeXS05wDjWXRoCuI_w_wcB
I have this 3 litre bladder with a bite tube leading off it. It's on sale at the moment.

 

[domigee]

Morning Pilgrims

Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.

My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.

Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.

I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.

Hi Waka,
For what it's worth, I prefer carrying small plastic bottles of water (kept and refilled). I put them in outside side pockets of my rucksack so I don't have to stop to have a drink. If I have to walk long distances without a bar or a fountain I carry a larger bottle inside the rucksack as well.
The bladders seem very convenientI admit but I don't know how easy it is to clean them? I sail and there is the equivalent of a water bladder on the boat but I only ever use that water to cook or boil a kettle... Maybe I'm just too fussy

 

[dougfitz]

The bladders seem very convenientI admit but I don't know how easy it is to clean them? I sail and there is the equivalent of a water bladder on the boat but I only ever use that water to cook or boil a kettle... Maybe I'm just too fussy

They are only slightly more difficult to clean than any other container. I would clean the bladder before a long trip and give it just a rinse out each day. They can be washed out in warm soapy water and some of that squeezed through the tube and bite valve. Alternatively, I use a denture cleaning tablet, dissolve it in hot water and leave that in the bladder and tube overnight. As I said, I don't do this every day, any more than I see people with plastic bottles doing it!

 

[domigee]

Good idea, the cleaning tablets!

 

[promessi]

Morning Pilgrims

Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.

My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.

Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.

I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.

I found it was easy to stay hydrated using a bladder. If you have one that fills from the top it's convenient to add water to it during the day. Because I use two hiking poles I think it's less cumbersome to just have a tube to sip from, rather than managing a bottle and sticks. One note: my first day out of Orisson I didn't realize I should put the filled bladder in my pack before I stuff it. I didn't have the strength to push the bladder into a fully stuffed pack but, luckily a very strong guy helped me get it in place. So, if you choose to use a bladder always set it in place before finishing your packing. Buen Camino!

 

[tploomis]

I like the convenience of a bladder, but there are two drawbacks for me. First, I'm never really sure how much I've drunk, and I'm often surprised at how much water is still in the bladder at the end of the day. The opposite, thinking there is plenty of water in there and suddenly I'm sucking air, is a nasty jolt as well. Secondly, water absorbs into your system more rapidly when it's gulped. With a bladder I tend to sip.

 

[naplesdon]

Hi Waka,
For what it's worth, I prefer carrying small plastic bottles of water (kept and refilled). I put them in outside side pockets of my rucksack so I don't have to stop to have a drink. If I have to walk long distances without a bar or a fountain I carry a larger bottle inside the rucksack as well.
The bladders seem very convenientI admit but I don't know how easy it is to clean them? I sail and there is the equivalent of a water bladder on the boat but I only ever use that water to cook or boil a kettle... Maybe I'm just too fussy

Totally agree, a refillable small bottle (0.5L) in your pocket and a larger bottle (full or empty 1.5L if required) in your pack and no need for cleaning bacteria out of some plastic tubes.

 

[GAUVINS]

I used a Camelback Eddy 0.75l coupled with a hands free drinking system ( the same as the bite tubes you get with bladders )
My favourite piece of kit. In the UK, the hands free adapters are supplied by Millets.

Looks like the best solution, unfortunately it is too late for me as I have committed to a reservoir.

How do you rig the tube? (I have an Osprey system where the bite valve can be secured to the sternum strap with a small magnet. Pictures of the Eddy system that I've seen show the valve "magically affixed" to the lower section of the shoulder strap.)

 

[Patch]

Took a metal container (like some has already said good as a hot water bottle and also clean untreated water in the morning) and a thermo flask (my usual companion in UK walks) and used neither on my walk from Leon to Santiago last year. So this year will take no water containers and if I needed will buy a small/large bottle of water on my walk from St Jean to Leon this year. As I am crossing the Pyrenees will take small Bivi bag with the space saved in my 5kg pack - hopefully will be able to post it back at some point. No recommendations made just what I plan to do.

 

[joe g texas aggies]

Morning Pilgrims

Another one of my posts where I'm asking a question that I'm sure has been asked before, and I'm sure is down to personnel preference.

My rucksack has the facility to take a bladder, I have been looking at the 1.5 lt capacity type which will add 1.5 kg to the pack weight plus a grams for the weight of the sack.

Also looked at ½ ltr bottles, with the intention of carrying two, less weight but unless their easily accessible when walking not much good.

I do worry about hydration on the journey, so any thoughts, advice, for's and against's would be very much appreciated.

I am presently on the Camino, with four days til I get to Santiago. I cannot endorse the use of a bladder enough. First you do not have to top it off, unless you know you will be in the heat for much of the day, with limited opportunities to refill the bladder.
Take some plastic bottles with you and fill them when you think you may be running low on water in your bladder.
In other words, carry the capacity with you, but try to optimize the weight you are carrying.

 

[SYates]

(PET) Bottle girl here ;-)

Easier to clean / replace.
Easier to see how much water is left over.
Easier to refill.
Easy to access if carried in the side pockets.

Buen Camino, SY

 

[MTtoCamino]

(PET) Bottle girl here ;-)

Easier to clean / replace.
Easier to see how much water is left over.
Easier to refill.
Easy to access if carried in the side pockets.

Buen Camino, SY

So to possibly open up another question. What pack do you carry? This determines for many what they use to carry water. I noticed many Europeans use Deuter Packs My spelling may be wrong. My Osprey pack was designed for a bladder so I improvised. The other issue is how many liters is the pack you carry, the less inside volume may force the decision. Mine was 48L . Definitely could reduce to 38L but was glad to have 48L for convenience & food.
For hiking in wilderness like we're I live a 48L is about right when you have to pack some sort of shelter. But totally different situation.

 

[Waka]

I use a Lowe Alpine 35/45 ltr which is compatible with the bladder system. At home I always use bottles, therefore as I mentioned earlier I will be using the Smartube system which I guess is a combination of the two.
I was interested in the comment regarding packing your bag before putting the bladder in place, I certainly hadn't thought of that. Although if you always use a. Ladder the. It becomes automatic.

 

[GAUVINS]

I was interested in the comment regarding packing your bag before putting the bladder in place, I certainly hadn't thought of that. Although if you always use a. Ladder the. It becomes automatic.

Three things: (1) some backpacks have an external compartment for the bladder. (never used one, so I don't speak from experience here). (2) some bladders are semi-rigid, which means that they can slide fairly easily into an internal sleeve as long as the backpack is "reasonably empty". (3) Refilling is certainly not a positive of the reservoir systems. I find that it greatly helps if you pack in stuff sacks instead of piling everything into the main compartment -- you can empty your pack, slide the reservoir, connect and reload in a matter of seconds.

 

[templarsoul]

Water bladder users... I've Googled this question, with no luck: How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder? I mention Osprey as they have an anti-microbial film.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder?

I put six drops of bleach and a cup of water in the bladder each week, and, of course, rinse thoroughly. Flush the cleaning water through the tube to sanitize it as well.

 

[GAUVINS]

How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder?

Depends what gets in. Look here. Personally it is water only, rinse every day.

 

[SabsP]

(PET) Bottle girl here ;-)

Easier to clean / replace.
Easier to see how much water is left over.
Easier to refill.
Easy to access if carried in the side pockets.

Buen Camino, SY

Idem here but with my new pack I can reach side pockets and take bottle but am not able ( while walking ) to put bottle back in side pocket. So bought myself a lightweight 750 lightweight plastic bottle ( Camelback brand ) with hook so I can put it on a carabiner /strap backpack.
And it does not dangle too much against my body.
http://www.asadventure.com/benl/camelbak-drinkfles-eddy-0-75l-1422xx0030?id_colour=2452

 

[dougfitz]

How often would you recommend cleaning an Osprey water bladder?

I give my Source bladder a rinse every few weeks, and before I travel I treat it using a denture cleaning tablet.

Depends what gets in. Look here. Personally it is water only, rinse every day.

Perhaps not. I know that I blow the water out of the tube when I drink, which might allow some spittle to get into the bite valve and tube. I have known others to add things like re-hydration salts. Were I to do that, I would be rinsing more regularly.

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

I started my Camino Frances in SJPDP in 2014 with a 3 liter bladder and no bottles. By the time I made it to Pamplona I realized that I was carrying too much extra water weight at 3 liters. Onward I would only put about 2 liters in the bladder and that worked well as I was finishing my water at about the time I arrived at the town I planned to stay in. Sometime around Foncebadon and where my Camino legs were at their strongest, I needed a bit over 3 liters of water every day as I was leaving early and ending later after lengthy days of KM's. So I added a water bottle. I think that the best for me ended up with about 1.5 liters in the bladder and two 1/2 liter water bottles attached on my front pack straps over my chest--one on each side. I would drink the water bottles first and reload them once I finished both bottles drinking off the water in my bladder until I found another water source. This seemed to be the most effective and efficient weight carrying method for me...

Here's a pick of the carribiner bottle clip I used (similiar).

 

[templarsoul]

I put six drops of bleach and a cup of water in the bladder each week, and, of course, rinse thoroughly. Flush the cleaning water through the tube to sanitize it as well.

Thanks!

 

[waveprof]

FYI for those taking bladders. The Spanish baby bottle company called Suavinex makes a dissolvable tab that sanitizes everything submerged in the water that it dissolves in. It's for baby bottles, but it could be easily used for hydration bladders. Most pharmacies carry Suavinex products.

 

[Beach Rach]

This is going to be a lively debate.
Well it is bottles for me, I didn't like the taste from the bladder I bought so I use two 0.75 L water store bought water bottles with the device in the link below. You can refill the bottles or buy new and rinse the tube every day, no need to remove the backpack to drink and with one bottle each side the balance is better.
http://www.ebay.de/itm/SmarTube-Tri...7783763?pt=Fahrrad_Schuhe&hash=item19c4505e53
Edit:
The tube comes with a straight fitting, you have to request the angle one shown in the picture, I found the straight one better.

I just bought one of these SmarTubes for a bottle that I will use for electrolyte drinks and for camino font water refills. I don't want to carry 2-3L in an internal bladder first thing every morning nor struggle to get inside my packed bag to refill if I started off with less. I love the idea of the smaller bottle easily accessible through the day and of keeping the bladder for water only. I do plan on also having 1L of water in the bladder for backup because they are having a crazy heat wave this summer and I do not want to go dry on the road.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We use bottles, the bladder pocket is useful for papers. The bottles are aluminium and have been on every Camino. We clean them with Aquapure or similar and this time used salt which worked just as well. (Rubbed round rims and stoppers, a little in the bottle which was then filled and left to stand for a while) None of the farmacias we visited had any sterilizer even for baby bottles. We use bottled water so when needing extra we bought extra, small, bottles in the supermarket instead of just the large. We used these too for the electrolyte drink rather than our 'proper' bottles.
The actual weight of even the empty bladder, risk of not getting it clean or it leaking, space in pack etc influenced our decision. The bottles fit nicely in the side pockets of our packs and it means we stop and have a good drink at intervals.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

Great tips!

Regarding peeing in the open, I've heard it said that one of the uses of a hiking umbrella is for impromptu privacy on the trail...

 

[t2andreo]

Some very interesting points have been raised and I thank you all. It's interesting that some of you think there is a place for both bladders and bottles, I hadn't really thought of that.
@wayfarer and @PANO thank you for the links, very interesting.
I shall have to digest all the information and see what best fits my needs, also I'll have some trial runs with both systems to see how I get on with them.

One of my biggest problems when walking is that I don't take in enough water, I always think I'll stop in a minute, but never do. I've just completed a 14 mile hike and probably only consumed about 1 ltr of water, I'm sure I should have at least doubled the intake.

Just to mix things up here, last year (2014) in preparation for my second Camino Frances, I obtained a kit online (Amazon I think) that converts any off the shelf water bottle into a disposable bladder. It came with fittings, bottle top adapters for EU and US bottle sizes and potable water tubing to attach to the shoulder harness as appropriate.

In essence, it was the "mother of all drinking straws." The only field expedient improvement I had to make was to use duck tape to double the seal where the tube passed through the bottle neck / top fitting. This stopped seepage onto my rucksack.

The only "thing" is that this worked best when you could place the full bottle, say 1.5 to 2.0 liters strapped to the top of your rucksack. I could do that easily.

I did not use this contraption until I got to Fromista, as I was starting to cross the Meseta, and I knew I would need extra potable water for that stretch. Because using reusable and recyclable water bottles is my default preference, after using an Osprey bladder with my Osprey rucksack on my first Camino (I subsequently sold it for postage), I was no more impressed with this system than with a bladder.

However, it DOES overcome the cleaning issues and the ability to add an electrolyte or flavored powder to the bottle. The bottles are FAR easier to clean than any bladder. They also share the same recycling advantage as the default .5 liter, "off the shelf" water bottle.

For my third Camino, I returned to using my, now standard, 4 - .5 liter water bottles. As I have previously explained, I must add powdered protein to my daily diet every 4 hours or so as I have a lap band on my stomach. So I need the two extra bottles to pre-mix protein solution each evening for consumption the following day. Once those bottles are empty, the empties are easily carried until they can be rinsed and refilled with potable water.

The bottom line is that, reusable and recyclable bottles provide more flexibility than does a stationary bladder, at least IMHO. Plus, even when empty, bladders extract more of a weight penalty than an empty "off the shelf' water bottle.

This said, I completely respect the opinion and preference of others who, for their reasons, prefer to use a bladder.

I hope this helps.

 

[TonyC]

Having tried a bladder system previously and not liking the taste, not to mention the flood in my backpack due to a faulty seal on the pipe-to-bladder connection, I am all in favour of bottles. They are cheap, easily refillable an generally rugged. On our two Camino Frances trips we have bought several 500 ml bottles initially, the "fizzy" water ones are stronger and last longer, we used the same six bottles, three each, from Leon to Santiago.

As for having difficulties in accessing the bottles whilst walking, there is no need to struggle. Just agree with your companion that you carry each other's bottles in the side pockets/pouches of your backpacks. It is then simple to reach your bottle from their pack, and vice-versa. They also make it very easy to refill without taking your back packs off. Co-operation is the name of the game!

 

[MartinZ]

I really like the blue desert smarttube.
http://www.bluedesert.co.il/images/SmarTubeNew_S.pdf

You get a bladder with normal bottles, just make sure you have the 28mm and the 30mm cap. (which i think is always included)
It works really well, just toss out the bottle if it's dirty or just buy a fresh full bottle of aquarius.

(don't expect to drink coca cola though, it doesn't work with fizzy drinks....
After 10steps the fizz-pressure builds up and you get a whole gulp when you bite the valve.)

You can put it on a 1/2L bottle, 2L bottle or anything else; whatever the day requires
They still sell it on Amazon, maybe you can get it cheaper if you search around.
There's a 'military' version which has a green tube and no plastic taste at all. (Haven't tried the blue-tube version, maybe it's just as good)

Just to be clear: I'm just a happy user, not advertising a product

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I am also a Smartube fan, 20$ well spent, even if it's on a 50 cents item.