Platypus vs Camelback?

[renegadepilgrim]

I have a Camelback bladder already. Been considering the Platypus water bottles for the following reasons:

1) The are more compatible with my SteriPen
2) They roll down to nothing
3) They will fit well in the side pouches on my backpack

The Camelback is:
1) Too difficult to get to in my pack
2) Not as compatible with my SteriPen
3) More bulky

Has anyone had experience with the Platypus water bottles? Please keep in mind that for me, the Camino is just the first part of a 4 1/2 month trip for me. I need to consider the camino AND the rest of my trip.

I'm leaning towards the Platypus, just want to see if others have experience with them. I love my Camelback, just not sure if it's the right fight for this trip, and the rest of the traveling I am doing.

 

[newfydog]

A platypus is nearly indestructable. I brought 10 of them full of wine on a 16 day raft trip through the grand canyon without a leak.

Camelbacks are good for biking where cow dung splatters all over your water bottles. Other than that, they are just extra weight and bulk

 

[Jacki Dufty]

I love my Camelback. I find that I'm more inclined to sip water more often when it's so easily available - and that has to be good. Some people just don't drink enough if they can't get to their water easily.
Jacki.

 

[fiddletree]

I used a platypus for the camino and loved it.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

Thanks everyone....leaning towards getting two of the platypus, one for each pocket on my backpack.

 

[LNata]

Can you show photos (give reference for photos) of Platypus and Camelback you are talking about?

I was sure that Camelback is just a general name for a type of bags for bikers, and that I have it for years but it looks more like Platypus bag... And have just found that my daughter has a big bottle which has a name "Camelback" on it... I have googled some and it did not helped :?

Thanks,
Natalia

 

[renegadepilgrim]

http://www.camelbak.com/sports-recreati ... packs.aspx

http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus/ ... n/category

Camelbak is a reference to the actual water bladder. They make different kinds of backpacks that are compatible with various kinds of water bladders. They also make water bottles.

Platypus makes a similar water bladder but the opening is smaller.

Nalgene makes some too. They are brand names that all make water bladders. Does that help?

 

[+@^^]

?are there any comments on the size/ capacity of the water bladder

i will be walking the vdlp in sept/ oct this holy year
and want to make certain i have sufficient water no matter what the conditions and how far between villages

i am thinking of getting a 3lt capacity but only filling it to the literage required for that specific day

my experience of having water in side mesh pockets and walking with 2 walking stix means i dont drink as often as i should
and stopping to take of/ put back on my pack is tiring and a schlepp

so a bladder is not negotiable for me
?or is it

all advice welcome please

take it easy

tamtamplin

 

[gittiharre]

I love the Platypus, the same bottle has lasted 2000 km already. No plastic taste. I have it in a cooling pouch with a hook so I hook it over my waiststrap and have it handy, which reduces pack weight on my back. I carry a spare one in case I strike a very hot day, but have not had to use it as yet. The side pocket on the Civetta 32 backpack is exactly the same size as the Platypus when full, so sometimes I put the water in there if I use that pack. On my first camino I had a spanish animal skin thing, but it was hopeless to carry, I bought that because I hated the aluminium bottle I had. It was hard and bulky and I had it hanging off my hip and worried I might fall on it.
Regards, Gitti

 

[andy.d]

The thing that worries me about a bladder on the Camino is being able to keep it clean enough. I kept a small aluminium bottle in the side pocket on the thigh of my trousers. It was no problem to take it out for frequent drinks. When it was empty it was time to fill it from a fuente or take my rucksack off and fill from a reserve bottle.

Andy

 

[gittiharre]

Keeping the Platypus 1 litre bottle/bag clean was no problem, the emptier it got the smaller it became, I swear by it, Gitti

 

[Jacki Dufty]

Am I missing something? Why is a camelback difficult to keep clean? To me a camelback is just like a platypus in that it gets smaller as the contents are drunk except it is packed out of the way and yet is accessible at all times.
Jacki.

 

[renegadepilgrim]

The Platypus is significantly lighter when empty than the Camelbaks. I am not done traveling at the end of the Camino, I will be continuing on an around the world trip. I need something more flexible and lighter than the Camelbak. I just bought two 1L Platypus bladders today from REI. Can't wait to try them out!

 

[LNata]

Thanks, renegadepilgrim. It is helpful indeed I have a bottle by camelback, not bladder and this confused me.

My water bag is 1.5L and it is from Jack Wolfskin brand (extremely popular in Germany, practically not known anywhere else). It is not as light as Platypus but not much heavier and I used it during my hiking on Crete. It definitively was more convenient then bottles but the main question with water bag is that I never know how much water is remaining inside. I was catching myself that I am afraid to drink as much as I want because I was afraid that I would run out of water without noticing it. At the end of hiking I usually still had plenty. How do you check your water supply in bladder?

Natalia

 

[renegadepilgrim]

I have an Osprey Aura backpack that has some nice pockets on the side for the water bladders. I am going to put a Liter in each pocket and when I stop for water breaks, I'll be able to monitor my water levels that way.

As for my Camelbak, when hiking, I try to keep an eye on it by judging the weight of my pack. The more water I drink, the lighter my pack seems to get, so I try to keep an eye on it that way. Not very scientific, but it works for me!

I guess I will find out if this is going to work or not sometime next week! I leave Monday for France, hitting the Camino on the 17th......