Bladder or bottle

[LennyJ1]

I would like to open a topic about water bladder and bottles.

I personally have a water bladder and the reason why is access and size benefits. Other don't use them saying you don't know when your water will run out.

Thoughts and ideas. 

[Scribble]

I use both which is prob not the answer you where looking ,, I have only been using a bladder a few months only downside from it is the taste mine still tastes surgical so I have to put dilute juice in it to make it sort of better . My siggs are great for keeping water cool and I am not afraid of banging them about and they are far easier to fill .

Think my answer would have to be again use both :-)

[RedLeader]

Bladders are great but far too easy to drink from so I'll empty one in no time. When it's a sigg in your bag and it's a hassle to get out, it lasts much longer for me.

[LennyJ1]

Bladders are great but far too easy to drink from so I'll empty one in no time. When it's a sigg in your bag and it's a hassle to get out, it lasts much longer for me.

That is a good but dangerous idea. Are you not worried about dehydration?

[RedLeader]

Not really. With a bladder I over-hydrate because the mouthpiece is tantalisingly close and the weight of the water is wasted. When I have the sigg I only drink when I actually need to.

Bladders are great but far too easy to drink from so I'll empty one in no time. When it's a sigg in your bag and it's a hassle to get out, it lasts much longer for me.

That is a good but dangerous idea. Are you not worried about dehydration?

[LennyJ1]

Fair Point J.

I am a blader person because you can fit more into a confined space. But I do carry a bottle aswell for cooking with.

I made a hugh mistake at the weekend and bought 2 500ml water bottles, this weekend I t will be just one with my bladder.

[RedLeader]

For lightening the load water is one of the most obvious. No point carrying several litres of water if you're going to be passing places you can refill. Dropping a litre or 2 really drops the pack weight.

Check out the Travel Tap from BPL. It's light and (reportedly) incredibly effective. It can be a pain forcing the water through the filter but if you're walking somewhere really wet like the Mournes but wary of drinking the water it's a great option.
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product353.asp

I often carry a plastic 2L Platypus (link). It rolls small when not in use and weighs very little and when you need to you can fill it with the Travel Tap..

Fair Point J.

I am a blader person because you can fit more into a confined space. But I do carry a bottle aswell for cooking with.

I made a hugh mistake at the weekend and bought 2 500ml water bottles, this weekend I t will be just one with my bladder.

[Matthew]

I personally go the bladder route at all times if I am in the hills around N Ireland.
While I was away over the summer there, I used a bladder in conjunction with a 1L Nalgene bottle. For me using the bladder first then re filling it from the bottle worked well.

On the down side, I do tend to drink all of the contents of the bladder about half an hour before my dander ends but this has never been that much of a problem. Recently I have brought along a 1L bottle and used it to keep snacks tea bags etc in so that if water is in short supply I can at least store the stuff elsewhere and carry enough in the bottle to keep me going.

All in all its a personal choice one for me and what I find suits me.

[LandyLiam]

I've never used a bladder but am perfectly happy with my water bottles after seeing others use up there water too quickly, longest trek this year was 6 hrs and I used 1 litre while the bladder boys used 2

[chris]

I'm a sigg bottle man. Personally I can only really see the point of a bladder If you can't stop i.e. adventure races etc. I like to stop get my pack off, get a bit of air on the back, rest the legs, rehydrate.

[LennyJ1]

I just think a metal bottle is abit heavey to carry water

[chris]

Sigg bottles are actually very light weight, Only a few grams more than the likes of a plastic coke bottle and a lot more durable. Lightweight kit 9/10 times scarifices on durability to keep the weight down.

[suspectmonkey]

Sigg bottles are actually very light weight, Only a few grams more than the likes of a plastic coke bottle and a lot more durable. Lightweight kit 9/10 times scarifices on durability to keep the weight down.

Agreed, the Sigg bottles are far lighter than they look.  I was surprised when I picked up a Nalgene bottle and they seem to weigh as much, if not more, than a Sigg.

I have a 0.6L and 1L Sigg and a 2L Source hydration pack.  I tend to use my Source the most, simply because my daypack doesnt have side pockets to slide a bottle in and out of.  I cant really decide which I prefer; the hydration pack is the most convenient when you want to take a quick sip on the move but a Sigg is a lot handier to refill.  I do tend to sip little and often throughout the day though.

[DryBag]

Bladder. 
I did a five day trip across England last month and refilled the bladder once a day. 
As everybody's been saying, i did drink too much the first day because I was afraid of dehydrating, and I didn't know how much water I was losing through sweat, but from day 2 on I regulated better, and it's much easier to get it without taking your hands off the handlebars... assuming you're on a bike

[Matthew]

This wee guy could be the solution. It provides info on,

Water gauge - measures the amount consumed and the amount remaining in the resevoir
Water management - continuously calcuates the estimated time to empty
Hydration goal - monitors fluid consumed vs your personal, adjustable hydration goal