How do you keep yourself hydrated?

Personally, water bladders and I have never really come to terms - neither on bikes nor on hikes. Maybe they take time to get used to and learn how to appreciate? Or maybe, just maybe, marketeers have done a great job into making everyone think it's the new sliced bread?

To me they are usually more hassle than they are worth - just one more expense and one more item to clutter my luggage and preoccupy my time and mind.

I think the only times I've really enjoyed them are on enduro rides or fast paced hikes where I constantly need to rehydrate and I don't want to stop. But, for a long trip, the ammount of time this is relevant is miniscule relative to the total time traveled. To me, a bladder is inferior to a bottle at least 90% of the time - at least if we are talking about a notable difference. The drawbacks of carrying around a bladder that sees so little use for me seriously outweighs the drawbacks of having only a bottle to resort to those few times a bladder would be noteworthy better. To me it falls into one of those categories of senseless counter productive "nice to have" items that bikers clutter their lives with. What I am talking about are all those nifty cool gadgets that ends up becoming more trouble than they are worth... Things that adds weight, girth and clutter. Things that become just one more item to worry about, to keep you unecesarily preoccupied, for you to keep track of and keep both protected and in working order, one more item to have to sift through to get to another, one more item to have to fight to get into place alongside all the other items, one more item to ruin your day when it gets lost or broken (because so much time, effort, money and thought was invested into it).

Also, I really don't like carrying a water bladder in my jacket (added weight, gets clammy, water becomes warm, etc). Having the bag fixed to the bike (i.e. in the tank bag) also becomes inconvenient once I am off the bike (same if I take my jacket off and the bladder is stored there). And for some reason, sharing a bottle with a close friend seems very different than sharing a bladder.

Water bladders were one of those items that often ended up so far down to the bottom of my luggage that I couldn't be bothered to fish it out for those part of the trip where a bladder would be preferable over a bottle. Whereas I previously often brought it along "just in case", I now have enough experience to call that "just in case" for what it is - senseless "monster insurance". I now never bring it unless I am absolutely certain it will see significant average use, which is hardly ever, and never on a long trip.

I think the main reason I seldom bring a bladder anymore is that I usually buy bottled water and can't be bothered to transfer it into the bladder, and even less so to clean it as often as I should. I also enjoy drinking out of a bottle more than a bag and straw, and I also think a bottle makes for a more delicate, refreshing and tasty drink. Sometimes I also prefer a cold coke - which is a bad idea to put into s bladder. Also, I feel that bottles' portability and the numerous storage options offer more versatility throughout the day. I mean, dragging around that bladder everywhere and the item that it is stored in? Sure you can double up by also carrying a bottle or three - but that somewhat defeats some of the purpose of the bladder? With bottles, I can have as many as I need (and extra), and distribute them around for better utility and better utilization of luggage space and weight distribution.

I have a bottle holder fixed to my bike and I don't mind being forced to stop to take a quick swig every now and then. Also, I hacked a bottle cap to accommodate a drinking tube, in the event I need to drink in flight and I don't wear a helmet that I can flip up the chin. This bottle cap and tube is also an item that seldom sees much use - again as I don't mind having to stop to take a drink - even if it means taking off my helmet (As part of my perpetual long distance travel technique, I've made it a mantra of mine to stop a couple of minutes once every hour anyways - I do so regardless of wether I actually feel the need to stop or not).

Some argue that having an empty bladder in one's luggage gives one the option to fill it up in the event that one needs to carry extra water where there is no bottled water to be had. In no part of the world have I ever encountered bottle scarcity as a problem - it seems that plastic bottles are one of the most abundant things all over the world - even in nature.

In places where tap water is good, and bottled water is expensive, I refill. I sometimes carry a small water filter for emergency, but have never really had to use it - this as bottled water is so readily available everywhere (only used the filter on bike rides for novelty). Having a water filter for hikes and camping in the wild is nice though - then you don't have to carry as much.

To me, the only real benefit of a bladder is to be able to take a drink while riding. Also, the empty container packs small. But over all, these benefits are marginal.

My advice to 90% out there wondering if they should get one - don't waste your money on buying one. If you already wasted your money on one, allow yourself to be careless about the bladder and don't let it own you. Should you breake it or loose i, don't cry about it - it didn't offer much practical added value to begin with. Should the bladder ever come to annoy you even a bit, get rid of it first chance - free yourself from its burdon, together with any guilt trip or pride.

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I ride in a P/J helmet, and I had a bladder in my packpack for exploration-type riding, orienteering events or moto marshalling at cycle events. I originally bought it for multi-day hikes. It's pretty convenient IMO, and was a small investment (~35 euros for a nice one from an upmarket hiking shop, I am sure you can get them cheaper from Sportsdirect or something). The bladder sits in the laptop compartment and stays more or less cool, the tube was zip-tied to the shoulder strap, so it was easy to get a quick sip one-handed while on an empty straight - or even when stopped briefly, at a red light or whatever.

I don't think it's an absolute must-have, but in some cases it's a good solution. And it's certainly not worth writing a long rant about How Dare Others Like Something I Don't Like.

I’ll be taking mine to Morocco next week. That and a couple of 1L Nalgene bottles stuffed away will always be more water than I need.

I’m more likely to drink the right amount of water if I can do it without the hassle of taking off my helmet.

Water bladders (Camelbak and the like) are nice to have when it is hot and sunny out, but can be a bit of a PITA on a multi-week trip when you don't need them most of the time.

If I know I am going into an area that is mostly hot and sunny, and will probably be hot and sunny for all the days I will be there, I'll carry one. Otherwise, I'll just stop every 90 minutes, take a break in the shade, drink a bottle of water (and maybe have a snack) and then carry on.

I do almost always carry my camelback water bladder. I find that if I only carry bottles I tend to drink less (not enough). Whereas with the camelback I'm constantly sipping while riding.


On longer trips in warmer climates I also carry spare water bottles to be used for refilling the camelback, cooking and washing...

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I guess it's possible to travel "adventurously" in places where the tap water is safe to drink, but this seldom seems to happen for me. I routinely bring (and use) a gravity water filter--mostly for tap water--and try to minimize purchase of bottled water. Not only does that save a minimum of several dollars per day, but I'm not contributing to the stream of plastic litter which prevails throughout the world these days.

A couple of dollars and a couple of trashed bottles per day is a thousand dollars and a thousand bottles per year. Hmmmm. I also try to avoid taking plastic bags with my purchases; I know I'm not the only one who remembers the world before all this plastic crap became ubiquitous.

I always carry some sort of hydration bladder, which I may or may not wear, depending. It's a convenient way to carry several liters of water--again, whether or not I'm wearing it--and I don't see any drawback. When I'm off the bike hiking, bicycling, kayaking or skiing it's essential.

Mileage varies.

Mark

If the temperature is over 25C I always use a water bladder for sipping during riding. Else I just drink from a bottle. The water bladder gives me back mild back pain but it's still better than having a headache at the end of the day.

This ofcourse is a good and valid point you are making - a big benefit to many riders, and sometimes for me also (just not that often). As I wrote - on longer trips I try to get out of the saddle for a couple of minutes every hour - mostly to keep fatigue at bay (be able to ride very long days several weeks in a row). I make a quick stop to stretch my legs, rest my butt, adjust riding gear for changes in climate or just to air out, take off my helmet and ear plugs to rest my brain, have tiny snack, enjoy the scenery from a stand still perspective to soothe the mind... and hydrate plenty.

So, with my riding style I seldom see a real benefit in a drinking tube and bladder. Correctly dressed I find that drinking only once an hour, plus pouring water over my head - is enough even in scorching sahara heat. In hot climates I find that drenching my head and shirt is allmost as important as drinking - and that can't be done without stopping and removing my helmet anyways.

I did find use for my bladder not so long ago though. This was a very fast paced ride, with a hard work out. The opportities to stop were far appart, with little time time to fiddle with my helmet, gloves and a bottle. In addition there was a high consumption of water, so being able to take a sip often was really nice. I knew it would be like that beforehand, and therefore brought it and rigged it. But, I would have managed ok with a simple bottle. When I rode Enduro I would usually take a bladder. But for "normal" rides or long trips, I hardly ever bother to even bring it.

I see why many like them and expect most to vote favorably for the bladder. I don't care one way or another what others prefer - whatever yo fancy is fine by me, I am however curious of what both naysayers and yaysayers think. I do however believe that many overrate them through a somewhat one dimensional view where they do not consider all key pros and cons of bladder vs bottle. Many of us (me included) do not always make the most balanced decision when it comes to gear we aquire and carry (usually too much stuff).

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I think there's two or three water bladders of around 2L capacity knocking around the house but they're never taken on bike trips. I always carry whatever water I take with me on the bike and if I'm thirsty I stop to take a drink. It's very rare that I'm so pressed for time that I need to save the minute or two it takes and drink on the move. The only time I use bladders like that - and even then not very often - is when I'm competing in long distance running events. That consists of one 500ml bladder that fits into a running vest at chest height. So yes, I do use them but not in the motorcycle world. And then there's the taste ...

In hot weather it's very important to stay hydrated, and the easier it is the more likely you are to do it. Also saves packing loads of water bottles in your (probably limited) luggage space. However I agree in cooler weather it's just one more thing to bother about.

Always take my Kriega 3 litre hydration pack. Fits so well I don't feel I'm wearing it. Have been in situations where I have been so dehydrated I couldn't remember which side of the road I should be on, never happened since I started using the bladder.

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For sure a water bladder makes sense to have water immediately available when you will need it during riding.

But how you clean it when you are on trip and you don`t have your home tools available?

I used correga tabs a couple of times. Dismounted the mouth piece and the tube to put both inside the bladder to get cleaned too. Did work fine.

Any other ideas?

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I seldom clean any of my half-dozen water bladders. This includes the one I use at least weekly for mountain biking, the several I use for cross-country, backcountry, and lift skiing, and the several more I use hiking and riding.

Eventually they'll start developing a greenish tinge, but even that doesn't do anything to my health (or the taste), so I tend to ignore it for a while. Sooner or later I'll clean them. If I'm without my little brushes and wires, I just use boiling water; what I'm after is to prevent bacterial growth, not make them look pretty. Vinegar solutions are another solution, as is baking soda (which can be combined in place with some vinegar to produce a vigorous foaming action).

I call this approach "empiricism," spoken in self-congratulatory tones.

Don't know if that's helpful or merely gross, but I'm quite certain that YMMV.

Mark

Not for me.

I drink tea mostly, the occasional coffee. You buy these or need to tip the water into a cup to boil it. Bladders are rubbish for this. You can always take an extra straw when you buy food and drink out of a bottle with your helmet on if it's really a problem to stop and have a rest. If it's hot, I'll buy bottled (sorry, the Dolphins will just have to hope I find a way to recycle)

Not the most "ADV" kit but I'll stick with a 1950's style military water bottle and the metal cup it fits inside.

Andy

I have just been to a music festival about 2 hours ride from home - I used the cheapest bladder style back pack with a tube. It was excellent. I could drink whilst riding and soak my non waterproof trousers to provide cooling with bout any hassle. I should have got one earlier.

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