Platypusies!

[jimford]

I've had about 4 platypuses of various sizes and now gone back to a wide necked polycarbonate or Sig bottle.

All the Platypuses leaked from a split after a season or so - not nice when it's in with your kit! I also didn't like the way it was difficult to fill from a burn.Instead of just holding it under with one hand, you have to fiddle around with both hands to hold the body under the water.

I also tried the drinking tube, which seems to be the current fashion. It was horrible initially sucking a mouthful of tepid water that had aquired a nasty taste from the tube and mouthpiece, every time you wanted a nice cool drink!

Just my personal experience and opinion.

Jim

 

[SimonM]

You can avoid the tepid water syndrome by blowing the water back into the bladder after each drink. This also stops the water freezing up in cold weather.

I have had Platypus bladders for well over 10 years and never had done split, although I have had one de laminate after leaving a home brew sterilising tab in too long.

I tend not to fill from streams, but can imagine that this would be difficult with the norrow neck on the bladders.

 

[Toddy]

I really like mine Only one delaminated and that was after several years daily use carried around in my rucksac, so no shame to it.

How do you get a nasty taste in it ? I've only ever put water in mine.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[iotarho]

After having gone through a few playtpuses (which split after a season or so too...), I decided to spend a little more cash and got a camelback for my month long trip in Zambia, where I had to sterlise water etc, and poured it from a wide neck bottle similar to yours I guess, and I have to admit - it was one of my best investments.The wider hole makes it far easier to fill and it's tough wearing as hell. An absolute god send! It's still working perfectly 3years down the line and many trips! Only had to clean it a few times due to me being lazy after using it and getting some nice mould growing . I still can't get rid of that damn taste of iodine though. Oh and yeh, always squeeze the mouthpiece after using it or you get that grim tepid mouthful.

 

[JonathanD]

Can't beat the 58 pattern waterbottle. I keep my platypus bottles for collecting birch sap and transporting gallons of wine to my camp site

 

[MartinK9]

Had several over the years all Camelback, the latest version (had for 3 years) has been filled and frozen (deliberately) on numerous occassions and has still not let me down

 

[tombear]

I've been using Platys for , jeeze, I can't remember, 15 years? and never had one spit or delaminate. I think I've still got the repair patches that came with the first one. its only a matter of time now i've said that of course!

I can't say I fill from streams very often due to paranoia over chemical pollution so thats never been a problem and anyway I use a millbank bag to filter out the crud and the run off from thats like filling from a tap.

I like how they pack down to almost nothing and if you lose a cap you can just use a standard 2 litre Pepsi bottle cap rather than coughing up for a official replacement.

I use a little nipper sized one to carry meths, not had a leak yet in two years+ and that includes leaving it on a shelf, full, for 8 months or so (there may have been a tiny amount of loss from evaporation, or I may have not filled it as precisely as I normally do).

backpackinglight (?) over in the US market a stove filling spout with a excellent screw closure which I also use for priming a presure lantern.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/platypus-lil-nipper-spout-caps.html


For cleaning out the drinks tubes I make my own wire brushes, it's a doddle, and if you use a bit of sponge (cut it to fit after you have twisted the wire) insted of the bristles or green pan scub material you have something to dry the tube out afterwards. I think the next one I make will be double ended, its only just occured to me, I've been making two each time with a loop at the other end, D'oh!

I thought of doing a tutorial on making them but it must be old hat it is so easy!

Anyway, thats my two pen'ath

ATB

Tom

 

[SOAR]

I use one for water but its been dressed in leather with a strap for carry on walks, the leather protects it from sharp objects and I think it looks a little bit different.

 

[MartinK9]

I use one for water but its been dressed in leather with a strap for carry on walks, the leather protects it from sharp objects and I think it looks a little bit different.

Now that is stunning work there Soar

 

[SOAR]

It was done by Mike DB, I just love using it.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

that leather work is unreal

 

[tombear]

That is truely a thing of beauty! I love the attention to detail, I take it the whip stitching at the bottom is so the platy can be replaced if something untoward happens to it?

ATB

Tom

 

[SOAR]

Yeh you can replace the platy by unlacing the bottom.