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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > Platypus Hoser 2 Liter > Owner Review by Nancy Griffith

PLATYPUS HOSER RESERVOIR
BY NANCY GRIFFITH
OWNER REVIEW
June 15, 2012

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Nancy Griffith
EMAIL: bkpkrgirlATyahooDOTcom
AGE: 46
LOCATION: Northern California, USA
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 6" (1.68 m)
WEIGHT: 130 lb (59.00 kg)

My outdoor experience began in high school with involvement in a local canoeing/camping group called Canoe Trails. The culmination was a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since my college days in Pennsylvania. I have completed all of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. My typical trip now is in the Sierra Nevada in California and is from a few days to a week long. I carry a light to mid-weight load, use a tent, stove and trekking poles.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Hoser
Photo courtesy of Platypus
Manufacturer: Cascade Designs, Inc.
Year of Manufacture: 2010
Manufacturer's Website: http://cascadedesigns.com/
MSRP: N/A
Listed Weight: 3.6 oz (102 g) for 2L
Measured Weight: 3.5 oz (99 g)

Listed Size: 6 in x 16 in (15 cm x 41 cm)
Measured Size: Tapers from 6 to 6-3/4 in x16 in (15.2 to 17.2 cm x 40.6 cm)

Sizes Available: 1 L (34 fl oz), 1.8 L (60 fl oz), 2 L (70 fl oz), 3 L (100 fl oz)
Size Owned: 2 L (70 fl oz)

Made in U.S.A.





The Platypus Hoser hydration system is a polyurethane/polyethylene film reservoir which is welded along the edges to form a seam between the top and bottom layers. On the outside of the reservoir there are graduated marks printed at every 0.5 L (17 oz) up to the stated volume. The reservoir holds even more than the size stated. At the top center is an opening to allow for hanging in a pack. At the lower corner is a threaded polyethylene spout which attaches to a polyurethane drink tube. The drink tube has a silicone bite valve attached. There is also a detachable clip which snaps around the tube and can clip to a pack strap to keep the drink tube in an easy-to-access location.

FIELD USE

In PackageWe purchased two of these a few years ago to replace our existing hydration systems. Because the ones that we were using are common brands, I was really surprised that the Hoser is about half the weight of either of them. In all I have four different brands of hydration systems and the Hoser is lighter than any of them. This is significant as I try to lighten our pack weights.

I have used the Hoser on multiple backpacking trips and day hikes for a total of approximately 45 days. Trips ranged in length from overnight to ten-nights.

Some examples of backpacking uses include:

Desolation Wilderness, Sierra Nevada, California; 3 days; 19.5 mi (31.4 km); 6,560 to 8,220 ft (2,000 to 2,505 m) elevation; 40 to 80 F (4 to 27 C).

Bucktail Path, Elk State Forest, Pennsylvania: 2 days, 15 mi (24 km); 2,100 to 2,700 ft elevation; 55 to 70 F (13 to 21 C).

Wonderland Trail, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington: 10 nights; 100 mi (161 km); 2,600 to 7,200 ft (792 to 2,195 m) elevation; 32 to 62 F (0 to 17 C).

Point Reyes National Seashore, California: 2 nights; 21 mi (34 km); 0 to 1,407 ft (429 m) elevation; 40 to 55 F (4 to 13 C).

My husband immediately installed his favorite 'other brand' locking valve between the drink tube and the bite valve. I used mine as-supplied for some time until I set my pack on top of the bite valve and had water leak everywhere. After that my husband installed a locking valve on mine too. Now I just have to remember to close it. The drink tube and bite valve allow for a nice flow of water. I can easily suck in enough water to rehydrate quickly. The bite valve is easy to use and comfortable in my mouth. It is easier to use and has a higher flow rate than some other reservoirs that I own.

In useThe spout opening is a little small but is easy to fill from my home refrigerator filter and from my gravity filter tube. It is too small to add ice cubes which I like to do on hot days. This has caused me to not use it as frequently for day hiking when I have ice available in the morning. I still use it for backpacking trips when I'm not adding ice anyway and when I'm more concerned about pack weight. I sometimes add an electrolyte mix to my water and can usually get most of it into the spout without spilling it, but a larger spout would help this also.

The threaded spout is compatible with my gravity filter which makes it really convenient to fill the reservoir. I can filter directly into it and use it as my clean bag for in-camp use. I can also filter into the drink tube without removing the reservoir from my pack. This is especially convenient when the reservoir is buried in a full backpack making it very difficult to re-insert when full of water.

I have used the Hoser in multiple backpacks of varying brands and have found them to fit in the hydration sleeves and/or on the hydration hooks without any issue. The opening at the top makes it easy to hang it from the top.

I have found the Hoser to be fairly easy to clean but I can't get inside the reservoir as easily as with others that open completely. I usually just shake water in the reservoir to clean it and occasionally add some bleach to the mixture. I never use the reservoir for sugary drinks and primarily use it for water with the occasional addition of electrolytes. Despite not being able to really scrub the reservoir, I haven't had any issues with anything growing inside or of it not seeming to be completely clean. I use a narrow flexible brush for cleaning the drink tube which is designed for this task. The bite valve occasionally gets some black moldy gunk on it when I've left it for too long with water inside but is easy to clean by pulling it off of the drink tube.

The durability has not been an issue despite quite a bit of the use. I haven't tried to be gentle on it but have been no signs of any leaking, damage or wear. The printing on the outside is wearing slightly and doesn't look as crisp as when it was new, but everything is still legible.

SUMMARY

The Platypus Hoser is a high-quality hydration system with a nice bite valve and convenient pack clip.

THINGS I LIKE

Lighter than our other reservoirs
Pack clip
No leaks
Fits into my packs

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

Spout is small
Bite valve doesn't lock

SIGNATURE

Nancy Griffith

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

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