Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > MSR CloudLiner > Thomas Vickers > Initial Report

Mountain Safety Research (MSR) 2 Liter CloudLiner Hydration Bag Initial Report

June 6, 2006

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible.

Expectations:
After visiting the MSR website I came away with a pretty good idea of what the CloudLiner Hydration Bag was going to be like. The CloudLiner looked like a basic hydration system involving a polyethylene bladder, a hose, and bite valve.  I was excited to hear that MSR had included a handle to make it easier to fill and carry.   Now all I had to do was wait for it to arrive in the mail.

Arrival:
The CloudLiner arrived in a box which contained the cardboard display/hang box for the CloudLiner series of hydration systems.  After I ripped the display off of the CloudLiner, I also discovered that there was a small instruction booklet (6 pages), a hydration bag, drink tube, bite valve, and a tube clip.   I had not expected the tube clip since it was not shown in any of the pictures on the MSR website or listed in the product description. The instruction booklet is a double sided pamphlet folded into eight sections that describes how to fill the CloudLiner, position it in a pack, how to use the bite valve, how to turn the bite valve off, and how to clean the entire CloudLiner system.  Overall, a pretty easy to understand document that provides diagrams and instructions in English and five other languages. 

As I stated earlier, I expected the CloudLiner to be basic hydration system. Not as heavy duty as the MSR Hydromedary bags that I currently use, but still durable enough to last in a pack.  I was not disappointed or surprised (except for the tube clip) when I unpacked the CloudLiner and inspected it. It was just what I had expected from the website.

Manufacturer's Description:
Our taste-free, lightweight version of the Hydromedary Hydration Bag. The CloudLiner boasts a new high-flow/no-leak bite valve, a low-profile easy -fill/carry handle, and three streamlined shapes that fit most packs, while its puncture resistant material solves the all-too-common bladder-bursting problem.
Taste-Free and Durable
High Flow/No Leaks
Easy to Fill/Carry
Upgrades Most Packs

Tester's Description:
The MSR 2-Liter CloudLiner Hydration Bag is a basic hydration bladder. It is long and narrow with a prominent MSR Logo on the front of the bag.  There are two holes punched out of the top corners of the bag. At this point I am assuming that these two holes will allow me to hang the bag if necessary, but that will be part of the test process.  At the top-front of the bag there is fill opening, removable cap, and a reddish colored rotating handle. 

The handle rotates a full 360 degrees and is supposed to make filling and carrying the CloudLiner easier than with other hydration systems.   This is another item will have to be tested to see how well it works. 

At the bottom of the bag is a protrusion to which the drinking tube attaches. This must be the exit port for fluids inside of the CloudLiner bag.  The drinking tube has a tube clip attached, which can slide up and down the length of the drinking tube. This simple spring clip will hopefully allow me to attach the drinking tube to my pack in such a manner that I won't have go searching for the tube or the bite valve (again, testing will prove or disprove this theory).

The drinking tube connects to the bite valve on the end of the tube not attached to the CloudLiner bag.  The bite valve has two parts.   The first part is the black base which connects to the drinking tube at a 90 degree angle.  The base is stationary and does not move, but the upper portion the actually bite valve rotates, starting at its red base. The purpose of this is to allow the bite valve to be 'turned off' while there is fluid in the drinking tube and hydration bag.  

Overall, this is a very nice hydration system with a lot of features that I am really interested in testing.

Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > MSR CloudLiner > Thomas Vickers > Initial Report