Name: Jamie J. DeBenedetto
Age: 30 years
Gender: Female
Height: 5'11" (1.80 m)
Weight: 160 lbs. (73 kg)
Email: jdeben@hotmail.com
State/Country: The Grand Canyon State - Arizona, USA

Background/Experience

I'm a wife, mother of one (for now) and a native Arizonan who was brought up in a fairly active outdoor family. I've spent much of my thirty years hiking, camping, fishing, backpacking, rafting, and more recently kayaking, all over the state. I've also done a small amount of hiking in the neighboring states of Colorado and California. In January of 1999 I founded a local hiking club called the Canine Hiking Club of Arizona. I lead two to three hikes a month with the club in various locations around the state. I also hike in local recreation areas near my home a couple of times a week and my family and I sneak away for camping trips whenever possible. Most of my treks take place in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, but since Arizona is so diverse, I often encounter many other terrain, elevation, and climate types. I wouldn't consider myself to be a lightweight packer, but I'm learning. I guess if I had to rate myself in terms of skill level, I'd say I'm a novice.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Platypus Hydration
URL: www.platypushydration.com
Year of purchase: 1999 Fluid capacity: 100 oz (3 ltr) Listed Weight: 4.5 oz (135 g). Dimensions: Bladder - 16 3/4 in. long by 7 1/2 in. wide (43 cm by 19 cm) Hose with bite valve - 41in (104 cm) Product description: The Big Zip 3 is a semi-flexible clear container made of a very durable polyethylene. It has a large mouth opening at the top and a smaller spout/hose attachment on the bottom. The hose is clear and has an attachment cap on one end and the bite valve on the other. There is also a little black removable clip on the hose, used for securing it to your pack or shirt. The closure is a thick zip lock style strip located at the top. It also has two grommet holes on either side of the container above the zip closure.

Field Information

I have used the Big Zip 3 as my main water source throughout Arizona in temperatures ranging from just above freezing to well over 115F (46C). I have carried it in both compatible and non-hydration-compatible daypacks. I have also used it on short backpacking trips and on all day paddles in my kayak. For protection and insulation I usually pack it inside a Platypus insulation sleeve. The sleeve is made of a neoprene type material and only protects the main body of the bladder. The sleeve works well to prevent freezing and to slow ice melt in hot temperatures. Other hydration bags I have used: The Ultimate Direction 128 oz (4 ltr).

Product Review
I can sum up the Platypus Big Zip 3 in one word, tough. The Platypus webpage says, "Our triple laminate material is super strong and puncture resistant." I don't know if they had someone like me in mind when they put together their "triple laminate" process, but I can attest to its effectiveness. My hydration bladder has been sat on, stepped on, trampled by dogs, dropped into one lake and set off on a little white water journey when it fell off my tube during a section of rapids on the Salt River. It has also been frozen and thawed, rolled and unrolled, and squished into my pack countless times over the three plus years I've owned it. When not in use, I keep it stored indoors in my "camping closet" with the hose rolled up and placed inside the bladder. I have never had a problem with leaks, punctures, or breaks in the seams due to material or manufacture malfunction.

The wide mouth opening makes this bladder very easy to clean. In fact, this is one of the reasons I purchased the Platypus brand instead of one of the other bladders on the market. I had heard stories from others who owned different brands of hydration bags about problems with drying and removing the "soap" smell or mildew remnants. As a water bottle or canteen user prior to my Big Zip purchase, I was concerned with this aspect of hydration bladders. I'm pleased to report, I have had no such problem with this product. The wide mouth opening is also great for filling, adding ice, and/or filling it using a water filter. It would, however, be a bit easier to hold while filling if there was a handle on the top. I have improvised using rope and the two grommets.

Another nice feature about the Big Zip is the detachable hose. I often partially fill the bladder bag with water and freeze it a day or two before I hike. I feel having the ability to remove the hose and bite valve adds to their overall life span because they don't have to endure the expanding and contracting associated with freezing. Furthermore, I find it much easier to keep the bite valve and the entire hose clean because it's removable.

The addition of the grommets is a great idea. As I said above, I have used them to fashion a makeshift handle for convenience while filling the container. I have also used them to hang my water from a tree to facilitate personal hygiene while on the trail, as well as, for cleaning cooking utensils.

I have had a few problems with the Big Zip 3. I find the little black hose clip to be fairly useless. It is difficult to open unless you have fingernails of steel and downright impossible with cold fingers or gloves on. Secondly, the part that clips it to another object is too small. I have had it loosen and unclip itself several times during more intense activity. I usually skip the clip and just thread the hose through a strap on my pack. I have also had problems with the 41 in (104 cm) hose being too short. This is not a problem when used only with the insulation sleeve or over my kayak life vest. When it's buried inside my backpack is when I have had length issues. The other problem I had with this hydration system was water leakage via the bite valve. I once lost over 80% of my water when I placed my pack shoulder harness side down. The weight of my bag held open the bite valve just enough to leak. I was fishing a short distance away and didn't notice the leak until it was too late. I chalk this up as a "duh" moment, most likely human error and not the products fault. It has never happened since.

Summary

Overall I think the Platypus Big Zip 3 is a sturdy and convenient bladder. Mine has endured lots of trauma and still manages to hold water perfectly. The wide opening, easy zip lock style closure and grommet features make it easy to clean, close and fill. While I don't care for the hose clip, I have not found it to be a vital component in the use of the bladder or the hose.

Likes

- The wide opening
- The grommets
- The high volume, low weight ratio
- The detachable hose option

Dislikes

- The hose clip
- The length of the hose

Read more reviews of Platypus Hydration gear
Read more gear reviews by Jamie DeBenedetto

Owner Review by Jamie DeBenedetto

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