Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > Platypus Big Zip 3 > Owner Review by Thomas Peltier II

Owner Review: Platypus Big Zip 3-Liter Hydration Bag

Reviewed September 2004

Personal Information

Backpacking Background: I started backpacking when I was in the backpack. Before I could walk my mother was dragging me all over the woods and showing me the wonders of nature. Granted at first I was looking at were we had been but soon enough I started walking on my own two feet. I have maintained my love of backpacking and the outdoors all of my life. I enjoy leading other people into the wilderness and when leading others I find my pack weight increasing. When I'm alone or with experienced partners I tend toward lightweight backpacking. I enjoy going light and fast but I believe that stopping to smell the roses or the pine trees is essential.

Product Information

Product Review:

The BZ3 features a wide, bomb-proof zip opening for quick filling and easy cleaning. Once sealed, it’s virtually impossible to open accidentally, even if dropped or squished in a fall.

I now make a habit of running my fingers along the seal three or four times to ensure a good seal. I then take the BZ3 in both hands and squeeze very hard. If the seal holds I replace the BZ3 in my pack and continue down the trail. Using this method I have never had the seal fail.

The BZ3 passed my taste test right away. The packaging for the BZ3 claimed that there was no plastic taste because of their special laminate plastic. After testing the strength of the BZ3 seal I then picked it up and took a drink. All I tasted was the clean cool water. Just as advertised no plastic smell.

Once I had convinced myself that the BZ3 was trail worthy I decided to start backpacking with it. The BZ3 has proven to be a very rugged piece of backpacking equipment. I originally purchased the BZ3 in order to use with an inline water filter. I needed a water bladder that I could gather water in and the BZ3 fit that bill very nicely. The first time I used the BZ3 was on a short hike in the Sierra Nevada near Mineral King. It was a warm day in October and my partner and I were drinking water fast. At every stream crossing we would stop, fill the BZ3 from the stream by opening the BZ3 and sliding the open end into the current. The BZ3 filled up very nicely. I would then seal the BZ3 and either hang it from a branch or rock outcropping or more often I would roll the BZ3 up from the zip end toward the valve end and press the water out and into my partner's water bottle. Both of these methods worked very well. Once my partner's water bottle was full I would stuff the BZ3 back into my pack and off we would go. Once in camp I would generally fill the BZ3 several times and hang it from a tree and use gravity to filter water into other containers.

Hanging the BZ3 is very easy. The top of the BZ3 just above the seal there are four grommets, two on each side and they line up when the seal is closed to make two passages. I would simply pass a string through all the grommets and tie the two ends of the string together; in this way making a hanging loop. I have found that when the string is attached I have to be very careful to remove any excess string from between the grommets so that the seal can close properly. Otherwise the string binds between the two sides of the bag and will not allow the seal to close properly. This becomes very obvious during my squeeze test and means I have to refill the BZ3 again. I learned this very quickly and I am very careful to keep the string out of the way.

I have used the BZ3 from sea level to 14,000 ft. (4267 m). I have used it from freezing temperatures all the way up to 112 F (44.5 C). I have frozen the BZ3 on several occasions. To do this I found that I could remove the drinking tube from the bladder fill the bladder part way up and set it in my freezer at an angle. At first I had trouble getting it to freeze without blocking the outlet hole or the seal. with a little practice and careful arrangement of the other frozen items in my freezer I am now able to get the ice just how I want it. I have also boiled the BZ3 twice. Once because I wanted to see how it did and once because there was something growing in it. I boiled it and then scrubbed it with soap and water. The life form was destroyed and the BZ3 came through the entire affair unscathed. In the last year I have pulled more than 100 gallons (379 L) of water through the BZ3. Not long ago I noticed that my backpack was getting wet while hiking. I thought that was odd since I had not had any problems with the BZ3 opening and I was careful to test the seal very well before stuffing the BZ3 into my pack. I pulled the BZ3 out of may bag and hung it up for examination. What I found was a leak were the drink tube end is glued to the bag. I have beat the BZ3 up pretty good over the last year but I was disappointed that it was leaking. So I got online and went to the Cascade Design website and followed the link to the warranty page. There I found a form that I could fill out and send in with the BZ3. I printed the form, filled it out and mailed my BZ3 back to Cascade Designs. Eight days later a package arrived at my door. When I opened the package I found a brand new Big Zip 3. I was very impressed that they handled the warranty so fast. The new BZ3 looks just like the old one and it passed all my tests, just like the old one; stays sealed, no taste from plastic and no leaks.

Bite Valve

Conclusion

Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bladders > Platypus Big Zip 3 > Owner Review by Thomas Peltier II