| |
Gear Reviews
Documents
Tools
|
Owner Review
Platypus Hoser 2L
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 29 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg)
Email address: tj@leaess.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, FL USA
Date: September 5, 2004
Backpacking Background: I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly
car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new
gear to my “collection” in an effort to get my gear list tailored
more towards backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not
more than one or two nights. I am planning some longer trips in the near future.
Product information
a. Manufacturer – Platypus Hydration
b. Year of manufacture – 2003
c. Manufacturer’s Website – www.platypushydration.com
d. MSRP – $18.95 USD
e. Listed weight – 3.5 oz (100 g)
f. Listed Size – 6x16 in (15x41 cm)
g. Listed Capacity – 70 oz (2 L)
h. Weight as tested – 3.7 oz (105 g)
i. Size as tested – 6x16 in (15x41 cm)
j. Capacity as tested – 67 oz (1.98 L) useable volume
k. Hose Length – 43.5 in (110 cm) from connector to end of bite valve
l. Product description. The Platypus Hosers allow backpackers to turn any backpack
into an easy to use hydration pack. The Hoser is a plastic bag with a drinking
tube and “bite valve” attached to allow hydration without having
to stop and remove a container from a pack. According to the manufacturer’s
website, the reservoirs are made of FDA approved, food grade polyethylene which
will not leave a plastic taste in the water. They are constructed of a triple
laminate material, guaranteed to withstand freezing or boiling water and is
covered by a lifetime warranty. (This is the standard model, not the big zip
which I have not had an opportunity to use at this point.)
Field Information
Location Tested – I have carried my Platypus Hoser through a variety of
terrains, from swampy wetlands, to sandy beaches in Northwest Florida, to hiking
and cycling in urban areas. I have used my Hoser in an older unknown brand external
frame backpack, an Outdoor Products daypack, and a CamelBak pack made to hold
just a water reservoir. Temperatures have ranged from 40 F (4.44 C) to over
100 F (37.78 C) in a wide variety of humidity (from almost none to 100%). I
have used the Hoser for a total of about 60 days of actual use, and carried
a total of over 250 qt ( L) of water.
Summary
The Hoser is a clear plastic pouch with a small threaded opening on one corner.
The opening has a cap with an attachment for the drinking hose to connect. The
other end of the drinking hose has the bite valve attached to it. The bite valve
is basically a small square of plastic with a self-sealing slit in the middle
of it. The valve is approximately 1x0.75 in (2.54x1.91 cm). The reservoir is
relatively easy to fill from a faucet, with the opening being almost the same
size as most US faucet outlets. When filling on the trail, the outlet tube of
my Katadyn Hiker filter allows relatively easy filling through the smaller size
of the opening in the reservoir. However, filling without the filter is a bit
more challenging due to the small opening size. I have found the easiest locations
to fill the reservoir without using the filter are somewhat deeper water (at
least 6 inches deep) and areas with water flowing as opposed to standing water
sources. When placing the Hoser system in a pack, it is placed with the cap
and outlet tube located on the bottom. The hose is then placed so it exits the
pack and follows along the shoulder strap to a location in the front of the
wearer. The hose works best if between 6 and 10 in (15.24 to 25.4 cm) is left
from the last attachment point to reach the wearer’s mouth. One drawback
to the design of the reservoir is no method to secure it inside a pack without
a reservoir sleeve. On my frame pack that does not have an internal sleeve,
a few small bungee cords stretched between two internal frame members held the
reservoir upright without problems. I have noticed some difficulty in placing
a full reservoir of water into a full pack. I can usually ease this problem
by loosening my compression straps, placing the reservoir into the pack (which
does require some slight shifting of contents on occasion) and then retightening
the straps. In the near future, I am going to try a connector that is placed
inline between the reservoir and the bite valve that allows the reservoir to
be refilled without having to remove it from the pack. I feel that this would
be a nice improvement, as not only will the reservoir not have to be removed
from the pack, but depending on where I carry my filter, I may not even have
to remove my pack at all. In order to drink, I place the bite valve in my mouth,
bite down as the name suggests, and gently suck to bring the water out. I have
not at any time noticed the water developing a “plastic” taste,
living up to the claim from Cascade Designs. In hot weather, the water in the
exposed tube tends to get very warm. This is not a problem in itself, just not
a terribly pleasant experience when I want a nice cool drink of water. I haven’t
had an opportunity to use this in below freezing weather, but I can imagine
there would be a problem with water potentially freezing in the tube. This situation,
as well as the heating of the water in the tube, could possibly be avoided by
using some type of insulator over the tube. One potential difficulty with using
a water reservoir is difficulty in determining an adequate quantity of water
remaining. I have noticed that there is a difference in the ease of water flow
between a full bladder and an almost empty bladder, signaling to me when it
is time to refill. A thorough cleaning of the reservoir is a bit difficult due
to the size of the opening. I have used a small soft-bristle bottle brush with
some success, making it easier to get into the corners of the bag. When cleaning
the hose, the only method I have found is to run water through the hose while
holding the bite valve open. I am sure some type of cleaning cloth could be
fabricated, but I have not tried yet. When not in use, I store the entire system
in my freezer. This seems to help prevent the growth of mold or mildew while
in storage, and allows me to put the system away before it is completely dry.
I have not experienced any problems with this technique yet, and it even allows
me to have ice water for the first part of my trips by placing some water into
the reservoir prior to placing it in the freezer for storage. When I first tried
this, I was worried about developing a “freezer burn” taste, but
have found that I don’t leave the system in the freezer long enough between
trips to develop this (it is used at least twice a month for various purposes.)
One other problem I noticed is that when removing my pack for breaks, if I’m
not careful the bite valve will fall into the dirt. I have remedied this by
keeping the fingertip from a latex medical-type glove to place over the valve
when the pack is not being worn in an effort to keep dirt off the tip. This
seems to have helped with the problem.
Conclusion
Overall, I am extremely satisfied with my Platypus Hoser 2L hydration system.
It lives up to the claims of the manufacturer of not leaving a plastic taste
in water, is relatively easy to use, and is of an adequate capacity for my purposes.
The downside of my experience is the small access on this model which causes
some difficulty with filling from water sources and makes cleaning a bit harder.
Cascade Designs seems to have solved these issues with the Big Zip model, but
I have not had the opportunity to use that model. The other drawback is the
temperature change of the water left in the tube, but that could be solved by
blowing a small amount of air into the tube to force the water back into the
pack, or by fabricating some type of insulating sleeve for the tube. However,
for the effort of that versus the benefit, I think I will continue as I have.
Read more reviews of Platypus Hydration gear
Read more gear reviews by Anthony Smith
|
