Owner Review

Platypus Shutoff Valve

 

Date: March 26, 2006

 

Name: Stephen Latza
Age: 53
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 7” (1.70 m)
Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
Email address: GreenBoonie –at- backpacker.com

City, State, Country: Twinsburg, Ohio, U.S.

Backpacking Background: I started backpacking in the spring of 2001. Most of my trips have been one or two night weekend excursions to the trails in western Pennsylvania and in southern Ohio. I try to get out at least once a month or so. Typical daily mileage is 6 to 10 miles (10 to 16km). Usual weekend pack weight is around 30 lb (14 kg) with food and water.

 

 

Manufacturer – Platypus Hydration

Year of Manufacture – 2005

Manufacturer’s Web Site – www.platypushydration.com

MSRP - $5.95 US

Weight as tested – 0.2 oz (6 g)

Size as tested – 2 in x 1.5 in (51 mm x 38 mm)

 

 

Product description. The Platypus Shutoff Valve is a yellow and blue right angled plastic twist valve. It is an upgrade that has helped prevent spills and added a 90 degree angle to the end of the bladder hose. It is easy to operate with just a twist needed to open or close the shutoff valve.  The shutoff valve does not replace the bite valve. The Platypus Shutoff Valve is covered by a lifetime warranty.

 

 

Field Information

Location Tested – I have been using the Platypus Shutoff Valve for one year now in the hills of North Western Pennsylvania and Southern Ohio. The temperature has ranged from a high of 80 F (27 C) to a low of 40 F (5 C). The weather has varied from hot sunny days to a cold wet rain. I have not had it out in freezing temperature yet. Elevations have ranged from 400 ft (122 m) to approximately 2000 ft (610 m).  

 

Product Review

 

I purchased the Platypus Shutoff Valve for my Platypus Hoser 3L water bladder after a couple of accidental leaks from the bite valve. Once was in my tent as I was packing up in the morning. I found myself kneeling in a puddle of water in my tent and realized my foot was resting on the valve causing it to leak. Luckily not too much water had leaked out and I easily wiped up the water. The second time happened the second day out on a multi-day trip. I had packed up my backpack in the morning, checking the bladder to make sure I had enough water for the morning hike, and then had set the pack down against a tree. I did not notice the bite valve was between the backpack and the tree. There was just enough pressure on the bite valve to cause it to start leaking. I did not realize this as I waited for the other hikers to get ready. I put on my backpack noticing the bottom of it was a little wet. I just assumed it was from the damp grass the backpack was sitting on by the tree. A couple of miles down the trail I started having trouble getting water from the bladder. I removed my backpack to check the bladder and found it empty. The inside of the pack was dry so I knew it did not leak from the bladder inside. It was then that I realized the bottom of my pack got wet from the valve leaking. Luckily there was water available a little farther down the trail and I refilled it. It could have been a dangerous situation if water was not available. I decided then to get the Platypus Shutoff Valve and hopefully avoid another accident like that.

 

The Platypus Shutoff Valve is attached to the end of the bladder hose by removing the bite valve and inserting the blue inlet barb into the end of the bladder hose. I found by licking the barb before trying to insert it into the hose helps with the insertion process. The bite valve is then put over the yellow end of the shutoff valve. This is also made easier by licking the yellow end of the shutoff valve before putting the bite valve on it.

 

 

 

The shutoff valve has a raised ridge on both the yellow and blue parts to help with aligning the valve in an open or closed position. When I twist the yellow section and align the ridge on the yellow and blue sections the valve is in the open position and I can now get water to flow through the bite valve. To shut off the valve I just twist the yellow section to either side, until it stops, and the valve is now closed. The raised ridge also gives me a quick visual indicator to know if I have the valve opened or closed. I have not had any leaks from the bite valve or the shutoff valve since I installed it. The valve appears to be well made and solid. The twisting motion feels smooth, but not loose. The 90 degree bend in the shutoff valve also helps with the position of the bite valve while putting it in my mouth. I have not noticed any diminished flow capacity through the bite valve with the addition of the shutoff valve. I still get a good amount of water with a not a lot of suction effort.

 

 

                 

 

Another benefit of the shutoff valve is it allows me to remove the bite valve while feeding the bladder hose through the backpack hydration hose exit port without having any water leak out of the hose. I then just put the bite valve back on the shutoff valve and I am ready to drink. Before I would have to squeeze the bite valve through the opening and some water would leak out of the bite valve. Not enough to cause a big problem but it would still get things wet. It also gives me security knowing if the bite valve were to fail I could still get water from the bladder and not have it leaking from the hose.

 

I clean the shutoff valve after each trip following the cleaning instructions, for their bladders, from the manufacture’s web site. To clean it I will fill the bladder with hot soapy water, shake it up real good, allow the soapy water to run through the tube, shutoff valve, and mouthpiece, and rinse thoroughly with hot water. To disinfect it I will put one ounce of unscented household bleach in the bladder with 1 liter (34 oz) of clean water and shake it up. I also allow the bleach and water to run through the hose, shutoff valve, and mouthpiece. I rinse everything well with clean water. This has kept the shutoff valve clean and ready for the next time I need to use it.

 

Conclusion. The Platypus Shutoff Valve has stopped the accidental loss of water from my Platypus Hoser 3L bladder.

 

Likes

1. Easy to install
2. Easy to use
3. No more accidental leaks

 

Dislikes

            None