Nasty Water Bladder Hoses
Equipment
Just sent these pictures out to a buddy who called me. I thought I'd post them up because of the time of year.
A simple solution to a common problem... especially if you have kids who use your gear and or are running hard and fast every day with things falling through the cracks.
Got a water bladder that didn't get dried out properly and now has some algae funk in the hoses?
Wash it out with some warm water and a very mild bleach solution.
Make a simple cleaning kit with some dynema cordage and a small piece of paracord.
Cut off a 2 1/2 ft piece of the dynema and tie a piece of paracord to the end. Cut the paracord so that you have a couple of inches hanging and ruffle those ends.
Soak your bladder hose in some hot water to soften the tubing.
The dynema cordage is stiff enough to easily slide through the hose. The knot has resistance as you pull it through the hose and "squeegees" out the inside of the hose. Run it through a few times with some hot, soapy, mild bleach water and you have clean lines in a couple of minutes.
I just keep my cleaning set up with my "camp kitchen" gear for potential future need.
Faster and cheaper than replacing the hoses, even if you have tubing on hand.
Not rocket science or brilliant insight, but thought I'd post it up because of the time of year, it's a common problem and my buddy hadn't thought of the solution... maybe someone else could use it.
Good tip, Rick, but kind of dubious of you to throw the kids under the bus for this issue. ;-)
Yeah, sure, it was "the girls"... :-)
Cool strategy, and a lot cheaper than buying a Camelbak hose kit too...
Somehow, I suspect that I am not the only guy on this site who has had a teenager use gear and not clean/dry/store it properly... as I suspect that I am not the only guy on this site who has a younger child who "borrows" headlamps to read in bed at night without letting you know. Then, with dead batteries, stashes them like a squirrel's cache of acorns.
You guys have a point, but I will openly own my personal abuses of gear. I just scored a "new to me" pack bag that was at a phenomenal price and in phenomenal condition. I do not understand how anyone can have a used pack that has no scuffs/scrapes/stains/dirt/blood. I try to take care of my stuff, I'm not negligent as far as maintenance, but I'm where gear goes to die.
Throw the bladder and tube in the freezer as soon as you are done using it and it won’t get the funk. I keep mine stored there most of the time.
Buy a straw cleaner, tie a string to it or to each end and run it thru the tube. Straw cleaners work great for removing any funk.
Am I the only person who has never used and probably never will use a bladder? Mainly for this reason.
That device Orion rigged up will also start a siphon. I use a larger one and when ever I need to siphon gas or a liquid acid this is what I use. No more gas in the mouth...
A little bleach never hurt anyone - in fact the gene pool could use some chlorine
Pop-r - Early season, when it’s hot, I really like a bladder, quick, easy, frequent hydration, no slosh. You just gotta take care of them.
If I pack my tents without drying them, they’ll get funky too.
When it’s 20* and colder, the hose freezes and is a PITA. Nalgene bottle.
Don’t know what’s up with my phone.
Its not your phone... its Bowsite. It needs Geritol every few days
I wonder if you could use a gun cleaning rod with the right caliber swab?
"Am I the only person who has never used and probably never will use a bladder? Mainly for this reason." You're not alone. GI canteens (a couple bucks each at any gun show) work just fine for me.
When it’s brutally hot, I fill my bladder completely with ice and then add water. Frequent, small sips of cold water make a huge difference for me in those conditions. Much easier than a water bottle then.
Hiked the Grand Canyon with a buddy. It was late July. Those were water bladder, bite valve conditions for me.
I don’t own stock in CamelBack and don’t work for them though. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I just thought I’d post a simple solution to a common problem that a friend called me about.
I would store mine in the freezer like a lot of guys do, but my wife packs our freezers like a Japanese Commuter Car at rush hour.
Tough to beat a bladder when packing a 70 pound pack 5 miles into the mountains or packing out an 80 pound load of meat. I just dry my bladders and hoses well before storage and never put anything in them other than plain water. That helps minimize the funk.
