Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir Blue

This hydration bladder is made from strong, good quality materials,inspiring confidence that it will withstand the knocks from being carried in a rucksack with other equipment.It is very well designed and the rigid back and handle on the front make this bladder easy to fill.Once filled, the extra strength from the reinforced back and handle again give confidence in its ability to withstand some rough treatment.The fill markings on the bladder are clear, easily read and enable measured filling to your desired level.The filler cap is quite large & robust, but easily opened and closed.The hydration tube is reasonably long and can be used on either the left or right side of a rucksack.The bite valve feels strong, but does not require too much pressure to get a decent amount of liquid flowing. I have filled the bladder and left it upside down, cap facing down to test for leaks from the cap & after 24 hours, there was no leakage at all.Be aware that as this is a 3 litre bladder it is quite large, however smaller versions are available. The only drawback to this bladder, and it could be a major one for some, is the magnetic bite valve & ruckstrap sternum strap magnet.The magnets are very strong and a warning is printed on the packaging that they may affect compasses, mobiles, credit cards etc.I tested this by placing a compass a few inches away from the magnets, the compass was immediately affected and moved 180 degrees out,a major problem on a misty mountain! I did not dare put a credit card near the magnets ! However this problem is easily solved by not using the sternum strap magnet and, by using a slim sharp bladed knife, the magnet can be easily prised out of the bite valve holder with no damage done to the valve, and replaced if required again in the future.A non magnetic bite valve can be bought, but the above option is a lot cheaper ! To summarise, this is an excellent product & I am sure it will prove to be durable and will be well used.Highly recommended !

Love the way the tube detaches from the bladder for easy refilling. This alone makes it worth the price its so handy. But also the bladder is so sturdy with the support in it. Great bit of kit for hiking

Simply the best bladder I have owned. No problem with taste, but I often mix squash in with my water so that may mask any additional taste. Very easy to clean, but you will need a suitable cleaning kit! Very easy to fill and seal. Does not leak unlike Camelbak bladders I have had when they're full and in your backpack, the pressure applied between my back and the bag often caused my Camelback to leak. Not this Osprey bladder. Not longer to I have to put up with a wet, yucky back. The magnet chest attachment is a bonus too!

Having tried several different water bladders, I've always thought that maybe they just weren't for me - cumbersome to fill and then they wobbled all over the place when you tried to put them in your pack, often forcing you to empty stuff out of it just to get it back in. Not this one. It is easy to fill, yet still doesn't leak - the entire top portion means that even if you are refilling from a natural source, it works very well. The back plate means putting it in your pack is almost as easy as placing a bottle in it and the magnet in the nozzle is such a nice touch! It seems like an almost insignificant detail, but when you're out on the trail, it makes drinking so much more comfortable! All my friends who went hiking with me have now bought one too and I keep recommending it to people. Great system!

I bought this last year to go with my Osprey Talon 22 daysack. It fits comfortably into the daysack and does what it says on the tin. Initially, there's a bit of taste in the water but it mostly goes away after a few weeks of use. The reservoir is transparent and it is clearly labelled with content quantity measurements which are extremely convenient. The hoses are excellent, connecting and disconnecting are straightforward. The reservoir is designed so that secures the built-in hose to itself. This is great as you don't have a hose flopping about. Overall, the design is well thought out. My issue is that it failed soon (two months) after purchase. Where the built-in hose attaches to the pouch, a leak developed. It soaked some of the contents of my daysack which I was not pleased about. This was after no more than a dozen times being used. I personally would prefer if I had gotten more use out of it before it failed, so I don't feel like it was value for money. UPDATE I'm increasing the stars from 2 to 4 (4 due to the failure of the reservoir). I made contact with Osprey's customer service who didn't hesitate to replace to defective reservoir. I must say that I'm extremely pleased with that and I think they have 5 star customer service.

I have a number of other bladders including a Camelbak 3L, a generic high quality 2L bladder, a budget 3L bladder. So I have a reasonable range of bladders that I've fitted to a variety of sacks & back packs. I wasn't impressed with the budget bladder so decided to buy a branded bladder. My rucksacks are either Lowe Alpine, who don't do a branded bladder, and Osprey, who do. I own an Osprey Talon 22 (long) so even though its a daysack I suspected it was ok for the larger 3L bladder. I can testify that it fits fine. I picked a 3 litre bladder for the obvious reason that I can have the flexibility to fill it up as much, or as little, as I like. Plus carrying an extra litre of H2O is no hardship. Better to have more than I need than not enough, when I am in need of more, is my motto. The Hydraulics bladder is superbly designed and constructed. Probably over engineered to be honest, but who doesn't like an over-engineered practical bit of kit these days? The slide sealer is new to me but works per4efectly and on relfection is better than the regular camelbak screw cap, which I do find quite hard to unscrew given their propensity to tighten very tightly. The Hydraulics system is way easier and no doubt will be a doddle with gloves or mitts. The hose and mouth piece are superbly designed and the fact that Osprey sell spares is a definite plus point. I also like the sternum strap magnet, which keeps the hose from flopping about. All in all the Hydraulics bladder is a superbly designed bit of kit and though it isn't cheap it is worth buying if you highly value quality and performance.

My friend bought this water bladder (and Osprey is obviously a very good make) and recommended it. I did a bit of research and found it cheaper on Amazon (£21.99) so gave it a go - and am so pleased I did! It makes long walks so much more comfortable! I don't have to stop frequently to retrieve a water bottle out of my rucksack any more. It definitely helps you stay hydrated (I dissolve energy tablets in it when on longer walks). I found the cleaning of it a bit more fiddly but now just put in a tiny bit of washing up liquid and with a few rinses it is good to go again. Definitely recommend.

After making do for a few years with a cheap generic bladder that came free with a bag, I finally moved on to this one after several frustrating trips where opening/sealing the cheap one was a nightmare requiring two people and lots of swearing! Really impressed with this bladder straight out the box, looks and feels very sturdy and reliable, easy to use and clean. Some mild plastic taste but after a soak in lemon water overnight this has disappeared. Used on a hot 4 Munro day and it was perfect, love the magnet attachment and how easy it is to fill and close. Highly recommend, I now look forward to using my hydration system rather than dreading it!