[AuroraProject]

Is there a fast way to remove the plastic taste from a new hydration bladder? I bought a new one today and need to use it tomorrow. With my old one the taste just went away over time, but I'd rather not taste plastic tomorrow, if at all possible.

 

[spacecoyote]

Not without wasting alot of water. There really is no way to get rid of that taste. If you compare it to the old MSR Hydromidary black bladders that were made from 1000d cordura and lined with plastic to the newer CamelBak and Platypus there is no taste to speak of.
It's a fair trade for the convenience. Just don't put Gatorade in it.

 

[AndrewB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacecoyote /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just don't put Gatorade in it.

Seeing as I am looking for a hydration system currenty, I've got to ask...Why Not?

 

[BrookR1]

Couldn't you dip the tip in a small glass of orange juice or beer or gatorade over night?

 

[AuroraProject]

I did find a way to get rid of the plastic taste. I added 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the bladder, filled it with hot water and let it sit for 2 hours, drain, rinse several times. No more plastic, just clean refreshing water!

And I'm curious also, why can't you put Gatorade in it?

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

You can, it will just eventually kill the bottle. The two main culprits you're looking at are salt and sugar. Both are very, very slightly corrosive to plastic. This is only further exemplified when they're under pressure for long periods of time. I had a camelback that I used exclusively for Gatorade, knowing that in about a year or two of continued use I'd need to change out the bladder and the mouthpeice. It's not really chemically corrosive, but more of a mild abrasive. If you're going to do it make sure not to get any of it in the threads of the cap to the bladder. It's the worst when that leaks. Also the gatorade will seep into the plastic over time, making regular water when you put into it taste slightly salty.

My recommendation is with your camelback to buy two seperate bladders (they're no more than 20$) and to use one exclusively for gatorade, and the other for water, and to wash out the drinking tube thoroughly after finishing with the gatorade one.

~Cheers

 

[kramer5150]

I never found a way to completely get rid of it. Keeping it cool with lots of ice helps. Fill it 2/3 with water and throw it in the freezer the night before use. I squeeze a little lemon juice in mine to lightly flavor the water.

I wash mine with baking soda and warm water, let it sit for a few hours and rinse.

 

[spacecoyote]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndrewB /img/forum/go_quote.gif Seeing as I am looking for a hydration system currenty, I've got to ask...Why Not?

The plastic that the bladder is made from, like almost all plastics, is porous. Like someone else mentioned the salts and sugars will eventually break it down over time. Even using baking soda will reduce the use-life of the bladder. Like with the MSR Hydromidary (no I don't work for MSR, I just like their products) the taste was like drinking out of a Hefty bag (no I don't work for Glad either

) but I found that no matter how long the water sat in the bladder, when I poured it into a Nalgene (

) bottle the taste dissipated. So if I was on a Day hike I would live with the taste. If I was a on a looong trip I would use the bladder to haul water or as general storage and drink from a Nalgene. Lexan is more like bullet-proof glass than like plastic. But the lids aren't...

I don't want to come off as a tree hugger (...if the Birk fits) but in this day and age where everything renewable is ruined and everything non-renewable is somehow justifiably pissed away we need to make these things last. Plastic is petroleum, so from my experience the taste is minor compared to how much longer these things will last if you don't put high PH in them. I am still using a bladder I bought in April 1996 because I only ever put water in it.
So my advice, carry a small empty lexan bottle in your pack and drink from that, you won't taste a thing. If you're biking or fast-packing it and you can't spare the 1.8oz for an empty bottle, live with the taste, we put worse things in our body all day long and do it again the next day.

 

[theBigD]

if it is a new camelback bladder, they are taste free now. the old ones had plastic taste because of tubing they used. they now line that tubing with taste free lexan sleeve. they prefer this tubing because is flexes so well. another product that is also taste free is platypus water bladders, they are all lexan so they dont flaver water. adding stuff to your water is generally a bad idea, it is much harder to remove the stuff you add from bladder later. they have added an antimicrobial lining to the bag to help counteract growth of bacteria though. these upgrades happened in the last yr and half.

 

[AuroraProject]

I don't plan on putting Gatorade in it, that stuff just makes me thirsty for regular water. Good to know what it does to the bladder though, thanks.

 

[Foxyrenard]

I recieved a Gelert bacpack I had ordered today and the plastic taste was quite strong even after a few rinces. That's how I found this thread. After thinking about it I found a solution!!!
 
Solution: add an activated charcoal tablet to your water.
 
I got mine from Boots chemists (UK) for £3.45 for 100. they disolve and take all chemicals out of the water, Obviously since they disolve the water has a black tint, but the water tastes fresh like out of a glass. not sure how it would be with sports drinks.
 
I would sugest using bottled water rather than tap in some places.
 
Note: I believe Activated charcoal can interfere with the absorbsion of some medications ( not sure). and the charcoal can relise some of the chemicals back whilst in the digestive trackt.
 
If the smell doesn't go in a couple of weeks going to look at putting a charcoal filter in the pipe.
 
Please post if you try this.

 

[daigo]

I soaked my Camelbak that I use for when I go snowboarding for a few nights with hot water to lessen the plastic taste. 
 

 

[Lurkumaural]

Excellent reading for when I finally get around to replacing my Camelbak bladder, which currently tastes slightly of coffee, hot chocolate, and frangelico.

 

[peterledger]

I bought a new camelbak in jan 2015 and so far its impossible to use due to the chemical taste, ive left it full of water for a couple of days and then emptied it for nearly 2 months now and still i cant stand the taste, its like the smell of a new kids paddling pool, i paid over £80 for something i cant use, wish i had seen the comments before i wasted my cash, sad to say but its a crap product, why would a company make this knowingly that the liquid inside would become undrinkable ?