We take the time to provide in-depth comparisons to help you find the best hydration bladder for your needs. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products.

Generally speaking, we’ve found that Platypus and CamelBak’s designs dispense a lot of water, while HydraPak’s bite valves (including those on the Osprey Hydraulics reservoir) are slightly more conservative. Chances are your hydration bladder is compatible with your backpack's attachment point, but it doesn't hurt to check. Armed with this experience with these products, we offer our unbiased recommendations built to help you find the perfect bladder for your hydration needs.

However, it’s often cumbersome to pack a significant amount of water (with traditional water bottles) and take it on your hiking or backpacking adventure. The bladder that fits easily into a bag and provides sufficient water flow on the go (without leaking) does the best here. A top tip is to use a kitchen whisk to allow the water bladder bag to stay open and air dry after use.

Both models feature the same HydraFusion drink tube, but the Force drops the durable sleeve and adds a dose of toughness straight to its reservoir. With an uninsulated tube in freezing temperatures, it's hard to drink frequently enough to avoid this. For runners seeking a new hydration vest, we've tested the best running hydration packs (as well as the best women's running hydration packs).Heck, we also think it’s the best way to stay hydrated while driving, writing, reading, and watching TV: In most cases, it’s simply easier to drink from a tube than a water bottle. Additionally, major brands like CamelBak, Osprey, HydraPak, and Platypus offer replacement bite valves should they break down over time.