Mine finaly gave up the other week after 4 yrs of use. Not the pack just the bladder i thought Id replace just the worn out item, only to find the cost of the bladder is £27.99 I nearly choked. Then I stared looking at new ones and then I did choke. Have things realy increased in pice that much or is the credit crunch a big lie. So what have people got and whats the best place to bag a bargin?

Camelback Mule here, I think!! CRC are selling last years one off cheap

camelbak bladders are the best imo – not found others which come close

Cascade Platypus work pretty well and are relatively cheap.

do camelbak ones not have a life time guarentee?

ive got a decathlon 2Ltr one for 7.99 in a sale a few years ago (down form about 12) excelent, but didnt have a waist strap so tends to need a smooth riding strap to keep it form bouncing arround. Since buying the berghaus one is been relegated to the road bike and xc rides.

Got a 3ltr trekmates bladder for a fiver form TKmax, and a berghaus 20ltr backpack form blacks in the sale for 25, which gets used most often as its light and not sweaty.

If you just want to get a new bladder for your pack then eBay is your friend.

A quick search for ‘Hydration bladder cycling’ has brought up 31 hits. I bought a 2ltr one recently for my Aldi backpack for less than £8.

The Decathlon bladders and packs are remarkably good for the money. I’ve started to buy them to hire out to clients as they work without any fuss.

Aldi pack and camelback bladder here. TBF, the Aldi bladder was fine.

So, I guess the answer you’re looking for is – no.

camelbak bladders are the best imo – not found others which come close

IMO Camelbak bladders are far from being the best. Their bitevalves might be (though that’s debatable), but the current bladders have a really rubbish closure system which is heavy, hard to open and close to get a good seal and doesn’t give a very big opening – unlike others where you can turn the whole bladder inside out for drying. Deuter and Hydrapak are both superior – I reckon Hydrapak are the best. No idea about the cheaper bladders, but they’re unlikely to have more awkward closure systems than Camelbak.

My friends and I use camelback.

A few of the guys and gals replaced them with LIDL highstreet backs with bladders.

I am impressed by the quality and price.

Keep an eye on LIDL and Aldi for the bladders.

When singletrack used the old forum-someone did find a replacement that was quite good quality.

Google!

The Aldi stuff is just fine. I’m still using a 3-year old pack, though the bladder split around the filler cap area last year. Having also used Camelback and Platypus bladders over the years, I now reckon that the Source/Deuter ones are the best for strength, longevity and cleanliness. Wiggle are doing a 3L one for £14.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Deuter_Streamer_3L_Bladder/5360010138/

I’ve used both Camelback and Gelert bladders and packs.
Currently have two Gelert bladders, both fitted with Camelback BigBite valves as the Gelert valves are truly awful – leaky and awkward to use.
Apart from that, they are fine and at £10.00 each plus about £4.00 for the valves are great value.
An Alpkit Gourdon 20 ltr bag, a Gelert bladder and a Camelback bite valve would set you back about £30.00 all in.
Might be worth giving Merlin a call though, they seem to have a permanent sale on Camelback gear.

I use the deuter one above. Been going for a couple of years. I had a hydrapak one too which I liked until it started to leak but after a few years.

I have a cheap one from Decathlon (french sports superstore) and it was very cheap. It works just fine and I think it was 10.00? Now about 3 years old.

Aldi ones have been fine for me. Tesco also do one for about a tenner with a similar bladder (in the aisle next to ‘those’ torches!!). Had a couple of platupus bladders which leaked. Not tried the camelbak ones, just way too expensive for what they are IMO.

Aldi ones are spot on – been using mine for at least 3 years now, and the bladder is still fine. I’ve also got a gelert bladder (I agree that the bite valve is no good, but other ones fit straight on) which works nicely. If you’ve got a motorworld shop near you, they’re selling off gelert packs and bladders cheaply… (atleast they are at the one in Crosspool, Sheffield)

No you dont.
THESE & THESE are excellent, & the bladders are top quality. Had one for 6yrs now & its still good.

+1 on the Deuter/Source bladders. Easy to clean and last for years. Valves can be a pain though.

Decathlon are also well worth checking out:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/forclaz-2l-water-bladder-17409956/

When my bladder died I got a new bladder from Tescos for 8 quid. Replaces the hose with my original, so I’ve got the best of both worlds, dirt cheap bladder with Camelbak value…

I’ve had a £17 Decathlon pack for about 5 years now, the pack has been fantastic though i’m on my 3rd bladder, currently a camelback one.

As a comparison my mate has been through at least 4 packs, Camelback and Dakine at about £60 each.

Decathlon hydration

and here

Been using a Gelert pack and bladder off eBay for more than a year now, cost me £15 iirc.

Don’t notice it once it’s on, so must be pretty well designed.

I’ve had two Gelert bladders fail on me and start leaking, plus they taste very rubbery. Got a camelbak one now and its vastly superior.

You’re obviously drinking wrong then Grumm. 😉

Yet another vote for Decathlon. Me and my son bought one each about three years ago for about £15. My only problem was that I bought a small one that was fine for shorter rides but was too small for the big days when you need three changes of clothes and a 4 course dinner. So I bought a low spec Camelback for £35 in a sale and to be honest it isn’t any where near as well made as the Dec. Yes the bladder and valve are better but the actual bag is already starting to wear through after only a year and I don’t use it that much!

Has anyone seen those new Crumpler ones yet? Saw them in the Crumpler shop in Melbourne last week. Not sure of their performance but they look cool as anything!

try Blacks, they tend to have them in the sales, the storm shield ones are good.