Drying Hydration bladders
 

I just got my first today, and I was wondering how you guys dry it out? I washed it out, and right now I have it kind of held up by the top of a bourbon bottle. Not really effective, but the only thing I can think of right now short of using a hair dryer.

You can do one of a few things:

- buy the hydration bladder hanger which helps keep it open so that air can circulate.

- just leave it open and hang it upside down

- keep it filled with fresh water after you've washed and rinsed it clean. the next time you use it, drain, fill with fresh water, flush through hose, and refill for use.

I keep mine in the freezer to prevent it from molding when I'm not using it, seems to work for me

I rinse mine out with hot water, wipe the most i can out with a rag and hang them up making sure that they remain open.

For the love of god, if you don't have a camelbak bladder, BUY A CAMELBAK. You don't need the whole pack, just the bladder.
Without a doubt the BEST bladders out there for mold/bacteria control.
I've run gatorade, gatorade powder, IMP powder, juice, gatorade/redbull/vodka mix, and water through the last 2 years of my camelbak's life. Then I filled it with country well water out at a game, and left it in the fridge afterwards thinking I'd use it the next weekend. It stayed in there at the back of the fridge for 6 MONTHS. The exterior was quite moldy, but the inside was IMMACULATE. Rinsed it with hot water, did a visual inspection, and I'm still using it :D
And camelbak now (finally) has a 90 degree bite valve for extra awesome.

By comparison, I've had 3 blackhawk bladders, two of them got moldy after 3 months of being used with gatorade and you could actually see the mold eating away the anti-microbial layer. And the 3rd one had the same thing happen but I only ever put water in it. So blackhawk bladders are crap.

ThunderCactus, have you used a Source bladder? I find them much better.
Taste free, grunge free, and well reviewed everywhere I've read.

They have a "zip" top opening for easy drying too.

If you're worried about mold, after it's dried, stuff a clean dry paper towel inside it but let it hang out the fill opening slightly. (ie. Don't close it tight)It will wick any remaining moisture.

Personally with my main camelbak bladder, I just leave water in it. But my backup camelbak is left open hanging upside down.

Do you mean this model?? http://sourceoutdoor.com/hydration-s...1-widepac.html Because I am looking to buy one too, and the one you mentioned sounds good.

The Source bladder is Fing awesome! I fully recommend it. its also built like a tank too. I just filled it up with water then managed to launch my self downhill on my back and it didn't have any issues (and i am not a small guy). I got mine at MEC for 25 bucks.

I've seen the source ones and prefer the Camelbak. Plus the Military & Tactical lines don't come with bright orange or blue colours :p

I've seen the source ones, just never bought one. Camelbaks a proven brand to me :)

I'm using the Source Tactical 3L, and they're freaking awesome.

I use the hanger or hang it on my bottle tree with my beer gear, I have seen friends make their own hangers from plastic clothing hangers, paper towel holders all kinds of items you may already have.

I actually found that it dried most of the way overnight sitting on the bourbon bottle. This morning I wadded a paper towel around one of my cleaning rods and I stuck that in the bladder to dry off the rest. Works surprisingly well.

Just wondeirng.. do you leave it open till the next use or is it okay to close it up? I have mine sitting with water inside till the next use.

I leave mine open and run starsan through before and after use.