CamelBak Omega HydroTanium Reservoir

ok, so I'm an ol school bushwacker from Louisiana who always thought these things just didn't look as kewl as a good ol canteen out on the trail. also I have heard people complaining about bladders busting on them and soaking their gear. I always thought that was a sad story and poor excuse for 'looking cool' in the outdoors. Well, I decided last year to plan a hike thru the AT in 2010 and started gearing up. After checking out a video @ Backpacker.com where a guy runs a filled camelback over with a SUV I figured this might be worth a try. I was glad I made the purchase of this bladder and could care less how ridiculous I may look to my friends with it's tube running out of and dangling from my pack. Heh, my friends call it my colasthomy bag, but I think they're just jealous cuz I'm the only one with water every bit as kewl as it was when I filled it even after its been set directly in the sun. No joke, this thing can not only take a beating, but even placed in the direct sun of a 100+ day in smoldering Louisiana my water stayed very cool (aside from the obvious amount that stays trapped in the tube if you don't blow it back into the bladder after sipping). And to top it all off, to my amazement was how much like water my water really tasted coming out of this thing. No funky plastic taste or nothing...even tastes better coming out of the bladder than out of the tap...like it's an improvement. I could NEVER see going back to using canteens again...I can't now imagine an outdoors adventure without my camelback. From extensive reviews I have read I doubt I would ever purchase a bladder from anyone but camelback. Some people complain about the opening being hard to open up...I dunno bout that....I mean it even has a grip for unscrewing that enormous hole that I love...I think some people just need summin to complain about...

If you're curious or have had a bad experience with another brand of bladder hydration then I suggest you give this one a try; you'll love it!!

also, the hydrolock and cleaning kits are very convenient if you have one of these. I didn't notice any issues with leaking before I installed the hydrolock, but at the same time I didn't have the bladder long before I installed the hydrolock so...

I first purchased a 50 oz. bladder and soon found out that it just wasnt quite enough and forced me to have to carry a nalgene, which Id rather not do since it takes up more space in my pack. Im more a minimalist so the upgrade to the 72 oz (for only a couple extra bux) was well worth it. The first one I owned started leaking around where the tube connects to the bladder after only being detatched twice for cleaning. I figure this was simply a manufacturing flaw out of the batch that I recieved (first one purchased last year). I have detatched the tube on my new one several times just to make sure it was not going to give me any problems like the last one and it has held up fine. You got to expect at least one bad product from every assembly line. However, these bladders are the greatest. I have put water in these bladders with a little ice and left them sitting out directly in the Louisiana scorching sun for hours on end while fishing and my water stayed cold. It stays cold in every environment Ive used it in. The water tastes great, leaves no odd or plastic taste, and makes carrying enough hydration around a breeze. As stated, Id definitely go with a 72 oz over the smaller ones cuz you dont have to fill it all the way if you dont want to carry the extra weight of the water you wont use on short trips, runs, etc. I can't say enough great things about these bladders, not even after having a faulty one.

I use the 100oz bladder for any outdoor activity, most recently on a thru-hike of the Long Trail in VT. Most people use only the 70oz because it is a bit lighter and water sources are usually consistent. However, I kept with my 100oz because of several reason: 1. I could fill up with water in the evening, cook, clean, and have water for the morning, leaving 1.5L left for the trail, not needing to refill again in the morning. 2. If water sources were scarce, I could carry the extra water to bypass the less than pleasant standing water sources. 3. 100oz is big enough to rig up as a shower system with the hydrolock valve and have a nice shower every couple days.

Overall this thing performed beautifully. Always able to have a sip whenever I wanted. Great for consuming Clif Shot Blocks or GU while moving down the trail. Easy to use with a water filter or AquaMira drops (used both on the trip). Only problem I ran into is when leaning forward, putting pressure on the bladder stuffed between my back and the gear in my pack, it would SLOWLY begin to drip. Remedied by using the hydrolock valve. Not really a problem at all, but it was something I did notice.

I use my 3L for backcountry skiing inside my pack. I blow back on the tube every time so it doesn't freeze. When I get home, I dry it out by hanging it from the tube/bladder attachment crotch so that the mouthpiece hangs at the bottom of the vertical tube. It dries in a hurry this way; I hang it from a coat hanger.

Once it's dry I put it in the freezer until I need it again. My girlfriend says I'm stupid and that since we live in Colorado it'll be dry enough to avoid excessive bacterial growth without freezing it . . . but I plan on using this thing for the rest of my life, which will hopefully be several more decades of skiing and mountaineering and good stuff like that. She might be right though.

No complaints thus far, 10+ days of skiing Berthoud Pass. Tastes like water. I won't be putting anything else in it because I know better. If it breaks I'm going to be taking advantage of the warranty.

I have the 3L version. I would never go with a smaller reservoir; there's no reason why you can't just fill the 3L up halfway if you don't need the full capacity. I have been using the same bladder for everything for about 6 years now and it still looks and functions like it did when I bought it. I have been taking care of it, making sure to wash it out right after I use it, as well as letting it air dry before I pack it away. I had a friend who did not do this and the bladder grew mold after being stuffed away full of water for several months. Moral of the story: don't be lazy and you will have a great hydration reservoir for a very long time.

Water tastes like water when coming out of this reservoir. However, beer tastes like carbonated plastic when coming out of this reservoir. And the bladder retains traces of that taste for about 5 uses later. Moral of the story: don't be an idiot.

The CamelBak is a pretty cool reservoir for pretty much any activity that I do. You can grab different accessories for it for different conditions, and if you get the 100oz. you have all the water you will need for a day or 2 on the trail. The lid on mine is really hard to open, and I know that lots of people have this same problem, but I just think of it as this: If I have troubles opening it, water has troubles getting out of it. I have dropped it, stepped on it completely full, and done numerous other abuses to it, and I still have it in almost perfect condition. Super easy to clean, except my hands don't fit in it like some peoples do. The thing that I feel would give it 5 stars is if CamelBak included a Hydrolock with the bladder, because it has a bit of a problem leaking out of the mouthpiece at times, drenching the front of you.

I've been using Camelbak reservoirs for years. I have the 100oz in my H.A.W.G. pack and have a 70oz that I used in my old day pack. I only use water in mine, as I'm not good about cleaning them after a long ride or hike. Never had a problem with funkyness. Mine always seem to stay together good, but I've had a friend accidentally disconnect the hose on a full one while on the ski hill, didn't make for a very fun day for him. So check your connections often. I don't like the bite valves without the Hydrolock accessory as mine always seem to leak when in a packed bag, biking with a full pack puts alot of pressure on the reservoir and it squeezes the water out at a trickle. Haven't used other types of bite valves on other brands so I'm not sure if they are any better. Otherwise this is a great product.

I have the 3L version, and i take it on every hike and backpack. 5 years and no signs of wear. It is so great to be able to drink on the go. The biggest advantage of a bladder over a bottle is that it fits in the sleeve of your pack right up against the frame. The advantage is that water is the heaviest thing that you carry, and you want the heaviest items closest to your back. This reduces the torque on your pack and creates a more balanced load. Therefore, your pack will feel lighter. If you are even considering getting this item, get it. It is one of the least expensive pieces of gear that I own, yet easily one of the most important.

I have the 100 oz / 3 L verson and I love it. It works in all of my packs and the versatility makes life a lot easier. It's durable, it hasn't leaked, it's easy to fill, and there isn't an after-taste. The tube is long enough so you can improvise your set up if need be and there is a clip on the top near the refill cap so you can hang it upright in your pack. Water only comes out when you bite down on the valve and if you are worried about germs, it is treated with an anti-microbial coating. I would recommend buying the 100 oz. version because you don't always have to completely fill it up is space is limited.