Platypus

PDD

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if anyone out there knows of a shop in town that has their stock online with pricing info? I havent had a chance to go into town to compare prices of items online yet and its looking like I may not have time to wait for an online order. Has anyone found one particular Outdoor store in town to be reasonably priced?

Dave

BeardyGit

Buying online and paying for delivery, you'll save little if anything at all over the great outdoors, especially if you have an MCI/An Oige/Student card to get a 10% discount.

From recent experience, I'd steer clear of the north face hydration packs, which use a Nalgene insert. I've tried two packs and the feed hose on both has crimped too easily to provide a 'reliable' water supply when it's needed most. The Platypus plastic water pouch I had before trying TNF kit was susceptible to the same thing unfortunately. Very frustrating when already trying to suck in mouthfuls of water between filling the poor oul' lungs

I've now switched to an 'original' Camelback hydration pouch, which straps to the outside of my rucksack and works a treat. It's an insulated nylon bag as such, with an insulated water pipe and a cracking good mouth piece. I went for the biggest they had, a 3 litre job, which was around 50 notes, but it's money well spent to my mind, and I doubt I'll need to replace it any time in the foreseeable future.

Have a look there tomorrow if you can make it in, if you're stuck for time. AFAIK, they're open something like 12-6, or it might be 2-6pm. Failing that, and if it's actually a Platypus you want, 53 Degrees North sell Platypus packs, and TNF packs No shops I know of in the city (Dublin) have their stock properly listed online....

Hope that helps,

Gil

cavedave

Just a general note on water carriers from my experience.
1. Camelpacks are good but get dirty and are hard to clean. If doing something really rough (like caving) the attachment tents to break.
2. Sig bottles and metal bottles. I find these awkward and a bit heavy.
3. Plastic water bottles-cheap squeezy and if they do break just buy a new one in the supermarket.
4. Drink to much water before you start and then hold it till the dehydration makes you reabsorb it. Not recommended unless you really want to keep the weight down. and also more information then anyone needed it.

BeardyGit

cavedave wrote:

.....
4. Drink to much water before you start and then hold it till the dehydration makes you reabsorb it. Not recommended unless you really want to keep the weight down. and also more information then anyone needed it.

Clickety here

dogmatix

I use a camelbak 2 litre pouch and it's just fine for a long day hike and with most 30 litre daypacks these days having an internal insert and top hole for the tube they are easy to use and stick in your daypack. I've had my pouch since 2001 and i've never had a problem with it - it's been with me to wicklow, cork, canada, azores etc so it's seen a lot of use, and abuse. I've never had a problem with crimping or anything else like.

I don't think cleaning the camelbak is difficult - but it is time consuming but there are special tools for that.

If you do go for any brand of water pouch then make sure you get a insulated cover for it as it will keep the water cool (but not cold) even on a hot summers day

Roen

I take it you mean Dublin PDD. I suppose you can't go past TGO for things like this. I'd shy away from the hoser variants though as they've failed on me before.

Borzoi

My experience with a Platypus badg has been very good, so much so that I've never looked at another brand/system.

I use a one litre bag for day hikes refilling from other bottles as required, this suits me because I sometimes top up with a Miwadi mix for a change, and to help keep sugars up!

Evil Phil

I've tried a couple of Gelert ones (I know I didn't learn my lesson the first time). Both failed in the first couple of hours of use, both failed in the same way. It really is a case of getting what you paid for.