Drinks Bladder - Cleaning

In message <[email hidden]>, Paul
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

HI everyone,

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Ta lots.

Hi, this is a slight problem. Washing out with bi-carb is fine, but I
let the bicarb soak in the bladder overnight.

No further bad taste !
--
Bill Grey

Bill Grey said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Paul
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

HI everyone,

Quoted message said:

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Quoted message said:

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Quoted message said:

Ta lots.

Hi, this is a slight problem. Washing out with bi-carb is fine, but I
let the bicarb soak in the bladder overnight.

No further bad taste !
--
Bill Grey

store it in the freezer between uses

Paul said:

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Not a direct answer to your question, but if you're in an area with
plentiful running water above any drainage from arable or intensive
stock rearing land, then you can save carrying at least /some/ water by
drinking straight out of the burns. Tastes better than anything else
you'll get too :-)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Paul said:

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Not a direct answer to your question, but if you're in an area with
plentiful running water above any drainage from arable or intensive
stock rearing land, then you can save carrying at least /some/ water by
drinking straight out of the burns. Tastes better than anything else
you'll get too :-)

Pete.

Generic name for such sources: Eweswater.

Definitely better than any other water available, though.
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

PeterC said:

Generic name for such sources: Eweswater.

It's the same stuff they bottle up and then sell to you (that doesn't
teleport past the ground into the bottling source!). People seem to get
/very/ hung up about a thin population of sheep. I suspect that there's
far more other biomass in direct contact with most stream water than
anything to do with sheep.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

In message <[email hidden]>, Peter Clinch
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

PeterC said:

Generic name for such sources: Eweswater.

I suspect that there's
far more other biomass in direct contact with most stream water than
anything to do with sheep.

I suspect that there's more urine sourced from people than sheep on most
hills. Indeed after one spectacularly enjoyable curry and beer evening
in Keswick........ but no, you really wouldn't want to hear about it.

Regards,
--
Neil Pugh

chris.5th said:

store it in the freezer between uses

What does that do to it? I would have thought that repeated freezing and
thawing would have caused the plastic to degrade in some way. After all
it's not designed to operate in sub-zero temperatures.

dino said:

chris.5th said:

store it in the freezer between uses

What does that do to it? I would have thought that repeated freezing and
thawing would have caused the plastic to degrade in some way. After all
it's not designed to operate in sub-zero temperatures.

it stops any mould developing. i just chuck it in there and get it out
when i need it.

Peter Clinch said:

PeterC said:

Generic name for such sources: Eweswater.

It's the same stuff they bottle up and then sell to you (that doesn't
teleport past the ground into the bottling source!). People seem to get
/very/ hung up about a thin population of sheep. I suspect that there's
far more other biomass in direct contact with most stream water than
anything to do with sheep.

Pete.

The only precaution that might be considered (apart from the obvious ones
of location) is, where possible, drink from Eweswater streams on the way
down. If the stream has been followed, there's a better chance of there not
be a dead sheep (or worse, rambler) in it.
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

Neil said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Peter Clinch
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

PeterC said:

Generic name for such sources: Eweswater.

I suspect that there's
far more other biomass in direct contact with most stream water than
anything to do with sheep.

I suspect that there's more urine sourced from people than sheep on most
hills. Indeed after one spectacularly enjoyable curry and beer evening
in Keswick........ but no, you really wouldn't want to hear about it.

Some of us might have - just didn't know what it was.
--
Peter.
You don't understand Newton's Third Law of Motion?
It's not rocket science, you know.

Paul said:

HI everyone,

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

I had this from a bladder and in the end abandoned it. Bladders and
'Hydration systems' are just a fashion accessory anyway. Bladders always
leak sometime in their lives. I went back to a SIG bottle (try filling a
bladder from a burn - it's a pain!)

Jim Ford

"Paul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

HI everyone,

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece

is

Quoted message said:

a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved

in

Quoted message said:

it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but

with

Quoted message said:

clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable

when

Quoted message said:

the bladder is empty.

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Ta lots.

Thanks for the couple of useful replies. Will certainly try those that
have been given.

As for the talk of Dead sheep, unrine etc wasnt quite expecting that
reply.... however as a newbie its something to consider when (if) i ever
get in a position that forces me to take water from streams , burns etc
but......... surely ALL walkers should be prepared for being stuck without
clean water and, when there is a likelyhood of it happening carry purifying
tablets ( no weight and NOT expensive) or maybe some other means to clean
the water, maybe through boiling.

I'm sure the guys and gals from mountain/fell rescue would sooner be called
out to someone who is well prepared for such situations rather than someone
who has been daft enough to become dehydrated through violent vomiting
because of a violent stomach bug brought on from drinking contaminated
water.

So far I have never been out walking by myself in difficult terrain. In
fact I have no intention to do so until I am confident I have enough
knowledge to do the right things sufficiently well to allow me to survive in
that extremely rare event that I get into trouble whilst out on my own.

Soap box away lol

On Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:36:50 GMT, "Paul" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water.
with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

I give mine a soak in a solution of Milton for an hour or so.

Peter.

Paul said:

HI everyone,

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Ta lots.

I use bruclens which is meant for homebrew but seems to work a treat on
these as well.

Paul said:

clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Camelbak used to recommend using a sugar water solution to get rid of
that plasticy taste of a new bladder. I've tried this, and it does seem
to work. Their new website offers cleaning tips involving a mild soap
solution and a (no doubt, proprietary) cleaning tablet.

--
Dave McLaughlin
[censored] Sapiens Non Urinat In Ventum

http://dave-mclaughlin.fotopic.net/

Paul said:

"Paul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

HI everyone,

Quoted message said:

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece

is

Quoted message said:

a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved

in

Quoted message said:

it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but

with

Quoted message said:

clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable

when

Quoted message said:

the bladder is empty.

Quoted message said:

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Quoted message said:

Ta lots.

Thanks for the couple of useful replies. Will certainly try those that
have been given.

As for the talk of Dead sheep, unrine etc wasnt quite expecting that
reply.... however as a newbie its something to consider when (if) i ever
get in a position that forces me to take water from streams , burns etc
but......... surely ALL walkers should be prepared for being stuck without
clean water and, when there is a likelyhood of it happening carry purifying
tablets ( no weight and NOT expensive) or maybe some other means to clean
the water, maybe through boiling.

I'm sure the guys and gals from mountain/fell rescue would sooner be called
out to someone who is well prepared for such situations rather than someone
who has been daft enough to become dehydrated through violent vomiting
because of a violent stomach bug brought on from drinking contaminated
water.

So far I have never been out walking by myself in difficult terrain. In
fact I have no intention to do so until I am confident I have enough
knowledge to do the right things sufficiently well to allow me to survive in
that extremely rare event that I get into trouble whilst out on my own.

Soap box away lol

I started on the hills when I was 12, I am now 65 and have been going
away regularly, and drinking from burns regularly all that time, and
never once have I had anything that could be classified as an upset
stomach from hill water. As long as the water is getting oxygen into
it by flowing over boulders and the likes, my understanding is that it
is pure ! A party of 20 I was in drank from a fast flowing burn and
found 100ft further up the hill, the burn going in one end of a sheep
and out the other - nobody suffered one bit.

Having seen my wife's day spoilt recently by just what I think Jim
Ford says - the hose coming off her bladdder inside the sack, and
soaking her and the sack contents, I am even more convinced that I
cannot be bothered with such 'new-fangled' devices.

Rob 'old fowgy' Graham

In message <[email hidden]>

Peter Clinch said:

PeterC wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Generic name for such sources: Eweswater.

Quoted message said:

It's the same stuff they bottle up and then sell to you (that doesn't
teleport past the ground into the bottling source!). People seem to get
/very/ hung up about a thin population of sheep. I suspect that there's
far more other biomass in direct contact with most stream water than
anything to do with sheep.

Depends where you are. High up in Scotland it'll be a thin population
of sheep, but in, say, the Lake District there are a lot of them
around - the ground appears to be one big sheep's toilet.

--
Simon Challands

Paul said:

HI everyone,

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece is
a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved in
it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but with
clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable when
the bladder is empty.

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Ta lots.

Fill it about half full with a mild solution of Milton, press all the
air out of it, and leave it for half an hour. Rinse well afterwards.

You really should only ever put clean water in these things! If you are
going to keep the water in there for a day or two, boil it and chill it
first.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Paul said:

"Paul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

HI everyone,

Fairly new to walking/ hiking etc but I already am taking great enjoyment
from it and slowly building up my Arsenal of "equipment". One such piece

is

Quoted message said:

a 2 litre drinks bladder. the problem is that although it has been rinsed
with clean water and with luke warm water which has had Bicarb dissolved

in

Quoted message said:

it there is still a "smell" and a taste to the water. never noticed it
when there was a little flavouring in the water i.e lemon barley but

with

Quoted message said:

clean water there is definitely a "taste" and the "smell" is noticeable

when

Quoted message said:

the bladder is empty.

Any advice for this keen newbie is Very welcome.

Ta lots.

Thanks for the couple of useful replies. Will certainly try those that
have been given.

As for the talk of Dead sheep, unrine etc wasnt quite expecting that
reply.... however as a newbie its something to consider when (if) i ever
get in a position that forces me to take water from streams , burns etc
but......... surely ALL walkers should be prepared for being stuck without
clean water and, when there is a likelyhood of it happening carry purifying
tablets ( no weight and NOT expensive) or maybe some other means to clean
the water, maybe through boiling.

90% scare-mongering, the rest not often applicable in the UK. Most
sensible farmers will tell you that almost all sheep deaths are quite
away away from running water. Clear running water that looks and smells
fresh is no problem. After all, thousands of homes in the UK get their
water from such sources without further treatment every day, and we also
sell millions of gallons of it as bottled water!

Warning notice in one holiday house I went to on Skye said that if we
noticed anything wriggling in the water, strain it out and stop running
baths and using the washing machine for 24 hours as the water was
getting a wee bitty low behind the dam!

Quoted message said:

I'm sure the guys and gals from mountain/fell rescue would sooner be called
out to someone who is well prepared for such situations rather than someone
who has been daft enough to become dehydrated through violent vomiting
because of a violent stomach bug brought on from drinking contaminated
water.

Some bug in RUNNING water high on the hills will be neither that violent
nor that sudden. Such bugs prefer stagnant or still water, and need
time to develop. I'd be mighty chairy of drinking from some well used
by animals in Africa, or the mid and lower reaches of the Thames, but
not of a highland spring or stream high enough up the hills to step over.

Quoted message said:

So far I have never been out walking by myself in difficult terrain. In
fact I have no intention to do so until I am confident I have enough
knowledge to do the right things sufficiently well to allow me to survive in
that extremely rare event that I get into trouble whilst out on my own.

Sensible chap.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!