Osprey  3L HydraForm Reservoir - 100 fl. oz.

I have used this product on about 50 hikes/climbs i have taken it through slots, over moutains, and down cliffs. I have had many moments where i have had to ditch my day pack letting it drop fifty feet or throw it ten feet accross a sand stone gap. This product has never leaked, broke, or even come close to it. My hose is kinked and wont feed water at some times but, figuring all i put it through thats alright i just bought a new hose and boom good as new. It takes a little technique to fill it up properly but, once you got that down its a great blader. It fits great with other osprey products but, I mainly use it in my multi day rug sack.

I've used this on several week-long backpacking trips with my Osprey Aether 65 and many day hikes with my REI Flash 18 over the past 18 months, fits great in both. Pros: The 3L capacity means I don't have to refill all the time. The flat panel feels much better again my back than a round Camelback. No leaks Cons: The bite valve is tough to remove to refill the reservoir without removing it from my fully loaded pack. On my last trip the swivel on the the bite valve started leaking so I took it back to REI, but am ordering a new one because I still like it better than other options out there. Deducted 1 star because of the bite valve removal / leak issue.

I bought this because it was the cheaper alternative.. It worked great for the first few hikes. It is super easy to clean and the handle makes it equally as easy to fill. Also, the magnetic thing that holds the hose to your backpack really comes in handy! However, after about a month of every weekend use, the mouth piece started leaking. The entire right side of my shirt would be DRENCHED after about an hour. I take pretty long day hikes and didn't feel comfortable knowing of the 100 fl.oz of water I had, I could really only count on having about 80 fl.oz because the rest was leaking onto my shirt throughout the day!

Bought this to use in my Osprey Kestrel 32, and it's been perfect. No leaks, easy to use. I dry it out after each trip with a clean handkerchief, and then use a separate clean handkerchief to prop open the plastic for complete drying. Works great and takes hardly any time at all. The opening to fill the bladder is nice and large, and this allows you to get a good, tight closure on the lid without straining your hand. In other words, a large, wide lid is really easy to get good torque on. Has a nice handle for easy filling. So far I have used it about 8 times with different amounts of gear in the pack. The materials are good, and I expect it to last me a few years.

I live in Grand Canyon National Park, and hike almost everyday. My girlfriend purchased this from REI recently and I took it on a 4 day trip crossing the Tonto and going out on the Hermit's Trail. The plastic punctured from contact with an unknown item. I carried it the same way I have been carrying Platypus BigZips in the past. Never had a problem with the platypus. I suppose there is a possibility that this could be a case of getting one bad egg- but I don't think so. The unit is heavy from the rigid plastic frame, the from my view, inhibited it from re-shaping itself inside my pack naturally, and may have resulted in the break. I will return it, and stick to the Platypus.

I recently purchased a new REI Venturi 30 daypack and needed a high quality reservoir to go with it. I compared this product to the CamelBak OMEGA Reservoir. The Osprey 3L HydraForm Reservoir outshines the CamelBak in a few ways: (1) It included an on/off valve (2) It included a way for the bite valve to be secured to the daypack With the CamelBak an on/off valve is an additional purchase. One thing I did notice about the Osprey is that I couldn't not secure the reservoir to the clips that the REI Venturi pack had. This isn't a problem because the Osprey fit just fine in the pack. As far as taste goes, the water has some sort of "plastic" taste, but it is much better than an old High Sierra reservoir I used to use. The piping was rather long so I just cut it to fit perfectly for my size and pack. Overall I would recommend this. Not only does it have a few more features than the comparable CamelBak, but also currently costs $1 less.

I took the hydroform on a test run at a national park tent site and it leaked because the lid doesn't get a good seal. I think it would work fine if there was a gasket inside the lid. The dimensions of the gasket would need to be about 5 1/8" opening, 1/8" flange and 1/8" thick (or less). There are some nice features for this bladder. It has an integrated carrying handle and the mouthpiece is very sturdy. A removable plug lets you pour from the bladder into a pot or such which is very handy. I tried fiddling with the retaining ring to stop the leak but it didn't work. Osprey is sending me a replacement. The on/off valve is nice,too, but they'll have to stop that leak. I'll keep you posted.

Just came off the trail at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, using this reservoir all the way. 3-liter capacity is key for long hikes, since we had to "water up" wherever we could; some campsites were dry. The reinforced joint where the tube meets the reservoir was also great; my companions with Camelbacks had occasional kinking or crimping problems at that junction. Another plus is the firm handle that lets you hold it open while filling at a spicket, etc., so it doesn't flop around. After 10 days and 75 miles and lots of packing/unpacking of my backpack, I'm glad I bought this.

I have used it for a year. Here are some thoughts. Pros: -Does not leak. I am really happy about that after reading all the negative reviews. -Flat shape makes it easier to take it in and out of the backpack. -Rigidity also makes it a great choice for minimalistic backpack, something like Flash 18 (which I love by the way). -Magnet attachment is useful. The shut off valve, even more so. Cons -On the heavy side. One thing though, I have had a hard time fitting it into Osprey packs. I have a suspicion that osprey designs their packs they do so for the 2L reservoir.

Bought two of these for me and my son on our first overnight hike. We have Osprey backpacks and these fit perfectly into them. Having the hard structure incorporated into the bag made it very easy to put the reservoir down into the backpack pocket. And the handle makes filling it a breeze even when you're pumping water with one hand and holding the bag with the other. The little magnetic clip is a nice plus... it holds the drinking end conveniently close without requiring two hands to get the valve out of a loop or clasp. I bought the 3 liter because it was only $2 more than the 2 liter and it is certainly worth the little extra weight to feel confident that you have enough good clean drinking water. Great product.