Le professeur de trail
I know I should know this by now but...
How do you all clean the tubes on your bladders/hydration packs so that they stay clean and do not grow mold/mildew?
I had to throw out an older bladder this weekend as the family was prepping for a hike and I realized the tube was completely covered inside with black mold.
What's the secret?
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
I am not sure if you are supposed to do this, but I normally try to make sure it is completely dry before I put it away. And every so often, I will run a bleach and water solution through it. I don't even use those things anymore because I just don't like the hassle, and I never can tell when I am about out of water. I use handhelds only now. But when I did use them, that is what I did.
LB2
running under the BigSky
I use the Osprey ones where the tube has a quick disconnect- I pull the tube off and blow any remaining water out (empty the bladder as well) each time I use it. Every once in awhile I put a bleach solution through the tube and bladder and let it sit for several hours (I'll shake up the solution in the bladder).
Rinse a couple of times with fresh water.
2023 goal 2023 miles √
2022 goal- 2022 miles √
2021 goal- 2021 miles √
I use the same cleaning method.
I also mostly use handhelds, but for those longer stretches between water stops I'll wear the hydropack. I've started carrying a small half-filled soft bottle in the pack alongside the bladder (it stays in there and I hardly notice it). But if the bladder runs dry I have that little reserve to nurse me along and get me to the next aid station if needed.
2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL
Sandy- good idea on the reserve water- I have some smaller soft water containers that would work. In the mountains I don't worry so much as I'll carry something to treat water and typically lots of water sources. But I have drained a bladder a time or two and it's not a good feeling.
Tim
For the tube itself, I blow some dental floss through it (take tube off from pack and take off the valve) and tie the end to a piece of paper towel and pull it through using the floss. It removes all the bad stuff. I have to do this because the tube cleaner I have is too short and misses the middle part.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
Camelbak sells a long brush that works pretty good. I never though about using bleach for some reason. My tubes stay fairly decent. The bite valves on the other hand.............................lets just say that I'd rather not use a black light on them . Maybe I'll bleach one to see how that turns out. What mixture do you all use?
I use a couple of capfuls into a 1.5 liter bladder- not overly strong, but I wouldn't want to drink it