OK, after hemming and hawwing for too long, I finally started to procure some soft sided water carriers, starting with a Platypus bottle. I was carrying it as an alternative to a Nalgene for a few days, and I've got one question:

How you dry the thing for storage?

I've had it sitting in the dish drying rack thingy for two days, and it still has visable drops in it.

I always store water containers full. If they need to be cleaned, I flush with Hydrogen Peroxide. For long term storage of "bags", I put a tablespoon of H202 and fill it up. For short term, a month or two, I add nothing. Prior to the trip, dump and refill.

This eliminates the "taste" of the container.

I wash and rinse it with hot water and let if dry out. It will take a long time, but it will dry. Other bladders, which don't hold an airspace, can be kept open with something (i stick something clean, round and lightweight in them) to let the inside airdry.

Clean, round, lightweight.... Like a twisted coat hanger.

I should have thought of that. :P This Platypus is going into the same pouch I store my PSK in- I figure that it will be a better choice than anything else if I ever need a water carrier.

well. i actually stopped using a wire hanger, because it is slighly abrasive to my old camelbak on some pressure points.

Just sticking your hydration tube in a S shape works too.

You could also store it damp -- if you keep it in the freezer.

Hmm... this is the PSK that lives in my car most of the time. I used to have an empty, half sized nalgene, but since the pouch rides across the width of my back, I decided that something that will squish under my kidney was a better idea.

Dont worry about drying it. Mine goes into storage for the winter, and comes out in the spring. I normally wash it, let it sit in the astrainer for a few days, then put it away. HAvent been sick from it yet.

I had bought a cleaning kit on sale that has a long skinny brush for the tube, a bigger brush for the inside of the container, soap, and a bent wire hanger device that hangs it upside down. I usually open the fill cap and hang the bladder with the hose hanging down with the hand valve open and the bite valve removed. A paper towl inside in the bottom one inch (formally top) collects the pooled water that will not drain. After a week of hanging it is usually dry. I take out the paper towel and seal it back up.

Lots of great suggestions!

I used the freezer method exclusively, when I was living with one other guy. Our freezer was full of hydration bladders. We’d come home from a trip, pour out the water and toss them in the freezer. One thing I didn't like about this method is the bit of water you didn’t bother to pour out can taste a little "freezer burned". The obvious solution to this is a quick rinse with hot water before you fill it. The nice thing about this is it requires no fussing around trying to keep things clean and dry. I have yet to have a problem with constant freezing/thawing causing the material to get brittle.

Now that I’m married and have a kid, I have to use my freezer for food so I don't really have room to deal with the freezer method. I tend to forget to empty them after trips too. I have had them sit long enough to get a little gross. The interior of the bag gets a little slimy to the touch. But nothing a water/bleach solution and a good couple rinses doesn’t take care of (don't forget to let it flow through the hose and bite valve). It’s a pain, but it’s what I get for being lazy up front!

For any long term storage, I try to get them as dry as possible. I hang mine open side down with something to keep the main bag as open as possible. Most of the major manufacturers sell, as already mentioned, a fancy product to make this part super easy. I have an old Camelbak version that works great. I also use the coat hanger method with great success. Right now, I have one hanging one a hook in my garage with a scrap piece of wood to keep the bag propped open.

The paper towel trick works great to get the bigger pools of water you can’t seem to get out in some bladders. Something I’ve found that works great (not my idea) is to get as much water out as possible. Crumple up a paper towel and shove it in the bladder. Close it back up and blow air into it via the bite valve. Once blown up, shake it around and the towel will collect most of the water.

I never seem to be able to get all the tiny droplets out of the tube. I haven’t had any trouble there though.

Good luck!

m