Mountain Safety Research 2-litre Hydromedary Reservoir
See also: MSR MiniWorks EX water filter
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 From left, the MSR Hydromedary 2-litre bladder, the Camelbak Cordura-lined 2-litre bladder, and the Camelbak 3-litre Omega bladder in an UnBottle nylon sheath |
Introduction
The bladder-style hydration system, so ubiquitous today, is the brainchild of mountain biking paramedic Michael Edison, who later founded Camelbak. Edison stitched medical tubing to an IV bag, wrapped it in a sock, and sewed the sock to his jersey, after he found that his bike-handling skills were not up to riding and drinking from a bottle at the same time. These days, use of bladder drinking-systems have percolated through to other outdoor activities. Even the military uses them now. For hikers and other people who carry sharp objects in their backpacks or require a certain degree of abrasion- and puncture-resistance from their water bags, the standard polyurethane bladder will not do. Now, bladders are available lined with Cordura or nylon (like the MSR Hydromedary) to provide resistance to the constant rubbing of jangling tools.Doc, I’ve got a bladder problem
Over the years, I’ve owned at least 8 Camelbak water bladders, from the original model with the press-fit refill cap, to the Cordura-lined reservoirs and the latest Omega with the super-wide mouth. Of these, 4 of them leaked at the refill cap (one leaked right out of the box), one developed a terminal fungal problem (due to owner-abuse) leaving just 3 good ones. Even so, the cap on the 3-litre Omega bladder must be cranked to a point just short of tendon failure to prevent water dribbling out. Such was my frustration that, when I saw the MSR 2-litre Hydromedary reservoir being sold at the Nomad Adventure Pro Shop, I immediately shelled out the asking price.Despite my storied experience, Camelbak must still be the benchmark against which hydration systems are to be judged. Lesser companies might have been tempted to sit back and bask in the satisfied glow of having innovated so ingenious a product, but not Camelbak, who have constantly improved their designs and introduced further innovations to their packs and bladders. Can Mountain Safety Research, an established mountaineering equipment manufacturer, beat the Californian company at its own game?
Construction
The 2-litre MSR Hydromedary water bladder has a nylon exterior designed to be abrasion- and puncture-resistant, similar to the Cordura-lined Camelbak reservoirs. At the top of the bladder, a loop of 1cm-wide nylon webbing runs through 2 riveted brass holes, allowing you hang the bladder upright. Unlike the Camelbak design, however, the mouth of the reservoir is located at its bottom. The opening is 2 inches wide, whereas the Camelbak Cordura-lined and Omega bladders have mouths of 1.75 and 3.25 inches respectively.One of the principal features of the MSR bladder is that MSR water filters (such as the MiniWorks EX) can be threaded directly onto the mouth of the reservoir. Neat. The bladder is constructed from 200-denier nylon that is lined with polyurethane. The weave of the nylon is slightly finer than the Cordura used by Camelbak, and the bladder itself is lighter than the equivalent Camelbak design.
The PVC delivery hose is 40 inches long. At one end is pressed in a 90-degree elbow which is attached to a threaded plastic nut that screws onto the top of the refill cap. There is an o-ring at end of the elbow to aid waterproofing. The elbow is also able to swivel on the refill cap, allowing you to direct the hose in any direction without kinking the hose.
The bite valve is a complicated affair compared to the Camelbak offerings. Two cantilevered plastic pieces, connected together with a small metal ring, are inserted into the rubbery mouthpiece. The mouthpiece slips over the end of the delivery hose (which has been shimmed down slightly). A short sleeve of similar rubbery material is then slipped over the part where the mouthpiece connects to the hose for a secure seal. Biting on the middle section of the mouthpiece forces the cantilevered plastic pieces apart, which in turn forces open the slit at the end of the mouthpiece, allowing you to suck water out.
Using the Hydromedary
Screwing the MSR refill cap feels secure and positive: it gradually tightens until snug, unlike that of the Camelbak, which screws in and stops suddenly as its threads run out. The MSR refill cap does not have an o-ring. I’ve not used the MSR bladder long enough to say how durable the sealing of the cap is, although I can say that it did not leak on its first use!The design of the delivery hose is more involved than that of Camelbak. “More things to go wrong,” say sceptics like me. A potential problem arose when I swivelled the hose after I had tightened the nut connecting the elbow to the refill cap: I found that the nut can loosen. This not a major problem if you use the bladder in a backpack, since the hose will not move much where it’s attached to the bladder.
The valve itself can be disassembled in the following manner: fold back the sleeve and pull out the mouthpiece. Carefully push out the blue plastic inserts from the front of the mouthpiece. You can then clean everything out.
Clearly, much attention was paid to the design of the bite valve, touted by MSR to be leak-proof. This certainly proved to be case, as I contrived to no avail to induce a leak by placing the valve in various positions under a fully-laden backpack. The valve didn’t leak even under the weight of a 7kg pack (which is much heavier than what a typical mountain biker would carry, even on an epic ride). Camelbak users, on the other hand, will be familiar with the dangers of a carelessly laid backpack, which has led to many wet car seats for me, or worse still, can lead to a half-drained bladder in the middle of a ride or hike. Some Camelbak designs now come with a lock valve, which can be purchased separately for RM25 (not cheap for a piece of plastic). This doesn’t necessarily eliminate the risk of accidental leaks, if you are absent-minded like me and forget to set the valve to the “lock” position.
The single but significant drawback of the MSR design is the amount of force required to open and keep open the bite valve (aptly called the “Bullet Bite Valve”). Using my incisors, or front teeth, to open the valve, I found that it was almost painful to get a mouthful of water from the MSR. Placing the valve at the side of the mouth and using my canines and pre-molars proved a little better, but did not match the free-flow of fluids obtainable with a Camelbak “Big Bite” valve.
The inner diameter of the delivery hose appears to be 7.5mm, unfortunately slightly larger than the hose of a Camelbak (which I measured to be 7.0mm). Although I was able to slip a Camelbak valve stem into the MSR hose, the fit was just not snug enough to allay fears of the valve pulling out if I accidentally snagged it on passing branches.
Conclusion
The MSR Hydromedary is a well-constructed bladder. The design of the bite valve, while living up to claims that it’s leak-proof, unfortunately also makes it difficult to draw fluids. In all other respects, however, I found the MSR superior or at least comparable to all the various Camelbak designs that I’ve owned, although the durability of the seals on the refill cap and delivery hose will have to withstand the test of time and abuse. Look out for an update in a few months’ time.Other reservoirs
At RM140, the Hydromedary is slightly more expensive than the standard Camelbak reservoir (about RM100), but should be about the same price as if not slightly cheaper than the UnBottle model that features the Omega bladder inserted into a protective nylon jacket. The Cordura-lined Camelbak reservoir, which is less bulky than the UnBottle, has unfortunately been discontinued.Where to buy?
MSR equipment are sold at the Nomad Adventure Pro-shop (Tel: 03-8024 5152), located at the Summit Climbing Gym on the 4th floor of the Summit in Subang Jaya. They’re also available from selected agents, of which Bike-Pro Centre is one.Camelbak bladders are available from all good bike shops in KL, and from Tearproof outlets.
