I’ve been using this 2L CamelBak water bladder for over a year now, and the taste has gone from weird to downright nasty. I tried rinsing it with baking soda, which seemed to help at first, but now it’s back to tasting like plastic again. I once used a basic plastic water bottle that did the same thing. Is this just something I have to live with? Thinking of trying to soak it in vinegar and stashing it in the freezer until my next hike. Any tips?
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My Osprey bladder had that funky taste too. I used a bit of mouthwash mixed with water, worked out great. After that, I left it out to dry completely before storing it. But yeah, seems like some of these bladders just have a mind of their own.
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Yup, same story with my Platypus bladder. I did the vinegar soak too and tossed it in the freezer. It helped for a while, but the taste crept back. I eventually switched to a stainless steel water bottle—problem solved, but I do miss the convenience of the bladder.
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Oh man, I had this exact issue with my old Gregory 3L. The freezer trick helped but also only for a short time. I ended up getting a bladder with a removable hose, which made cleaning easier, and the taste improved a bit.
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I use reusable plastic bottles and they’re way easier to clean and don’t get that gross taste. But if you’re set on using the bladder, you can try using denture cleaning tablets. Sounds weird, but some folks swear by it.
That’s what you get when you buy cheap bladders online when you can get a quality hydration pack from HydraPak.
I’ve tried lemon juice, vinegar, baking soda—you name it. No success. I think these bladders just eventually start to degrade no matter what.
Another solution is storing it in the freezer with a bit of lemon juice left inside. It definitely slows down the bad taste from coming back.
