I always thought that hydration reservoirs were all the same. They all fill water, have a hose and a little valve to suck the water through with the goal of keeping you hydrated while biking, hiking, skiing, whatever. This past weekend I got to test out our Source hydration reservoir while on an 8mi. hike near Snoqualmie. I learned that there are some small technical features that can set one hydration system apart from others.
The Source WXP LP 2 liter hydration pack fit perfectly in my REI flash 18 pack with plenty of room for snacks, neck warmer, gloves, extra socks and my down coat when I got hot. Here are a few features that stood out about the Source Hydration reservoir:
Cap on Mouth Piece
-At first this annoyed me because you have to twist the valve open and uncap it to take a drink. However, if you leave the valve twisted open and just put the cap on it is easy to take a sip of water. Also the cap protects the mouth piece from getting dirty which is a plus.
Three ways to fill the reservoir
-Traditional way through a twist open/close cap on the side of the reservoir
-Through an opening on top- this deserves a shiny gold star in my books because I always had trouble with water spilling out the side opening on other reservoirs.
– UTA Universal Tube Adapter (available as part of the Ultimate Hydration System Kit) allows you to refill the reservoir directly through the tube with have having remove it from your backpack.
The water tasted good
-This is by far the most important part of any hydration reservoir. Many hydration systems claim that theirs taste the best, but Source’s hydration reservoirs use a PE film that are BPA and Phthalate free guaranteeing a clean water taste!
*Random side note: Hydration systems can still be put to good use when not outside adventuring. I have to give credit to my friend, Mac Hansen, for what he dubbed as “The Hamster Initiative”. The hamster initiative is simply hanging you reservoir above your bed so that way you always have quick and easy access to water anytime day or night!