Description
Leave the barrel at home.
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Share your thoughts
What do you think of the
Platypus Platy Water Tank
? Share a...
Excellent water source
Courtney Dean
Member since
- Gender: Male
- Familiarity: I've used it several times
I've been hiking with a through hiker for a couple of years now who carries a couple of these on every hike. His are labeled for clean and unsanitized water (cooking, washing, etc.). I've been watching him utilize these effectively to manage his camp duties and efficiently fill drinking and cooking vessels. His behavior is illustrative of someone who's got his system dialed in (after half a year on trail, I guess one would).
I decided to take his lead and picked up an MSR Dromlite bag. Not the best choice. The dromlite is nice and light, has a few options for disseminating the water, but they fall short in a number of ways:
* carrying - the platypus has two carry handles, reinforced by plastic for easy transportation
* freestanding - The platy will stand while the zip top is open and water doesn't spill out. The dromlite can't stand and if you open it up, water will gush out.
* big opening for scooping - scoop a bowl or nalgene full of water right out of the vessel if you like
* pouring - they both have a small opening, pouring feature, but the playpus handle and shape makes it pour just like a pitcher.
* durability - this is TBD. Will the Platypus crystalize? Will the Dromlite last longer? remains to be seen.
I picked up the platy and couldn't be happier. I have an loder platy 1L bottle with a squirt top that can be added to this for even more versatility.
I'll probably keep the MSR for now, but if I need to buy another high volume vessel I am going for another water tank.
Courtney Dean
Member since
Rex, will check when i get home. First guess is 16" L, 8" high and up to about 6" wide. But will confirm.
Courtney Dean
Member since
9" high, 18" long, 5" wide when filled. @ 6L bladder
Great water reservoir, no issues with the zip-lock top
Thomas Blum
Member since
I bought two 6-liter tanks for a backpacking trip on the Channel Islands three years ago now. A hell to carry but really worth it, not much water there.
Anyway, I've used them a lot since then just for car camping mostly, and have never had an issue. The zip-lock style top closes easily for me, and as the recommend I flip it upside down to make sure it's properly closed, and I usually don't see a drop.
Finally, as some users have mentioned, it is compatible with the rest of the platypus line which means you can screw a platypus hose on it, or probably their filter although I haven't tried.
Works well, but doesn't seal easily (if ever)
Banning Lyon
Member since
This little tank is pretty useful, and has been fairly durable. I've had some Platypus products leak after some use, but this thing is going strong, probably because it never spends time full in a pack getting beaten up.
It does its job well, but sealing the top is an exercise in frustration. I'm not sure I've ever gotten the top of it to seal. The little zip lock top has become the butt of jokes for us, and is essentially just aesthetic.
Great for Car Camping and Backpacking
Matthew Niedermiller
Member since
I think that one of the best uses for this product is to fill it up and freeze it. That way you have got a block of ice that you can put in your cooler. As the water melts you can pour it into a bottle and drink ice cold water. It is also great for backpacking once you get to camp. It is pusher light weight and pack down really small.
Seals a bit tricky
Matt
Member since
I love this water carrier, but it is a bit tricky to seal, and you have to make sure it is sealed, otherwise, things can get wet. I used this on a kayak-camping trip in the ADKs, and it served us well. Ample capacity in the 6L for two people, for drinking, cooking and cleaning. Compacts down easily when empty.
Excellent
law2674974
Member since
Been using the previous style of this--stood up tall "portrait" orientation--for 5 years of backpacking, and it has been overall well worth the money, more durable than it looks, easy to use and clean. Just this weekend a pinhole developed in the bottom corner of my 5-yr-old bag, so will replace it with this new style if I cannot repair the leak myself. Turning the old version on its side ("landscape" orientation) should cure the old problem of being top heavy and occasionally spontaneously falling over unless on absolutely level surface or less than full. The old-style too-stiff zip-closure top never worked more than a few times but turns out I really didn't need it, anyway--just folded over top to keep out leaves and bugs (maybe this new version zip closure is improved?). I attached a leash to the cap to prevent losing it.
Best ever fpr camping!!
happy camper
Member since
You can freeze these and then use for drinking water as it thaws. Will last in cooler up to 36 hours. We use 3 of the 2L and sure beats melting ice all over your food!!!
Can you use this with a quick disconnect...
mat3871339
Member since
Can you use this with a quick disconnect hose or has anyone tried to attach a quick disconnect hose? My thought would be to filter water straight into the tank, Thank You.
Ryan Roeber
Member since
Platypus actually makes a gravity water filter kit with the water tanks. I'm not sure whether the quick connect would work in the way you are mentioning though in this case.
My findings
WallDiver7
Member since
I bought the 4 liter version, then read the concerns from reviewers. Concerning the integrity of the zip-lock. I filled it with 4.5 liters of water (so full that all you see is a couple of tiny air bubbles) with 105+ degree water. (I wanted to test for warmer conditions so that the ziplock was as pliable as it would ever be.) I bounced it on the kitchen counter, the floor, and I put weights on this bladder to simulate a similar load it could be subjected to at the bottom of my pack. Not one drop leaked from this bladder.
However upon examination, I am still a skeptic of the ziplock. I plan only to open the ziplock when it is absolutely necessary.
My intended use is very long, dry leg, of a Grand Canyon trip.
Empty, the 4L version weighs 3.6oz. Very full (at 4.5 liters) it weights 10lbs-4oz. I can't comment yet on it's durability, but my 3L Platypus Hoser shows no pending problems after many many miles.
Unexpectadely Great
Brian Reyman
Member since
I purchased this needing a water reservoir for around camp when backpacking. It does that just as expected. Highly recommended for that.
I just finished a short backpacking trip where no water existed at camp - hence we had to haul it all in. We ended up strapping it onto a pack. I was worried it would potentially break and start leaking. Just the opposite, though! It held up very well - no holes or cracks to speak of. Great product!
So far so good
jane
Member since
It does it's job. The top tends to want to stay unsealed though if filled to 3L or more with the 4L bag. And I'm starting to question the durability of this one since their hydration bladder is not up to par. See my review of their bladders. I do like that it's collapsible though. Takes up very little space when empty.
Zipper Closure
Anj
Member since
Although very easy to carry water since the handles are strong & comfy, the zipper is not easy to close. It does take a bit of fighting with it so you waste time & some of the water you just collected.
trickly
ross baker
Member since
the zip lock top is tricky to get a good seal and can leak even when you think it is securely closed.packs well and fills easily. I'll probably try another make/model when the time comes.
Satisfied
Adam Doyle
Member since
Carried the 6L tank in the Grand Canyon for 5 days. Carried between 1 an 4 liters at any given time. The size and design were what I wanted but was leery of the zip-lock type top opening. I had no spills or issues with it in the bottom of my pack under my sleeping bag. Kept it bottom down with water in it, wouldn't trust it on end without some more experimentation. It seems durable, for the price I'm happy. My buddy carried the 1 and 2 liter Platypus bags and we both liked them too.
It's about time!
Pug
Member since
Why did it take mankind this long to figure out that a bigger opening will make it much easier to get the water in the container!!! If you've ever tried to fill a traditional bulk water container at a hand pump you know how great this item truely is!!!!!!!!!
Great bulk storage.
johndebc
Member since
I have a 2 year old 2L bag that is "sideways" to this bag - stands up on the short side. And now I have the 4L bag pictured here. Both work great, but you've got to make sure the zip-lock is tight. I fill it with filtered water by using a Nalgene or Camelbak bottle on my pump and dumping 1.75 to 2L at a time into the bag. It's a little bit of a pain, but works. The handles are OK, but you wouldn't want to have to carry a full tank very far. I have put these in my pack, but the 4L was on a water run that only had water bottles in the pack at the time - no clothes. But neither bag has leaked on me when sealed properly - DOUBLE CHECK!
Good for some things
Hannah Rachootin
Member since
Used the six liter tank every day for a month getting water for camp on the AT. Due to the lip-lock top, I would never put this into my pack. Originally purchased the tank due to worries about far water sources. By filling this at camp once in the evening, my boyfriend and I were able to re-hydrate, make dinner, brush teeth, and take 2-3 liters out of camp in the morning.
Filtering water out of this tank was much easier than filtering out of the 10L sink we carried before, and there was no plasticy sink taste.
Filling the tank was sometimes a challenge at springs. If the spring was not piped out (or the pipe was low) we would have to try to let the tank fill through the spout, moving rocks to make the stream deep enough to fill the big tank. Often I would simply resort to scooping the last couple liters of water into the tank by hand, since we filtered it anyway.
Walking back to camp (up to .3 miles and up to 350 vertical feet) was often enough to make the bag pop open, but VERY careful and thorough sealing made this happen much less frequently. All in all, I was happy to have this, it just needs to be used within its natural limits.
Water
Ty Nelson
Member since
Great for base camp. Especially if it is a hike to the water source. I have a 6L so that I can have enough water to cook dinner, breakfast, heat water for tea, have drinking water, brush my teeth, and fill my camelbak reservoir for the next day's hike. It only weighs a couple ounces and folds up, so it is very convenient to have.
Write your question here...If carrying...
Brad David Orndorff
Member since
Write your question here...If carrying less than 2liters of liquid can the platy watertank be used as a hydration bladder? I have an old 4liter big zip that i used that way for years but it is beginning to crystalize.
Bryan Vernetson
Member since
You could use any size as long as it fits in your pack and you have the connection tube with a mouthpiece.

rex harris
Member since