# Anybody else throw their hydration bladder in the freezer when not in use to keep it



## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

I only put water in my hydration bladder. When I get home instead of trying to dry it out I just throw it in the freezer. It keeps things from growing and is easy.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

Mine has stayed anywhere from the car to the living room floor. 
Bought my pack last year and have yet to have a single spot of mold grow in it. 

I know some people that do this though. 
I have the cheap walmart version and a whole new bladder and hose is only $10 for it.


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## locobaylor (Jun 19, 2008)

I put mine in the refrigerator; this way I don't have to wait for it to thaw out, and it still keeps the gross things from growing in it.


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## kjlued (Jun 23, 2011)

I wonder why I never have anything gross growing in mine?
I know my cheap walmart bladder isn't magical. 
I wonder if it is because I have a filter on both my ice maker and kitchen sink. 

Or maybe I am just lucky.


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

I don't put water in it before I throw it in the freezer. I just store it in the freezer if I'm not going to use it for a few days. It keeps it fresh.


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## tangaroo (Jul 17, 2012)

I used to do this, but I saw many, many bladders begin to spring leaks around the seams (Maybe the hot/cold cycles deteriorate the epoxies that are used to seal the bladders?) Since I have stopped I haven't had any bladders fail on me. I also have switched to osprey bladders, so too many variables to really prove anything.


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## 2ridealot (Jun 15, 2004)

I have stored them in the freezer for about 10 years mostly because I use cytomax in the water and the freezer keeps the gross away. Never had any deterioration issues with the bladders.


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## bad andy (Feb 21, 2006)

I usually keep my bag in my car. I ride after work during spring/summer/fall. After the ride, the pack stays in my car so I know it's there for the next day's ride. During the day my car heats up. Right before heading out for a ride I will dump the warm cesspool of bacteria/fungus/mold/and sea monkeys in my sink at work. Then I re-fill for that day's ride and do it all over again.

I have to think that as I'm not dead yet, I may actually be building up some kind of immunities


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## Metalhack (Aug 13, 2011)

Freezer...


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## vincavinz (May 12, 2012)

Metalhack said:


> Freezer...


 Me to ...mine's only a few months old, but I have no issues


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## jennyv (Nov 13, 2012)

We were sharing a tent with Osprey at last year's Outerbike in Moab, so I can only speak for Osprey's hydration packs. They said that it's perfectly fine to throw them in the freezer. In the old days (pre-hydration packs) we used to wrap our bottles in wet socks. The bottles stayed cool with the wind blowing on them (same effect as wind blowing on your sweaty skin)!


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## husonfirst (Feb 2, 2009)

I do the freezer thing as well after I let the pack dry out a bit. Works great.


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## mevadus (Oct 22, 2009)

Ahhh this is a good idea, thanks! Generally I rinse my bladder out, wipe out the excess water with a clean towel, and then inflate it with air. I think I might try the freezer thing from here on out. Do you inflate it, or just put it in the freezer flat?


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

*Anybody else throw their hydration bladder in the freezer when not in use to ke*



kjlued said:


> I wonder if it is because I have a filter on both my ice maker and kitchen sink.


Probably not. Do you change them regularly? If they're not maintained, filters can host quite a culture.

Almost every time people discuss these issues, there's very little discussion of the water source. People tend to expect potable water out of the tap, and that's it. But if you're on municipal water, it's disinfected and if you're on a private well it almost certainly isn't. And how much chlorine is in your two water varies by where you live on the distribution system. Water systems have to maintain a minimum chlorine residual to the farthest ends of their distribution.

Me, between disinfected water and the antibacterial properties of Camelbak bladders, I've never had a problem with water sitting in one for months. It doesn't taste all that great, but that's a separate issue.

Osprey's packs and bladders are great. I love my Osprey backpack, and the Zealot will definitely be my next bike pack. That bladder was the best swag I got at Outerbike. Jennyv, I must have talked to you there.

I do have a Hydrapak currently in my freezer, because it seems to get grungy more than the Camelbak bladders. I'll probably just throw it away, though. I replaced it with that Osprey bladder, and the Hydrapak bite valve leaks constantly, even after replacing it. Grr.


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## Tjay (Oct 17, 2006)

I put energy drinks on my bladder and use to just throw it in the freezer after each ride with or w/out anything in it but molds would still grow. It was hard to clean it so I had to replace mine almost every 6 months until I started rinsing my bladder with hot water right after my ride for about 5 mins and then throw it in the fridge until my next ride. I have been doing this for almost a year now and not a single spot of mold in the bladder.

I have camelbak bladder.


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