Inov-8 hydration bladder - how to get all water out and store it?

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Apr 2013
9:27am, 7 Apr 2013
6,765 posts
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SpicedApple
Thanks you, GeeeM! I had heard of that before, so have done it already - amazing how much space it saves, too. :-)
Apr 2013
9:30am, 7 Apr 2013
358 posts
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faithfulred
I use the freezer too. After a run I just empty it out, blow out any excess water and then stick it in the freezer. Had mine for over five years now and no problems so far.
Apr 2013
9:44am, 7 Apr 2013
6,766 posts
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SpicedApple
Is that the Inov-8 bladder you "just empty [..] out", faithfulred? I.e., do you just empty out what water comes out easily and don't worry about the rest?
Apr 2013
11:04pm, 7 Apr 2013
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faithfulred
It's not that particular brand, but I'm not too fussed if there's a small amount of water left inside - I just stick it in the freezer. Very often when filling the bladder there's a bit of ice floating around, which came from the previous run.
Apr 2013
2:59pm, 8 Apr 2013
6,770 posts
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SpicedApple
As long as the residual water doesn't damage the bladder, that's fine - thanks. :-)

I've sterilised mine and put it into the freezer. And seen lots of yummy food I'd like to eat now. ;-)
Apr 2013
3:35pm, 8 Apr 2013
2,215 posts
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Northern Exile
I've used one of these Inov8 bladders for a couple of years ... not so much nowadays (shifted to an Osprey bladder/Salomon pack combo), but I know exactly what you are talking about.

Put simply, they are a bugger to keep clean and the best way is to rinse it out (making sure to suck a bit of clean water through the drinking tube) then bung it in the freezer, otherwise black furry crap will inevitably follow at some point. I have got one of those "bladder hangers" (five quid from Sports Direct :-)) and you CAN use it hang the bladder up in a warm place and most of the water residue inside seems to evaporate, but it never quite goes.

They're a clever design and I like having all the liquid weight around my hips, but as you've found they're hard to keep clean. Hard to refill when you've got a rucksack full of kit too.

Top tip: If you ever puncture it, one of those clear PVC bike frame anti-rub patches repairs it perfectly :-)
Apr 2013
6:15pm, 13 Apr 2013
6,777 posts
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SpicedApple
Thanks, Northern Exile! Also for the bike repair kit tip. :-)

Like you, I like having the heaviest part of the rucksack (the bladder) sitting on my hips. To deal with the problem of refilling it while out on the run, they have now changed the design. The new-style bladder has its opening at the side and goes with new-style rucksacks which have an extra zip there - this should make them much easier to refill. However, I have the old-style bladder and rucksack (due to an inaccuracy on the website I ordered them from, which did annoy me a bit because I specifically wanted to avoid the problem of having to empty out the rucksack when refilling the bladder by ordering the new-style bladder).
Apr 2013
6:15pm, 13 Apr 2013
6,778 posts
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SpicedApple
I've used my bladder for the first time after having sterilised and put it into the freezer yesterday, and was less than impressed. Even though I had rinsed the bladder both after sterilising it (before putting it into the freezer) and again after taking it out of the freezer, the water tasted absolutely disgusting of steriliser. I'm tempted to put it straight into the freezer without sterilising it first this time. (Good thing it said on the steriliser that baby could drink out of the bottle straight after using the steriliser, otherwise I might have wondered whether it was safe, given the taste and the headache I've had all day yesterday).
May 2020
3:14pm, 24 May 2020
First-time poster!!
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62point1
After trying drying then Milton's I've been on freeze-only for a few years and am happy with decision. Pipe hasn't shown any growth. I tend to rinse out before refilling so no old ice residue and clean mouthpiece before freezing.

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Maintained by SpicedApple
I have recently bought an Inov-8 backpack and horizontal bladder. Due to the bladder being divided i...

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