Australian Hiker

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Osprey Hydraulics LT 2.5L Reservoir Review

There are a number of bladder brands on the market but I like using the Osprey water bladders for several reasons including the magnetic clip that attaches the nozzle to the chest clip. This means the nozzle is always easy to find. This bladder also has a detachment point half way along the tube that is easy to unclip and means it is very easy to remove the bladder from the pack.

The current version of this bladder also has a new fill point at the top. This fill point replaces the large screw cap which was located on the front of the bladder and created problems. If you had smaller hands you would struggle to close the cap securely.

This bladder comes in a range of sizes ranging from 1.5 to 3 litres. I usually prefer to use the Osprey Hydraulics 3 litre Reservoir on longer hikes and where water availability is an issue but for day hikes I will often shift down to this 2.5 litre version as it’s almost half the weight.

With this downsizing and weight reduction the 2.5 litre version has less reinforcement so it is likely to be less durable although we haven’t experienced this to date. In addition the 2.5 litre version has been upgraded from the 3 litre version with a much more robust pack attachment point. A minor improvement but one that was needed on this bladder.

As far as downsides go, the magnetic drinking tube clip I love so much attracts grit when hiking in environments with soils high in iron content. A minor inconvenience but you will need to wipe down the magnetic clip every so often to remove the grit. To limit, this don’t drop the drinking tube into the dirt!

The next downside is that ideally you only want to use drinking bladders when you have a dedicated bladder pocket on your pack (either internal or external). Otherwise you run the risk of accidentally puncturing the bladder if you are rough with your gear (rare occurrence) or you may need to unpack your pack to refill the bladder. The final downsize is that when using water bladders, you will need to replace the soft rubber bite valve every so often. This is an issue with any water bladder. On my Bibbulmun track hike the bite valve lasted the five weeks, but only just. If using a bladder for day hikes you may only need to replace it every year or so. To be on the safe side, carry a spare on long hikes, just in case.

While there are cheaper water bladders on the market I just love the Ospreys and have used them for the past five years.

We Like

• Love the magnetic chest strap clip. The nozzle is always easy to find
• Having the bladder drinking tube easy to find means I will drink more, particularly on hot days
• Easy to fill
• You don’t have to fill this bladder all the way up if doing a shorter walk
• LT stands for lightweight at only 170 grams
• Reasonably priced high quality bladder

We Don't Like

• The magnetic clip will pick up dirt if the environment is high in iron
• Bladders in general are best used with packs that have dedicated hydration pockets
• The bite valve on this or any other bladder will need to be replaced occasionally

Best Uses

• For hikes where water is easy to find and you don’t need to carry large amounts

Osprey 2-5 Litre LT Hydralics Bladder

Drinking tube detachment point makes it easy to remove the bladder from the pack

Magnetic hold point and bite valve

Bladder closure mechanism. This grey plastic slide locks the bladder closed as well as providing an attachment point for Osprey packs so they hold in place inside the pack

Buy One

You can purchase the Osprey Hydraulics LT 2.5L Reservoir Wildfire Sports

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $64.99 RRP

Other Versions

• Osprey Hydraulics LT 1.5L Hydration Bladder
• Osprey Hydraulics 3L Hydration Bladder
• Osprey Hydraulics 2L Hydration Bladder

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

14 January 2024

Last updated

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