Platypus

Platy Water Tank

Poorly designed zip lock. Doesn't

Poorly designed zip lock. Doesn't work well for the size of the bag. I have the larger zip bag and it works well.

Platy Water Tank Seal

Apply a small amount of food grade silicone grease along the seal and you will not have anymore problems closing.

Empty By Morning.

On my first night out, some raccoons (?) punctured a small hole in it and all the water drained out by the morning.

Has anyone on the Platy payroll ever used the Platy Water Tank?

I purchased the 6 Liter Platy Water Tank a few years ago. I 'zipped' the first couple of times, but after that, not possible without a rubber mallet. This has been EVERY Water Tank I have seen since the Sierras and the AT. It leaves it, literally, a bucket, not a tank. Web-wide reviews reflect this as so the inablilty to work with Sawyer products. But virtually everybody is using Sawyer, Smart Water bottles and CNOC. Can Platy staff not figure this one out?

Awesome for car camping/road trips

I've been using these reliably for over a decade and, while the zipper closure does take some care and maintenance, the function of having a couple of these to stash around in empty voids is amazing. For the people who can't figure out the zipper: Keep it clean and use a silicone lubricant to assure a good and easy seal. The silicone does tend to attract dirt, so apply it and then take a pass over the track with a paper towel to remove excess lube. To get that seal, start at one end and pinch. You'll feel it seal if it's lined up properly. Then work your way down the closure, giving a slight bend between forefingers and thumbs, like you're bending a stiff wire, until you feel that subtle "click" of the seal. If you force it and it's not lined up, you can damage the track, so take your time until you get the hang of it. In no time you'll get it and it becomes totally easy. it's worth the learning curve. These things rock. I still have a few that are at least ten years old.

^6 Liter closure does NOT seal

I purchased this based off of my experience with Platypus products in the past which I found superior to most anything, especially on the subject of durability. Unfortunately, the bag seal quit working after 2-3 times. It will not close at all now, rendering the bag useless while still new. As with ever having to send anything back, the postage was just not worth it. After the last 2 years of backpacking, I have yet to see one of any size that 'works.' Lots of gripping and complaining, same issue. Platy let us down on this one. Bag material I will still consider the best in the hydration areana, but.........

Nice bag.

Easy to load and flow out too. Be sure to secure the seal on the "zipper-like" closure. Nice carrying handles.

Poor Closure Design

Almost impossible to get the bag to stay closed. We had a half mile hike from the spring to our camp and lost almost all the water in the bag. We had two new platy water tanks and both had the same issue.

When you don’t need/want to a carry a 5-7 gallon water can

Writing this in the midst of a 24-day mountain bike trip. I purchased on a whim hoping it would fill the void between a typical MSR dromedary and the ole Reliance water can. So far, the platy has performed flawlessly. I heeded the advice and pre-treated the zip with food grade mineral oil and we haven’t had an issue, easy to close and stays sealed. The flat bottom is great for picnic table convenience. Holds enough water that we aren’t making a million trips to the spigot (3 adults and 1 toddler). When we pack up to move on it rolls small and disappears into the kitchen box. A welcome addition to a car camping set up for a small crew.

Convenient basecamp water supply

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

This water bag works very well when you're backpacking with a group of friends. You don't end up having to constantly filter water while in camp. I bought the 4 liter size which seemed perfect for my needs. The 6 liter bag seemed much too big. The Pros: No plastic taste, stands up on its own, convenient carry handles. The Cons: The ziplock top is not easy to close. I have a fairly strong pinch grip from rock climbing and can close it without too much trouble, but can see how others might have difficulty with it. A top-folding slide lock like those on the Osprey hydration bags would be a perfect solution to the present configuration. It can be easy to lose the pour cap if one is not careful --especially filtering water at a swift moving water source. A little plastic cap retainer would be a great addition. Overall, I like the quality and convenience of this water container. It's easier to access water than the Dromedary water bag brand. I owned one of those for a while--it had a very tiny pour stream and after awhile it also started to leak from the nylon / wide-mouth fill-port connection.