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Do any of your water storage products contain BPA (or use polycarbonate)?

No. All Platypus hydration products are 100% BPA-free, made with durable urethane and food-grade, taste-free polyethylene interiors.

Your products have a #7 plastic recycling code, doesn't that mean they have BPA?

Contrary to some reports, a recycling code #7 does not necessarily mean the plastic contains BPA. A #7 designation means that it simply doesn’t fit in codes #1-6. Platypus products are made with a laminate film, which is why they are designated #7, but they do not contain BPA or polycarbonate.

How do I clean my Platypus bottle or reservoir?

Use hot, soapy water and rinse thoroughly with hot water. For tough cleaning jobs, add 1/4 cup of baking soda to 3/4 cup of water per liter volume of your bottle or reservoir and shake for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice, shake 10 seconds, and vent by loosening cap away from face. Repeat shaking and venting three times. Expel as much air as possible, cap bottle, and allow to soak 20 minutes. Rinse three times with hot water. Caution: When adding lemon juice to baking soda, effervescence occurs and will cause pressure to build in a capped Platypus product.

How do I dry my Platypus® bottle or reservoir?

Platypus bottles can be dried by blowing a little air into them to expand them and letting them stand uncapped until the water evaporates. Hang Hoser™ reservoirs from their carry loop to dry. Drying Big Zip™ reservoirs is easy, with a dishtowel through the large opening. Then prop them open with the SlideLock slider and let them air dry. Another great way to dry all reservoirs and bottles is with a plastic bag dryer, widely available at kitchen supply stores and numerous online retailers.

Can I put other beverages in my Platypus bottle or reservoir?

You can put a variety of beverages in your Platypus bottle or reservoir. Just make sure you clean it thoroughly after each use to prevent bacteria from growing in the reservoir and/or tube.

How do I disinfect my Platypus bottle or reservoir?

To disinfect, fill the reservoir or bottle with a solution of unscented household bleach and water at a concentration of 2-5 drops per liter of water. Close and mix for 10 seconds. Fill hoses and bite valves by squeezing bite valve, being careful to keep valve over sink. Leave filled overnight. Rinse thoroughly and air dry.

For a more planet-friendly alternative, use a chlorine-free, hydrogen peroxide-based bleach alternative like Free and Clear™ available from Seventh Generation®.

How do I freeze my Platypus bottle or reservoir? Is it ok to freeze my Platy™ bottle?

A frozen Platy bottle makes a great ice pack and, during the dog days of summer, delivers a steady source of cold, refreshing hydration. Lay it half-full on its side in freezer with all air purged. Do not over-fill. Water expands as it freezes and this can burst your reservoir or bottle.

My new bite valve doesn’t seem to be working. How do I get the water to flow?

Does your hydration system have a shutoff valve? If so, it may be closed. Open it by twisting the bite valve 90 degrees (Clockwise closes it, Counter-clockwise opens it).

If that doesn’t work, you may be biting the valve too hard. The Platy HyperFlow Bite Valve is designed so that you don’t need to bite very hard. If you bite too hard the flow will be completely cut off. With your teeth, compress the valve lightly (only 30% to 50%) and water should flow.

My bite valve comes off too easily. What should I do?

The best way to restore a snug fit between the bite valve and the drinking tube is to remove the bite valve from the drinking tube. Next, cut a small section off the end of the drinking tube. Clean the bite valve and hose with rubbing alcohol, lick the end of the drinking tube and place the bite valve back on the end of the drinking tube. After it dries, there should be an excellent seal.

How do I prevent the water in my hydration system from freezing in cold weather?

Your best bet is to get a Platy Insulator. It insulates everything from reservoir to bite valve and comes complete with a new Big Zip SL Reservoir.

If you would rather work with what you have, start off the day with warm or hot water in your reservoir and pack your extra clothing layers around it. Inside a pack, this will generally not freeze during a day trip in all but the most extreme cold. For drink tubes and bite valves, sip often to maintain flow and do not leave residual water in the drink tube between drinks. Blow into your bite valve to force water back into the reservoir. Also, keep as much of the drinking tube covered as possible, inside a pack or jacket.

How do I install my Bite Valve Cover?

First, remove your HyperFlow™ bite valve by pulling straight out and off the hose. Then simply slide the cover onto the hose and reattach your bite valve.

Is there a way to filter into my reservoir without removing it from my pack?

Yes. Simply remove the bite valve on your hydration system and connect the end of the hose directly to your filtration system’s outflow port. Using a GravityWorks™ filter system, your reservoir can take the place of the supplied Clean reservoir, creating what is arguably the lightest, most compact and efficient way possible to get water. GravityWorks™ filters are available with direct-to-reservoir and direct-to-bottle adapters for optimum versatility.

The zipper tracks on my old reservoir are hard to close. Can I make it easier?

Yes. Periodically adding a little Vaseline to the tracks will keep them supple and easy to close. Wipe away excess Vaseline to keep it from getting in your water and to prevent it from collecting dirt. In the field, a little lip balm or similar item can do the trick.

My water sloshes around in my reservoir when riding or running. Can I make it stop?

Absolutely. Simply turn your reservoir upside down after filling it. Then simultaneously squeeze the reservoir and the HyperFlow bite valve until all the air is purged. Bye, Bye sloshing.

Can I get small replacement parts for the Quick Disconnect fitting on my Big Zip™ SL reservoir?

Tel: 1-800-531-9531

For customers outside North America, please consult our International Distributor listings.

Filtration

Why is backflushing so important with the GravityWorks™ filter?

You must backflush regularly to maintain optimal performance of the filter cartridge. This is especially true in murky or very silty water. Since Hollow Fiber is not a depth-based media like ceramics, you don't clean by removing clogged material from the exterior of the filter media. Instead, you must rinse the particulate that collects on the outside of the Hollow Fiber membranes. Infrequent backflushing makes the particulate harder to remove and more difficult to restore the media’s flow capacity. Based on results from our in-house bio lab, we recommend backflushing anywhere from every 8 liters to after each use, depending on water quality. Our lab has found that the more you backflush the better your flow performance, and the longer life you can expect from your filter cartridge.

The easiest way we have found is to do it every time you fill your Clean reservoir. Just disconnect the hose from the Dirty reservoir and hold the Clean bag high for about 4 seconds. That’s all there is to it.

How does the GravityWorks™ filter do with tea-colored water?

This color of water typically comes from a high concentration of decaying vegetation adjacent to, or in, streams and lakes, resulting in a variety of organic acids. These include, but are not limited to, tannic, fulvic, and humic acids. These acids and the accompanying water conditions are very hard on ALL types of water filters.

Get your water elsewhere if you can. However, if no alternative exists and you are predominantly filtering these waters, we recommend using an MSR® MiniWorks® EX filter. Its ceramic element will collect all these impurities in its outer-most layer, allowing you to scrub away the clogged portion to restore normal flow rates. If you must use a GravityWorks™ filter, backflushing religiously and often will help to minimize the effect of these impurities. When you return home, add 2 drops of unscented household bleach to one liter of water and backflush this solution through the filter. This will help to break up organics that might be clogging the filter while also providing the recommended treatment of your system for long-term storage.

Limited use in these conditions will not have a dramatic effect, but extended use can permanently impair hollow fiber media.

What about freezing?

Once you have used your GravityWorks™ filter and wet the Hollow Fiber filter media, the fibers will still be wet. Therefore, it is important to prevent it from freezing, which can permanently damage the filter media. If you are traveling in areas where you are expecting freezing or near freezing temperatures, bring the filter into your tent, or even your sleeping bag. (Be sure to put the filter in a water tight bag to prevent leaks in your sleeping bag.) If you think your filter may have been damaged by freezing, perform a Filter Test before the next use.

For expedition-style travel where freezing temperatures are the norm, we recommend using the MSR® MiniWorks® filter. Its ceramic/carbon filtration media is better suited to such conditions.

What if the filter takes a hard drop?

We don’t recommend removing the protective bumpers (GravityWorks) or removing the Filter Cartridge from the protective housing (CleanStream). The bumpers on the GravityWorks™ filter are designed to protect the Filter Cartridge from most drops, but direct drops onto cement and any drops above 5 feet (1.5m) should be avoided. If the Filter Cartridge itself is ever dropped after being wetted and outside the protective housing, you should replace it. If you think your filter may have been damaged from a drop, perform a Filter Test before the next use.

Is there a way to filter into my reservoir without removing it from my pack?

Can I get small replacement parts for the Quick Disconnect fittings on my GravityWorks™ Dirty Reservoir?

Tel: 1-800-531-9531

For customers outside North America, please consult our International Distributor listings.