Personally, I use the Cascade Designs Platypus Big Zip (for pricing reasons), but this bag came with the MSR MiniWorks Filter that my trail mate and I purchased.
The MSR website said, "We dare you to try and rupture or destroy this bag..." So we did. First we filled it up with air and had many of my friends jump on the bag with their feet and their bodies to see if we could explode it. Personally I weigh 240lbs and I couldn't bust it. Next we filled it with water and dropped it off of our second floor balcony several times onto concrete. It survived. Since that didn't work we decided to fill it completely full of water and freeze it. It held. Next we boiled it. It didn't particularly like being boiled, especially with water in it, but neither did the Platy we tested. Both held up but I wouldn't recommend boiling. Freezing seems okay though.
As a final test we filled it normally as if we were going into the back country and slowly drove my trail mate’s Saturn SL2 over the bag. It survived. Of course, after all the beating we gave it, it was starting to wear, but it never leaked, never exploded. We took it back to the store (Galyan's) and exchanged it for a new one just in case (this was our intent all along, that's why we gave it the beating we gave it).
The Bag: The bag shell is made out of Cordura nylon (seems to be interwoven) while the inside is laminated with food-grade polyurethane. Now imagine this...two pieces of nylon laying on top of each other. Measure about 1 inch in from all sides. This is where the bag "balloons up." Basically, the seam on this bag is 1 inch (hence the reason the balloon in the middle). This is why, in my epinion, that this bag is so strong--it has a huge seam!
The mouth: The mouth is okay. Our bag came with a flip-up style spout to get to your water. It's great for squirting water into your mouth or on your body, but not for drinking. You can purchase a better spout (or a hands free hydration kit around $12.95), like a pop-up one featured on Naglene and some Gatorade Bottles but we haven't gotten one yet. Also available is a shower kit. The bag has grommets on the bottom which allows you to hang it upside down (this could be handy for gravity fed water filters if you could adapt them to the unit or taking a shower under a tree). We don't have the hydration kit or the shower kit so I won't comment on them.
Anyway, the main cap screws off (sometimes this is difficult if it's hot out--it seems to clam up) and reveals a wide opening. The opening is big enough to fit ice cubes in or drink mix. The other nice thing is that the Miniworks filters by MSR screw onto the mouth of the bag. This is a really nice filter. It also fits Naglene bottles. So we can screw the filter onto the bag, filter the water, and have a full bag without spilling it time after time after time (trying to pump and hold a bag can be rather difficult sometimes). This and the fact that the bag was free is the main reason we carry it. As I stated earlier, we both use Platy's cause they are cheaper for the bag/hydration combo. We primarily use this bag to make filtering easier and to carry extra water.
Insulation: The nylon seems to insulate rather well. I wouldn't say it insulates as well as the Platy. The dark colors of the bag (black, blue, purple) seem to make it attract heat a little.
Durability: I addressed this first off. The bag is pretty much indestructible, even against thorns when hanging off your pack. So I wouldn't worry about using the bag as a pillow. If it can survive a Saturn on top of it, it can survive your head.
Warranty: You got to love the warranty's on hydration bags...all of the major manufacturer's offer lifetime warranty's. Keep your receipt.
Overall I recommend the bag. You can't go wrong with carrying an extra hydration bag on long treks. This bag is durable and shouldn't ever bust in the backcountry. I love the fact that the bag connects to the MSR Miniworks filter which is an awesome addition to your gear. However, if you want to use it as a hydration system, be prepared to pay $10-20 more then the other manufacturers.
Please rate my review honestly! As always, if I have any problems or come across new information on this product, I will update the article! -J
Update 7/27/2003
Weights:
2 Liter Bag 4.6oz
4 Liter Bag 5.4oz
6 Liter Bag 7.2oz
10 Liter Bag 8.5oz
Not bad for an indestructible piece of equipment. However, the hydration kit will add 2.5oz making the 2 Liter Bag twice as heavy as a Platypus Hydration System for 3 Liters.
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