Do you trust the MSR Dromlite, or is there a better lightweight option?

[Brightwhite]

I bought a Dromlite 6L to cut down trips to get water, took it out this weekend brand new, filled it once and everything was fine. I had it laying out on a flat rock I was using by my tent to cook meals and stripen water on. Then filled it a 2nd time, came back a few hours later to a completely soaked rock and a 2/3 empty 6L Dromlite. Upon inspection it had a pin hole in it just lightly spraying water - but I cannot imagine how that would have happened. I walked to the water spring and back and laid it on the rock. No dropping it, no walking through pine trees, nothing...

Do you guys like the product and think I just got a defect? Or is it that sensitive and I need to look at better options?

 

[*zap*]

It is lightweight.....dromedary is heavier and stuff gets punctured sometimes without you realizing what happened. Patch it and I think you should have some type of repair kit when pack camping.

 

[mlgc20]

The short answer is no. But, I don't really trust any of the lightweight water storage solutions that are out there. They all have issues. If I'm going to need to store or carry a lot of water, I much prefer to do it across a few smaller containers, versus one larger container. Then when the inevitable issue shows up, you have a backup. I've probably had the best luck with the Hydrapak water storage. Platypus has been the worst. MSR and Sea to Summit are somewhere in between. But, none are great IMO. Now if you're truck camping and storing water, the Scepter jugs are darn near bullet proof.

 

[S.Clancy]

I use the platypus 2L bags. My experience they are more durable

 

[CApighunter]

Mine started leaking around the outside of the fill port. Not real impressed.

 

[rayporter]

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i have several of these that have to be over 15 years old.

 

[Brightwhite]

View attachment 308416

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i have several of these that have to be over 15 years old.

Ordering 1 to try now! Thanks! Had no idea nalgene had a solution

 

[Brightwhite]

The short answer is no. But, I don't really trust any of the lightweight water storage solutions that are out there. They all have issues. If I'm going to need to store or carry a lot of water, I much prefer to do it across a few smaller containers, versus one larger container. Then when the inevitable issue shows up, you have a backup. I've probably had the best luck with the Hydrapak water storage. Platypus has been the worst. MSR and Sea to Summit are somewhere in between. But, none are great IMO. Now if you're truck camping and storing water, the Scepter jugs are darn near bullet proof.

Good thought on maybe doing 2 - 4L bladders instead of one bigger 6L to account for a failure. Could also split up with a hunting partner...sounds so simple but I really had not thought of that! I’ll also look I to the hydrapak!

 

[Brightwhite]

It is lightweight.....dromedary is heavier and stuff gets punctured sometimes without you realizing what happened. Patch it and I think you should have some type of repair kit when pack camping.

Yep i knew what I was buying. Just doesn’t instill confidence when you pack on top of a rain shell and the bag closed on top (litteraly can’t imagine in 1,000 years anything putting a pin hole in it) and laying it fairly gently on a flat rock and it sprung a leak.

I do carry a patch kit for my sleeping pad and a small patch of tenacious tape, I’m going to try a repair on it with the tenacious tape and see if that will hold just out of curiosity.

 

[Lawnboi]

Iv popped everything but the nylon dromedary bags. I have an older red nylon drom lite and wish they never changed the design. For large bags the extra couple ounces is worth it to get the standard dromedary imo. A 6-10liter dromedary and a nalgene is pretth much what I ended up with after eventually popping or breaking everything else Iv tried.

 

[JPD350]

I have had the 6l Dromlite for 4 years and have used it a lot and never babied it, it's been packed and tossed about and hung on trees with no issues at all. When I pack it in the pack I stick it in a Sea to Summit lightweight bag just in case since it is usually stuffed right in the middle of the pack but I sure hate to hear that others have had issues, maybe I just got a good one.

 

[*zap*]

Yep i knew what I was buying. Just doesn’t instill confidence when you pack on top of a rain shell and the bag closed on top (litteraly can’t imagine in 1,000 years anything putting a pin hole in it) and laying it fairly gently on a flat rock and it sprung a leak.

I do carry a patch kit for my sleeping pad and a small patch of tenacious tape, I’m going to try a repair on it with the tenacious tape and see if that will hold just out of curiosity.

maybe try seam grip.....I have that water bag and two dromedaries....4 & 10 liter.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I have 3 nylon covered drom bags and 2 that are fairly old. One has to be at least 15 years and has a few dozen trips on it. Never had one leak. For the difference in weight - 5.7 oz vs 8.5 Oz for 6 L - I would say it is better to go nylon covered.

 

[Brightwhite]

The short answer is no. But, I don't really trust any of the lightweight water storage solutions that are out there. They all have issues. If I'm going to need to store or carry a lot of water, I much prefer to do it across a few smaller containers, versus one larger container. Then when the inevitable issue shows up, you have a backup. I've probably had the best luck with the Hydrapak water storage. Platypus has been the worst. MSR and Sea to Summit are somewhere in between. But, none are great IMO. Now if you're truck camping and storing water, the Scepter jugs are darn near bullet proof.

I also ordered the 4L hydrapak last night with the Katadyn Be-free filter to try. That looks like a slick setup if it will work and be durable! I am a steripen kinda guy, but if I can carry that filter with me when I am going to new areas that I am unsure of it would be a good insurance depending on the water to just screw on top, filter into my Nalgene, then could hit it with the steripen for an extra precaution if the water is super skunk.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Brightwhite]

Iv popped everything but the nylon dromedary bags. I have an older red nylon drom lite and wish they never changed the design. For large bags the extra couple ounces is worth it to get the standard dromedary imo. A 6-10liter dromedary and a nalgene is pretth much what I ended up with after eventually popping or breaking everything else Iv tried.

I have 3 nylon covered drom bags and 2 that are fairly old. One has to be at least 15 years and has a few dozen trips on it. Never had one leak. For the difference in weight - 5.7 oz vs 8.5 Oz for 6 L - I would say it is better to go nylon covered.

Have one of these heavier duty Dromedry 4L on its way to test out. Agree that I will carry 2-3 extra oz's all day to have more confidence in it not leaking or getting back to camp after dark to find all my water has watered the grass!

 

[Desk Jockey]

Since you mentioned he katy filter above, I will share that I have been using a platypus graviy filter system with my drom bag as my clean bag for the last three years. I have changed the filter but nothing else. The “dirty” bag is showing some use but apart from that it has been a great solution for multi day multi person adventures.

 

[justinspicher]

Hard pass on any type of bladder. I’ve never had good luck so I just stick to bottles.

 

[Wingert]

You might try Aquaseal to stop the leak.

Gear Aid Aquaseal FD Repair Adhesive

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[RustyHazen]

I've used a 4L Dromlite bag as my bladder for 10 years, simply because I hunt dry country and not many companies make a 1 gallon bladder. That thing has never let me down once. I will say, though, this is the older style, red nylon bag.

 

[Desk Jockey]

General comment, I think lightweight gear is great. Ultra lightweight has its place too but as a general rule, you give up some durability to cut weight (and pay $$$). I backpack with some hyper light guys. They don’t use their gear as hard as I do when I am hunting and they also accept the durability compromise. They don’t think anything about having to patch a $500 HLMG Dyneema backpack after nearly every trip because it weighs less than 2# and looks cooler with some tenacious tape. On the other hand I get pissed off when my semi light gossamer gear pack comes home with a new rip almost every trip.

there are certain items that I will make that trade with. Others, like my water system, I will haul a few extra oz to have something more durable.