If you ever have an issue with any product made by HydraPak or Polar Bottle, please file a warranty claim using one of the links below:

HydraPak - Including products made for Osprey, Salomon, Nathan, Katadyn, and many more brands

Polar Bottle

Our production codes are embossed (stamped) into the plastic film.  Since they are not printed, they can sometimes be a little hard to find.  But knowing where to look can be a huge help.  

For Reservoirs, turn the reservoir to the back and look for the vertical seam on the left.  Once you locate the seam, you can find the code embossed about 1"-2" down from the top. 

 

If you cannot locate the code, please enter "0000" on the warranty claim form. 

HydraPak believes in providing low-cost replacement parts for our products.  If we can provide a part to get your product back to optimal performance AND save items from filling our landfill, then it is a win-win! 

If you want to upgrade your reservoir's tube connection or need to replace a bite valve on your reservoir, HydraPak.com offers a variety of replacement parts and accessories.

Also, if you discover that a part has failed prematurely, we will replace most parts under warranty (for any manufacturing defects or material failures) - file your claim here. 

We go above and beyond with every product we make, and our warranty is no different. If you experience any issue with the product’s manufacturing or materials, we’ll repair or replace the item for free. Whatever it takes for you to keep the adventure going!

If you ever have an issue with any product made by HydraPak or Polar Bottle, please file a warranty claim using one of the links below:

HydraPak - Including products made for Osprey, Salomon, Nathan, Katadyn, and many more brands

Polar Bottle

 

Click on the above image to see our 20-second video that demonstrates how to operate the top cap on our Recon bottle.

 

Also, please see the image below:

 

Our new 28mm Flip Cap is a terrific upgrade for our Stow bottles and SF150 Flasks.  However, not all year-models are compatible.  This guide will help you to identify your product and determine if your product can work with the Flip Cap.

 

Compatible Models - The models below are compatible but not all generations will work.  See below for more details.

 

 

2020 Stow Bottles - Our 2020 Stow Bottles are compatible but our 2019 models are not.  To determine if you have a 2019 or 2020 model, look at the back of the Stow and find the Filter Compatible Icon.  If you flask has this icon, then it is compatible with the 28mm Flip Cap.

 

Softflask 150ml  - Identification on our SF150 is a little more difficult but it can still be determined by removing the top cap and taking a very close look at the threads.  To identify if your flask is compatible, look for visible markings on the threaded nozzle of your flask:

Raised features circled above indicate that your flask is compatible.  If the markings are not present, then your flask is not compatible. 

Softflask 250 - Unfortunately, the SF250 is not currently compatible with the 28mm flip cap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A HydraPak Flux bottle being used in conjunction with a Katadyn BeFree filter

Water treatment is important to maintaining your health in the outdoors.  As tempting and pristine as alpine lakes and streams may look, backcountry water sources can contain nasty waterborne bacteria or parasites that could make you sick and your body weak. To keep this from happening, collect the water from the cleanest source available—a flowing river rather than a freestanding puddle—and go prepared with a method to purify the water before you drink it down.  To learn more about backcountry water safety, check out our Hydration 101 Blog.

Water filters are a popular choice for purifying backcountry drinking water.  Filters come in a wide variety of designs and we are often asked which filters are compatible with our products.  To help determine which filter will work best for you, we have grouped filters into 4 categories:

• Inline Filters - These attach to our containers by using a drink tube
• Direct-Mount Filters - These attach directly to the nozzles of our containers that have threaded top caps
• Adapted Filters - These require the use of a special adapter that allows a filter to work with some of our containers
• Iodine or Chlorine purification tablets - 

Read below to learn more.

 

INLINE FILTERS

All HydraPak reservoirs can be used with an inline filter

Any container that utilizes a drink tube, such a HydraPak hydration reservoir, can be used with an "inline" filter.  These types of filters have a fitting at each end that allow you to connect two sections of a tube to it. Popular filters in this category include the Sawyer Mini, Sawyer Squeeze (with Sawyer inline adapter kit), Platypus GravityWorks, MSR Thru-Link and many others.  

To install the filter, you will need to cut the hose with scissors and connect the hose ends to the filter.  Since you have to cut the tube, you will want to carefully consider where you want to place the filter.  It can be placed down low near the reservoir or higher up the tube so that the filter is over the shoulder.  Still another consideration is to remove the bite valve from the tube and place the filter at at the end of the tube and drink directly from the filter.  

 

DIRECT-MOUNT FILTERS

A 1L Stow combined with a Sawyer Squeeze demonstrates a direct connection between a HydraPak container and a water filter

Many of our HydraPak products are compatible with a variety of backcountry water filters that attach directly to the bottle or storage container’s threaded top.  There are three different sizes of threaded tops in the HydraPak line of products, each is compatible with multiple brands and styles of filters.  For your convenience, we have listed some of the available options for each size.

 

28mm Threaded Top

You can find this on the HydraPak Stow 1L and 500ml bottles (2020 models & newer, look for Filter Compatible icon on the back of the bottle)

Compatible Filters:

Sawyer Mini Filter

Sawyer Squeeze Filter

LifeStraw Flex

Hydroblu Versa Flow

42mm Threaded Top

You can find this on the HydraPak Flux bottles, Stash 750ml, Seeker Water Storage containers and  our line of UltraFlasks and SkyFlasks.

Compatible filters:

Katadyn BeFree Filter

Salomon XA Filter Cap

63mm Threaded Top

You can find this on the HydraPak Expedition, Stash 1L bottle and all sizes of our Recon bottles.

Compatible Filters:

MSR Guardian Filter

MSR MiniWorks EX Filter

Katadyn Vario Filter

 

ADAPTED FILTERS

The Sawyer Squeeze filter is an incredibly popular choice for thru-hikers and lightweight backpackers.  As such, it has become the industry standard for a compact filter.  While the Squeeze will mount directly to our Stow bottles (28mm threads), an adapter and a Plug N Play top cap must be used if you would like to use it with our popular Seeker containers (42mm threads).

The above combination will also work for any of our 42mm diameter products including the Flux bottles, Stash 750ml, and our line of UltraFlasks and SkyFlasks.

Also, the HydraPak 28mm filter adapter will allow a Squeeze to be used with any our Plug N Play products including our reservoirs, Inline Connector, 63mm top cap found on our Expeditions.

 

PURIFICATION TABLETS

Our hard-plastic bottle, the Recon, is compatible with with Iodine or Chlorine purification tablets.

Unfortunately, our softflasks, Seekers, reservoirs, or other products made from TPU film are not compatible with Iodine or Chlorine solutions. For this reason, we do not recommend using TPU productgs as purification vessels unless it is an emergency situation in the backcountry.

 

 

Bite valves are a wear and tear part and will periodically need to be replaced.  The help article below has three sections:

1. Reservoir Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement
2. Reservoir Bite Valve, Complete Assembly Replacement
3. Softflask Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement

Reservoir Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement

Often times the part that fails is the soft biting surface that is known as a sheath. Replacing the sheath is easy takes less 30 seconds.

1. Remove the sheath - Grasp the hard plastic part of the valve and in one hand and the sheath in the other and pull apart. 

2. Install new sheath by pushing it onto the valve body.

 

 

Reservoir Bite Valve, Complete Replacement

Depending on the original problem with the bite valve, it is sometimes necessary to replace the entire bite valve.  We define the bite valve as the complete assembly located at the end of the tube.  This includes the hard plastic body and the soft biting material (known as a sheath.)

1. Remove the bite valve from the tube

Quite simply, the bite valve assembly needs to be pulled out of the tube.  There are barbs that hold the bite valve to the tube.  Grasp the tube in one hand and grab the bite valve plastic body in the other hand and pull hard.  The bite valve will pull out of the tube. 

Sometimes the valves can be difficult to remove.  In this case, we recommend the following solution using hot water.  Heat water up to 170 F / 77 C and place into a coffee cup. Place the bite valve and end of the tube into the cup and let it sit for 30 seconds. 

Once the hose is heated up, the bite valve can be pulled out of the tube.  Be careful as the plastic will be hot.  We recommend covering the end with a towel and then grasping the bite valve assembly firmly and then pull it out of the tube. 

2. Install the bite valve.  Normally, you can press the new bite valve into the tube without any problem.  If you find it is difficult to press into the tube, use the hot water method above to heat up the tube and then press the bite valve into the tube. 

 

Softflask Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement

Much like a sheath replacement on a reservoir, the sheath replacement on a flask is quick and easy.

1. Remove the old sheath by pull it straight off of the flask.

2. Install the new sheath by pressing it onto the softflask. 

 

That's all there is to it.  Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Phone: (510) 632-8318

Email: info@hydrapak.com

 

 

HydraPak reservoirs can be somewhat difficult to open when they are brand new.  But rest assured, our reservoirs will open!  The following steps will walk your through the initial process of opening our reservoir.  After the reservoir is open for the first time, it will be much easier to open for the rest of the life of the product. 

 

1.  Remove The Slider Top

Grasp the slider top firmly and pull to the side.  The slider is directional so be sure to pull towards the closed end of the slider. 

2. Flip The Flap Up

3. Locate The Front Handle

Locate the front handle and place 2 or more fingers underneath.

4. Locate The Rear Handle

Look at the back of the reservoir and locate the handle, then place at least a couple of fingers underneath it. 

5. Pull The Handles Apart From Each Other

With a firm grasp of both the front and rear handles, pull the two handles apart from each other in opposite directions.  A fair amount of force may be necessary so pull hard.  Our reservoirs are tough.  They can take it!

Viola!  Your new reservoir has been opened. 

 

Keeping your reservoir clean is key to prolonging its life and keeping your water tasting fresh. HydraPak reservoirs are top-shelf dishwasher safe and most are fully reversible, which makes cleaning and drying a breeze.

ELITE

Reverse by placing your hand in the reservoir, grab the bottom, and pull it back through the top opening, just like turning a sock inside-out. The molded opening can also be flipped after the reservoir body has been reversed. Then, throw it in the dishwasher or rinse with mild soap and water. Make sure to let the reservoir dry out completely while reversed.

SHAPE-SHIFT

The Shape-Shift features a removable baffle which locks for a slim profile and increased stabilization. When unlocked it reverses for easy cleaning - place it on the top-shelf of your dishwasher or rinse with mild soap and water. Make sure to let the reservoir dry out completely while reversed.

SHAPE-LOC

Many of our brand partners use a fixed baffle reservoir called the Shape-Loc. It can only be reversed up until the baffle is exposed but is still simple to clean. We recommend either using a bottle brush or Bottle Bright.

Method One - Fill your reservoir with warm water and use a bottle brush along with mild soap to scrub it clean. Rinse well and hang it upside down to dry.

Method Two - Fill your reservoir with warm water and drop in one or two Bottle Bright tablets, slide the top close and let sit for fifteen to thirty minutes (depending on the amount of residue). Rinse and hang upside down to dry.

TUBE & BITE VALVE CLEANING

 All of our components are removable for easy cleaning:

1. Disconnect the drink tube from the reservoir
2. Grasp the bite valve in one hand and tube in the other then pull the valve firmly to remove the bite valve from the tube
3. Gently remove the silicone sheath from the valve and clean with Bottle Bright or mild soap and water
4. Clean the inside of the tube by inserting the Hydrapak Tube Brush in the open end of the tube and scrub
5. After drying the components, carefully reattach the sheath to the valve and re-install

 

The Plug-N-Play™ system allows a user to quickly connect and disconnect the hose from the reservoir.  This allows a user to easily remove the reservoir from the backpack, which is very handy, especially when filling the reservoir with water.  

 

The system requires a little bit of care to keep your adventure going.  To keep the Plug N Play working smoothly, the o-ring attached to the hose fitting must be periodically lubricated with an approved lubricant. 

 

Hydrapak Plug N Play: Terms Explained

All of our reservoirs that are sold at a retail store include a lubrication packet.  However, if your reservoir was purchased as part of a backpack, a lubrication packet was not included.  Luckily, the approved lubricants can normally be sourced from your local pharmacy or hardware store. Please see below for the list of approved lubricants.  

 

How to Apply the Lubricant

Apply a small dot of lubricant on the o-ring.  You only need enough to lightly coat the o-ring.  Too much lubricant can have a counter-productive effect, so go lightly with the application. 

Now you can simply plug your hose into the valve and enjoy the convenience of being able to quickly connect and disconnect the hose. 

 

How Often Should The O-ring Be Lubricated?

Luckily, the system does not need to be lubricated very often.  The lubricant can last many months.  The small packet that we provide is enough for several applications.  Store it in a cool dark place and have it handy if you need to administer another application. 

 

Which Lubricants are Recommended?

If your reservoir did not come with a lubricant packet or if you wish to purchase more, we recommend the following three types of lubricant:

Glycerin - Glycerin can be found at most pharmacies and it is very economical.  A 6 oz. bottle can be purchased for $3.50.  

Silicone Lubricant (Food Safe) - Silicone is perhaps the best type of lubricant, although it is important to verify that the product is "Food Grade" as there are a large varieties of types of silicone lubricant on the market.  This one can be purchased at hardware stores.  Cost for a 4 oz. bottle is $10.00.

Bees Wax makes a great, all-natural lubricant although it is may be more difficult to find and apply to the o-ring.  These are typically sold at hardware or craft stores.  The 0.7 oz. portion is $5.00. 

 

What About Other Types of Oils?

We strongly recommend against using any type of cooking oils including olive oil, corn oil, coconut oil, etc.  Our experience has taught us that the use of these types of natural oils will cause the o-ring to swell.  They also get can get sticky.  The result is that the hose will become difficult to engage or disengage and it may cause damage the o-ring or fitting. 

 

What if the O-Ring becomes Damaged?

If the o-ring is properly lubricated, it will provide many years of faithful service. If the o-ring becomes warped or damaged, it will not allow the system to function correctly and the o-ring must be replaced. Your options are to purchase one of the following:

Plug N Play Kit - This kit is sold primarily as an upgrade kit to reservoirs that are lacking the Plug N Play connection.  However, you can also use the o-ring or the hose fitting to repair a damaged o-ring.  We do not recommend replacing the valve, however, as it is very difficult to remove and almost never necessary because failures are normally due to an o-ring problem.  This kit is only sold through HydraPak.com and the cost is $6.00.

Hydraflex Tube Kit - This is the standard Plug N Play tube that comes with most of our reservoirs.  This replacement option will fix an o-ring problem plus it gives you a new bite valve, which is a wear and tear part.  This kit is available though most of our retailers and the cost is $12.00.

Hydrafusion Tube Kit - This is our premium insulated Plug N Play tube and it comes with a new bite valve with a dust cover.  The insulation keeps the water temperature cooler in summer and will help prevent water from freezing in the winter. Available though our retailers, the cost is $15.00, and well worth the extra cost compared to the Hydraflex tube kit. 

 

Warranty

If you feel the o-ring wore out prematurely, or if your hose fitting cracks or chips,  you may file a warranty claim though our web site.  We will be happy to provide you with a replacement. 

 

 

There are two methods for improving the operation of the slider top for your HydraPak reservoir: 

1. Avoid filling the reservoir above the maximum fill line. If you over-fill the reservoir, it will create pressure on it, making the top harder to operate. If you leave some room, the pressure is reduced making the slider operate more easily. 
2. Apply some food-safe lubricant to the tracks of the reservoir. We recommend silicone, glycerin, or beeswax. Don't use oil-based lubricants, as they can make your system sticky, which makes the slider more difficult to operate. Smear a small amount on the tracks and it will make the slider action much smoother. 

Regarding the plastic header cards and how to recycle them - the material is PolyPropylene.  It is typically considered #5 for recycling purposes. 

1. Rinse with warm water and a small amount of mild soap. Run warm water through the bulb until the flow runs clear and has no traces of soap inside of it.

2. If soap and water is not enough, we recommend filling the nozzle with Bottle Bright dissolved in water, letting it soak for 15 minutes or more, then rinsing again with warm water until all of the cleaning tablet and water mix has been expelled. This should give your squeeze bulb the deepest clean possible  without causing any damage to the materials.

*Note: Completely disassembly of the squeeze bulb is not required for cleaning. The assembly has some tight fitting parts that may break with improper removal. If you do choose to take the product apart for a deep clean, you will need to do so with great care as the product has a number of important seals and one way valves that can be compromised with incomplete or inaccurate assembly. When resembling, it is crucial to take great care to install one way valves so that they activate in the direction of the flow (see arrows on product) and that the silicone o-rings are placed on top of that valve are carefully installed so that they are fit snug between the valve cage and the inner wall of the thread on the bulb.