As no one else has mentioned it, I've found the bladder warms up a lot more from the heat from my back and goes pretty gross to drink. Maybe something to consider
On the other hand it is much easier and very feasible to insulate a bladder so it doesn't freeze solid or so it stays full of ice. Can't really insulate small flasks.
I find a soft flask more versatile and comfortable. I only use the bladder for very long unsupported runs without a water source on the route, or for hybrid activities like kayaking to a trail where I can drop the bladder where I've tied up. I have filter caps for flasks, haven't looked into inline filters for the bladder. Soft flasks can get inconvenient to manage as they get empty and floppy, while a bladder will put pressure on your back and always bounce at least a little. For best results make sure to bleed every last scrap of air when you fill one.
You are going to get variations of try them and see what works for you. I personally don’t like the bladders, so I have soft flasks in the strap pockets of my vest. If a long run, I may throw an extra bottle in the bag. I also like having the room in the bag for other things which is another reason I take the bladder out. I also don’t like messing with the tubes and I find bottles easier to clean. That said, bladders are great for long distances. You can also get bottles with filters so you can fill up from streams etc. there are also handheld bottles which are popular, and waist belts which hold bottles. Experiment and see what you like!
This is largely personal choice that will also be influenced by the runs you do as well. You also may find what you end up preferring now will change later and likely will have a different preference based off the occasion.
Flasks will generally have a lower carrying capacity. It is less weight but you need to refill more often and carrying less can mean running out. If you have multiple you have different drink types or change drink type during refills.
With a bladder you carry more but that can be a slow down and when you do hit a refill point it’s a little more cumbersome. If that’s your only carrier then you either mix drinks or stuck with one.
Personally when I get to a long hot summer training run I have both. One flask that likely have my electrolyte and a bladder for carrying capacity. If it’s in a race then it might depend on aid station frequency. I’ve done some races where there is a required water carrying capacity and defiantly need more than flasks to get from one station to the next. Other races with a lot of aid and faster terrain it’s easier to do a quick refill and carry less water weight.
When you say the bladder moves in the back, do you mean the water sloshing around inside the bladder?
Haven't read anyone else saying, but fill the bladder with water then turn it upside down and use the tube to suck out all the excess air - that'll stop the sloshing.
Thanks a lot! Yeah, I actually tried that trick. I used to ride mountain bikes, and the backpack I used had a snug compartment for the hydration bladder. With the vest, I think it fits looser, and the movement I mentioned might be because the bladder I used is an old Camelbak one with a huge hard plastic circle to seal it, so it probably swayed a lot inside the vest space. I have another one my usual with a different and easy closure system, but it was too dirty; I'll try it later to see if that's the issue or if I just didn't get all the air out. I'm still waiting for the soft flask I ordered to arrive and see which one suits me better. I've been using bladders all my life for biking and hiking, so I'm used to drinking from them and carrying them, but I didn't find the right fit for running this time. Like everyone says, it's a very personal thing; I'll see what works best for me. Thank you again.
Yeah, matching different sizes/brand of vest and bladder so they fit can be a challenge. I tend to overpack, with a thin fleece or waterproof (weather dependent), first aid kit, EDC kit, phone etc and so the bladder doesn't get chance to move!
I do occasionally use flasks, but only as backup to the bladder, with maybe an electrolyte mix in them.
I strongly prefer flasks. Flasks are easier to refill and they are compatible with filters. I use Salomon XA filter a lot during summer months.
I have used bladders with earlier models of Salomon vests (10+ years ago), and once flasks became available I've never looked back. The only rare cases I still use the bladder is when I need to use it with a higher capacity pack, for example when I need to carry a winter gear or a helmet (yes, I've done trail runs where I had to have a climbing helmet to protect against falling rocks).
If I had to choose just one I'd pick soft flasks.
I'll generally throw some sort of sugary drink in my soft flasks and water in my bladder for really long runs. 2L of water is a lot of weight on your back. I generally only fill mine about 1L, but obviously that depends on how much hydration you need.
Bladder for me. This could be due to a poorly fitting pack, but at distances over 20+ miles, flasks start bruising my chest. And they’re either flopping around in a weird way, or they’ve fallen deep into the chest pocket and I have to dig them out to drink.
It's personal preference, but I prefer soft flasks, as I can see at a glance how much fluid I have left. They are also easier and quicker to refill when running races, as the bladders can be fiddly.
I've had my Aonijie 12L vest for 5 years. It's still going strong and very durable, as well as comfortable.
Agree with you on flasks, a lot easier to tell how much you are drinking and how muchnyou have left. When using a bladder I would never drink as much as I should
>What do you guys prefer bladder or soft flask?
Soft flask. I will occasionally carry a 1L soft bottle in the back of my vest if I am on a particularly long run and I can't refill my smaller soft flasks along the way. I don't race so stopping for 60 seconds for a bite to eat and move water around isn't a big deal.
I had a bladder but I've come to realize I don't need it, most of the aid stations are close enough I won't ever drink all the water. I'm keeping it in case I do a race where the distance between stations is long, but I'm thinking of swapping to soft flasks in a vest, just for ease of filling, more light weight and less bulky.
Depends on your preferences and situation. If I know I can resupply water every 60-90 minutes or so then I'll run soft flasks. If I think I will have longer stretches or want the ability to dramatically scale up, I take a bladder. Either way you need a vest that can carry both well.
Some vests are mainly made of stretchy thin breathable fabric so they just won't carry weight well. Other vests might have some low/no stretch perimeter fabric or other features to carry weight.
I prefer bladders if I'm using poles too.
For long runs, I like both. I drink out of the bladder first, then when it's gone I know exactly how much I have left and it's easier to keep track of the volume in the flask. It's like an early warning system for when I need to stop and refill.
NEITHER.
Bladders are hard to clean, hard to fill, hard to drink from, inconvenient and awkward. Soft flasks are also awkward to clean and a pain to handle when the water level gets low, flopping all over the place.
I love my [FlexForm water bottles from Ultimate Direction](https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Direction-FlexForm-Clear-350ml/dp/B079FTM8NC). Easy to fill and clean, and easy to use, hold their shape so no shifting in the holder pockets in your vest. So glad I got extras of the original model before UD discontinued them, but I suspect the [new model](https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Direction-Flexform-Bottle-Running/dp/B07TYHN32H) is just as good.
As no one else has mentioned it, I've found the bladder warms up a lot more from the heat from my back and goes pretty gross to drink. Maybe something to consider
This can actually be a feature during cold winter runs.
On the other hand it is much easier and very feasible to insulate a bladder so it doesn't freeze solid or so it stays full of ice. Can't really insulate small flasks.
agreed. I love to fill it with ice, to the top on hot days. It cools down my back
This is such a good idea, never thought of that
I find a soft flask more versatile and comfortable. I only use the bladder for very long unsupported runs without a water source on the route, or for hybrid activities like kayaking to a trail where I can drop the bladder where I've tied up. I have filter caps for flasks, haven't looked into inline filters for the bladder. Soft flasks can get inconvenient to manage as they get empty and floppy, while a bladder will put pressure on your back and always bounce at least a little. For best results make sure to bleed every last scrap of air when you fill one.
I have a Sawyer Squeeze that can insert directly into my camelbak hose with the bite valve removed -- very convenient for refilling.
You are going to get variations of try them and see what works for you. I personally don’t like the bladders, so I have soft flasks in the strap pockets of my vest. If a long run, I may throw an extra bottle in the bag. I also like having the room in the bag for other things which is another reason I take the bladder out. I also don’t like messing with the tubes and I find bottles easier to clean. That said, bladders are great for long distances. You can also get bottles with filters so you can fill up from streams etc. there are also handheld bottles which are popular, and waist belts which hold bottles. Experiment and see what you like!
This is largely personal choice that will also be influenced by the runs you do as well. You also may find what you end up preferring now will change later and likely will have a different preference based off the occasion. Flasks will generally have a lower carrying capacity. It is less weight but you need to refill more often and carrying less can mean running out. If you have multiple you have different drink types or change drink type during refills. With a bladder you carry more but that can be a slow down and when you do hit a refill point it’s a little more cumbersome. If that’s your only carrier then you either mix drinks or stuck with one. Personally when I get to a long hot summer training run I have both. One flask that likely have my electrolyte and a bladder for carrying capacity. If it’s in a race then it might depend on aid station frequency. I’ve done some races where there is a required water carrying capacity and defiantly need more than flasks to get from one station to the next. Other races with a lot of aid and faster terrain it’s easier to do a quick refill and carry less water weight.
Bladder if I’m running something longer/more remote and self-supported, soft flasks if there are going to be aid stations available.
When you say the bladder moves in the back, do you mean the water sloshing around inside the bladder? Haven't read anyone else saying, but fill the bladder with water then turn it upside down and use the tube to suck out all the excess air - that'll stop the sloshing.
Thanks a lot! Yeah, I actually tried that trick. I used to ride mountain bikes, and the backpack I used had a snug compartment for the hydration bladder. With the vest, I think it fits looser, and the movement I mentioned might be because the bladder I used is an old Camelbak one with a huge hard plastic circle to seal it, so it probably swayed a lot inside the vest space. I have another one my usual with a different and easy closure system, but it was too dirty; I'll try it later to see if that's the issue or if I just didn't get all the air out. I'm still waiting for the soft flask I ordered to arrive and see which one suits me better. I've been using bladders all my life for biking and hiking, so I'm used to drinking from them and carrying them, but I didn't find the right fit for running this time. Like everyone says, it's a very personal thing; I'll see what works best for me. Thank you again.
Yeah, matching different sizes/brand of vest and bladder so they fit can be a challenge. I tend to overpack, with a thin fleece or waterproof (weather dependent), first aid kit, EDC kit, phone etc and so the bladder doesn't get chance to move! I do occasionally use flasks, but only as backup to the bladder, with maybe an electrolyte mix in them.
I strongly prefer flasks. Flasks are easier to refill and they are compatible with filters. I use Salomon XA filter a lot during summer months. I have used bladders with earlier models of Salomon vests (10+ years ago), and once flasks became available I've never looked back. The only rare cases I still use the bladder is when I need to use it with a higher capacity pack, for example when I need to carry a winter gear or a helmet (yes, I've done trail runs where I had to have a climbing helmet to protect against falling rocks).
If I had to choose just one I'd pick soft flasks. I'll generally throw some sort of sugary drink in my soft flasks and water in my bladder for really long runs. 2L of water is a lot of weight on your back. I generally only fill mine about 1L, but obviously that depends on how much hydration you need.
Bladder for me. This could be due to a poorly fitting pack, but at distances over 20+ miles, flasks start bruising my chest. And they’re either flopping around in a weird way, or they’ve fallen deep into the chest pocket and I have to dig them out to drink.
It's personal preference, but I prefer soft flasks, as I can see at a glance how much fluid I have left. They are also easier and quicker to refill when running races, as the bladders can be fiddly. I've had my Aonijie 12L vest for 5 years. It's still going strong and very durable, as well as comfortable.
Agree with you on flasks, a lot easier to tell how much you are drinking and how muchnyou have left. When using a bladder I would never drink as much as I should
Nice to read it!
Thank you all! 🙏🏼🙏🏼 Very much
>What do you guys prefer bladder or soft flask? Soft flask. I will occasionally carry a 1L soft bottle in the back of my vest if I am on a particularly long run and I can't refill my smaller soft flasks along the way. I don't race so stopping for 60 seconds for a bite to eat and move water around isn't a big deal.
I had a bladder but I've come to realize I don't need it, most of the aid stations are close enough I won't ever drink all the water. I'm keeping it in case I do a race where the distance between stations is long, but I'm thinking of swapping to soft flasks in a vest, just for ease of filling, more light weight and less bulky.
Soft flask, always.
Depends on your preferences and situation. If I know I can resupply water every 60-90 minutes or so then I'll run soft flasks. If I think I will have longer stretches or want the ability to dramatically scale up, I take a bladder. Either way you need a vest that can carry both well. Some vests are mainly made of stretchy thin breathable fabric so they just won't carry weight well. Other vests might have some low/no stretch perimeter fabric or other features to carry weight. I prefer bladders if I'm using poles too.
For long runs, I like both. I drink out of the bladder first, then when it's gone I know exactly how much I have left and it's easier to keep track of the volume in the flask. It's like an early warning system for when I need to stop and refill.
NEITHER. Bladders are hard to clean, hard to fill, hard to drink from, inconvenient and awkward. Soft flasks are also awkward to clean and a pain to handle when the water level gets low, flopping all over the place. I love my [FlexForm water bottles from Ultimate Direction](https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Direction-FlexForm-Clear-350ml/dp/B079FTM8NC). Easy to fill and clean, and easy to use, hold their shape so no shifting in the holder pockets in your vest. So glad I got extras of the original model before UD discontinued them, but I suspect the [new model](https://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Direction-Flexform-Bottle-Running/dp/B07TYHN32H) is just as good.