Camelbak Mil Spec Antidote Accessory Long Reservoir, 100 oz/3.0L & OneTigris Tactical Military Hydration Tube Clips Water Tube Clip Pack of 4
I picked up the Camelbak Mil Spec Antidote Accessory Long Reservoir which holds 3 liters of liquid. First thing I did was to clean the bladder and the water tube with hot soapy water, that took care of the nasty taste that some bladders seem to have had to me in the past even after washing. I ran it in my backpack during turkey season and liked it very much. I never felt that the water in the bladder was unbalanced or shifting in the backpack even after the water got very low.
IMG_1182 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
The bladder is easy to fill via the large round opening that was easy to open and close (Unlike another 3 liter water bladder I have by Camelbak) which was a nice surprise. I liked the fact that there was not just a bite valve but a well made on/off switch as well to help prevent leaks. I never heard any sloshing as I was walking with this bladder, whether full, half full or near empty.
IMG_1159 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
IMG_1162 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
IMG_1160 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
SPECS:
Total Capacity: 100 oz / 3 L
Total Weight: 8.8 oz / 260 g
Empty Reservoir Dimensions: 17 x 8 x 1 in / 43 x 20.3 x 2.5 cm
Full Reservoir Dimensions: 16.7 x 6.8 x 2.5 in / 42.3 x 17.2 x 6.4 cm
Materials: .016 in [0.41 mm] thermoplastic polyurethane film > Engineering thermoplastic handle > 42 in (1067 mm) PureFlow™ Tube; 40 in (1016 mm) Tube Cover; Black Big Bite™ Valve; Black HydroLink™ HydroLock™
Video that talks about the Mil Spec bladders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=34&v=9Q6ZCDbLu4s&feature=emb_titleI had several options for bladders but kept running into things I did not like, mostly shiny tubes or tubes colored white, blue or black which are not colors I want near me, especially my face during turkey season. I also liked how long the tube was, more than I really needed at it turns out. Also the tube is insulated. Next picture shows the tube mostly out of the bag, I just did that to demonstrate it's length, it went to the bottom of the bag where the tube plugged in with plenty of tube to spare.
IMG_1164 (2) by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
The following picture is just to show the differences between the two bladders, note the blue one does not have the insulation around the tube as the green/brown ones does, and the bite tube does not have the cover. I think the insulation will not only help to get a cooler drink but will help to protect the tube from abrasions and cuts causing leaks. Also the Mil-Spec version has a longer tube.
IMG_1181 (2) by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
As far as the long tube goes I was lucky in the fact that the same time I purchased the bladder I also purchased the OneTigris Tactical Military Hydration Tube Clips that came in a pack of 4 These clips will attach to the straps of your backpack or turkey vest multiple ways to hold the tube of your hydration bladder keeping it from swinging or getting in the way as you hunt.
Please note there were four in the bag but picture only shows 3 as the other was connected to my backpack still.
IMG_1169 (2) by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
IMG_1155 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
IMG_1152 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
Here are the details on the clips for the Amazon website.
"Great fit for universal hydration tube/ insulated hose (with 1" or 1.5" straps" "The narrow side of the clip can be fastened to 20mm webbing strap while the broad side can be fastened to 25mm" One of the best features of the clips is that they will rotate in a full circle (Adjusts to 8 different fixed Positions and rotates 360*) so that you can attach the clip to your pack/vest strap and rotate it to the best position that works for you, so weather you are right or left handed you can use the clips to attach the tube to the side you prefer. Specs are all follows:
Specifications
Material: Plastic steel
Dimension: 1.55* 1.27"/ 3.9* 3.2cm
I found them very easy to install and that they held the tube without releasing it. One thing I did not like though is that I had to take the tube out of the clip to get a heavier stream of water, I guess that is to be expected, though I did not have that problem with my other Camelbak Crux bladder that comes with magnetic clips.
Now I knew some people would ask how would they work in a vest so I took out my RNG-300 that I am still a bit to fat to fit in and attached it to that just so that question would be answered.
Here you see the bladder in the very farthest back pocket in the RNG-300 I had to lift the flap up to get it to lay flat but it really was not a problem at all.
IMG_1172 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
IMG_1171 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
IMG_1173 (2) by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
I did notice there is a small clip in the back of that pocket and it is possible somebody with better hands than I could clip the top of the bladder to that clip or tie a string to the top of the bladder hook so that it will stay straight and I would think lead to better water flow but that is just conjecture.
Here is a clip holding the tube and attached to the RNG-300
IMG_1177 by
Sir-diealot, on Flickr
I really did enjoy this setup, look forward to actually using it in the field on the vest next season. I hope everyone enjoyed the review. Oh as you can see I also got the cleaning kit, I did not take that all out because the parts are so small they would be a nightmare to get back in there. One tip I can offer that my uncle Jon passed on to me, (Navy man, does all those I think they call them Sparta marathons, they are Military only and is into all kinds of biking and stuff and also lives in TX so he uses these hydration bottles quite often) don't bother buying the Camelbak cleaning tablets, just use some of those denture cleaning tablets that dissolve in water instead, it is much cheaper and works just as well.
