HydraPak HydraSleeve Review

The HydraSleeve features a unique insulating pocket and hose that keeps your drinks liquid in the winter and cold in the summer. It's a favorite amongst our testers who love to backpack and hike with icy, cool water all day long. Use it without the pocket, or replace the insulating tubing with a regular hose. This bladder can be modularized and is the most versatile that we've tested so far.

Ease of Use

What landed this bladder among our top favorites is the insulating sleeve and tube that comes with it. This additional insulation provides better temperature stability over extended periods. If you like to hike with super cold water in the summer, slide this model inside your pack, and expect icy slurps all day long. If you love to adventure in the winter, but struggle with hydration bladder tubes icing up, this system will help to prevent that, too. In addition, the mouthpiece offers exceptional water flow, doesn't slosh when walking, and all parts can be replaced if needed. All in all, this is the most versatile hydration bladder we've tested due to its insulating qualities.

Let's start with the most unique feature, the sleeve itself! Built with insulating foam and a reflective liner, this roll-top design not only accommodates the bladder it comes with, but can also accommodate those that are wider or of different brands. We tried it out with five different types, each with a different brand name, and most of them worked.

Our only real complaint with this design is the connector window at the bottom of the sleeve. Before pulling out the hydration bladder, you must try to disconnect the tube, which can be cumbersome. More often than not, the tube just popped right off, spilling a small amount of water.

The insulated tube is nice and thick, offering the same diameter tubing as other hydration bladders made by HydraFlask. As a result, flow is ample and always available. The high-flow mouthpiece can easily be pinched between the teeth to yield a nice, generous stream of water.

If you want to pare down this system, feel free to do so. You can use just the bladder to slim down your total carrying weight by more than half. You can also replace the insulated tube with a regular one. Typically, most tubes from different brands are interchangeable. So, look at the anatomy of the quick connect to see if it'll work. Additionally, you can replace the mouthpieces if you're not a fan. That said, we love the mouthpiece that comes with it.

During our testing period, we took the time to really see how well this sleeve insulates. We timed how long it took the bladder to freeze during objective testing in our freezer. We also examined how well the tube prevented water from freezing in a test that most regular bladders would fail. We also took each out into the field while skiing and backpacking in both cold and hot weather to see how the sleeve worked in comparison to other bladders.

After all that, we learned the insulating sleeve keeps water from freezing twice as long as regular hydration bladders. In contrast, the body of the bladder keeps the reservoir itself from freezing, even after being exposed to temperatures as low as 0°F for over 24 hours.

In the field, we didn't experience any issues with tubes freezing, even when skiing in the cold mountain temperatures all day long. Additionally, the sleeve kept our water nice and cool during a 6-hour hike when temperatures reached over 90°F. This is our favorite insulating bladder, designed to help keep water from freezing in the tube during cold winter days and cool in the summer heat. It keeps water from freezing in tubes twice as long as a regular bladder and keeps drinks cool in the reservoir 3X as long as normal bladders.

Ease of Care

Care is like any other bladder in this review. To ensure that it stays clean, be sure to empty it after every use. We found that simply rinsing the insulating bladder sleeve was sufficient to keep it debris-free.

The bladder can be put into the dishwasher (top rack) and flipped inside out. The bite valve disassembles completely so you can scrub it easily. Since you can't see the tube (the insulation is black and can't be removed), be sure to blow back the water after every use. If you suspect the tube to be dirty, be sure to purchase a tube cleaning kit and soak it regularly.

Ease of Filling

Filling is quite simple. The bladder has a tiny handle that you can use, or you can pinch it open. It fits easily under a sink or a hose, and you can keep the bladder inside the sleeve when filling it or remove it, as you prefer. If you take it out, you must unclip the base of the hose and reattach it when sliding it back in, which takes more time. Filling up in streams is easy too, but you'll have to work harder in stagnant sources (if you're in the backcountry).

Quality and Durability

Of the bladders tested, this set-up is the most durable and high-quality.

The sleeve provides an additional level of protection from abrasion and average wear and tear. It's composed of waterproof 21D Nylon ripstop. We were able to strap it to the outside of our packs, hang it with ease, and throw it around camp, all without worrying about punctures. The long and short — you can be rough with it.

Weight and Packability

Of all systems tested, it's not surprising that this one, with all its components, is heavy in comparison to systems without the sleeve. The bladder itself is lightweight, and if you wanted to use it without the sleeve, you can. This cuts the weight significantly. Plus, you can change out the insulated tube with a regular one.

The total weight (12 oz) accounts for the hydration bladder and tube (6.5 oz), and sleeve (5.50 oz). The sleeve features a rolltop construction that is compatible with only some hydration bladder hangers in most backpacks.

A backpack that works best will have a large hanging loop with plenty of room to fit around the roll-top. We typically slide this in at the base of our packs, or if there was no room, we put it on the outside, which still kept our water cool. It also features nifty attachment points to strap to a bike, boat, or backpack. We never really used these, but we could see how they'd easily work with a piece of webbing, cord, and a carabiner.

Should You Buy the Hydrapak HydraSleeve?

If you've been seeking a hydration system that keeps your water cool in the summer, this offers the best value available. The price is approximately 30-40% higher than that of many other top hydration bladders, but it comes with a lot more features than your traditional hydration system. If you're less picky about the temperature of your water or are a weight-conscious shopper, you might be better off with another model.

What Other Hydration Bladders Should You Consider?