Water Buffalo Oasis 2L Review

The Water Buffalo Oasis held up to long days of working and playing from the high alpine tundra to the rocky deserts of Colorado. It was tossed around the back of a dirty work truck, held up to miles of hiking and mountain biking, and survived many a weekend climbing session at dusty crags.

Ease of Use

The Water Buffalo Oasis is a fairly basic bladder and generally user-friendly, though certain elements made it less convenient than the more expensive options.

The convenient dimensions and the universal hanger meant the Oasis fit well into a variety of bags, from smaller day packs to bulkier climbing bags. The insulated hose kept the water cooler in hot, sunny conditions, but it also didn't fit quite as well into hose loops and clips. While the dust cap did add bulkiness, it was fantastic for keeping the mouthpiece clean when at a dusty crag or tossing a hiking pack around the back of a dirty work truck.

That said, there are a few elements that take this bladder from the category of “great” to merely “good”. The lack of a handle made this hydration bladder slightly harder to hold onto when pulling out of packs, and the sliding lid isn't attached to the bladder, so it can easily be misplaced and lost. The lid also once slipped off while pulling the bladder out of a pack. Fortunately, the top remained folded over, and no water was spilled during this mishap. Once the lid is on, there is no problem with leaking or spilling.

None of these issues are deal-breakers, and the Water Buffalo still performed better in ease of use than other low-budget options, but these are still things to be aware of.

Ease of Care

In terms of ease of care, slide tops generally perform better than screw tops. Since water drains out the top when they are hung upside down, slide top hydration bladders will dry out more completely than screw tops, and the wide mouth makes them easier to scrub out by hand using a standard water bottle cleaning kit.

In this regard, the Water Buffalo Oasis scored near the middle in terms of ease of care. Nothing in the cleaning and maintenance stood out as exceptional. It performed better than the screw-top options, but there were other slide tops that were easier to clean.

One notable and unexpected issue we encountered happened after scrubbing the tube. If you insert a scrub brush into the end of the tube where it connects to the bladder, it breaks the seal and renders the reservoir unusable. This is a user error, but also an easy mistake to make. Be warned!

The internal baffle gives the Oasis enough structure to stay open and dry out completely when hung upside down. The insulated hose makes it hard to see how dirty the inside of the hose is, but the mouthpiece can be easily removed, making scrubbing and rinsing the hose easy.

Ease of Filling

When it comes to filling and handling, the Water Buffalo Oasis stood out in the wrong way. Of all the bladders we tested, this is one of the few that doesn't have a handle.

The instructions on folding the top are also a bit confusing for what should be a simple process. The instructions say “fold away from you”, but the top fits better when the opening is folded towards the holder. However, most reasonable people are capable of figuring this out.

The top proved slippery and difficult to hold onto when wet, and a handle would have made holding onto the bladder much easier. Nonetheless, the slide-top design makes for convenient filling at water fountains and bottle fill stations.

Quality & Durability

Despite the low price point, the Water Buffalo Oasis received positive reviews for its durability and stood up well to being tossed around the back of a work truck.

After the bladder was rinsed with soap and water, as per the manufacturer's recommendations, there was absolutely no classic “plastic taste” that plagues so many hydration bladders.

Plus, the insulated hose really does keep water cooler on hot days and from getting icy on cold days. Which is nice, because the last thing anyone wants at the midst of an uphill climb is a mouthful of hot water.

There are a few issues with quality that are worth discussing. The dust cap started to get loose after repeated use, and would occasionally fall off. This really defeats the point of a dust cap. There was some minor leaking at the mouthpiece, but this only occurred when the bite valve wasn't fully pushed down, and is thus more of a user error.

Weight & Packability

In this metric, the Water Buffalo Oasis actually performed better than some of the pricier options due to its fairly basic design.

The slide top and the lack of a handle make the Oasis easy to roll up and pack, though the insulated hose adds some bulkiness.

The internal baffle makes this hydration bladder more streamlined, and it fit well into a variety of different packs. The 2L was an ideal fit for a standard day pack.

Should you buy the Water Buffalo Oasis?

If you're looking for a reasonably priced hydration bladder that offers durability and packability without the classic “plastic taste” that haunts many an affordable bladder, the Water Buffalo Oasis is the way to go. It held up to some pretty heavy use with minor scuffing, and delivered a solid performance under a variety of conditions.

What Other Hydration Bladders Should You Consider?

The Water Buffalo Oasis stands out for delivering mid-range quality at a low price point, but not everybody likes the slide-top closures. For those who prefer screw-tops and aim to buy something cheap and sturdy, and don't mind a little plastic flavoring to their water, the CHERAINTI is worth considering. For those who are willing to invest in a higher-priced option, the Osprey Hydraulics LT offers a sleek profile with thoughtful design features that contribute to user comfort.