Platypus Big Zip EVO
Best all-around reservoir
OUR TAKE Your average hydration reservoir is basically a bag with a hose, but the 3-liter Big Zip EVO is not an average reservoir. It has semi-rigid baffling in the center, which makes for easy filling and drying, while antimicrobial silver (a signature Platypus feature not used by many other brands) fends off mildew. On a muggy, three-day trek into Montana’s Beartooth Range, our testers appreciated the flow rate of the 5/16-inch-diameter hose, which has a lock to prevent leaks.
TRAIL CRED “Having the hose mount on the top of the reservoir—it still pulls from the bottom—makes it much easier to take in and out of a pack,” our tester says.
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