Bite Valves

Clean water is important in life, and staying hydrated while hiking is a must. Keep your gear clean, your water clean, and happy drinking! Do you know how often your bite valve should be replaced?

I love using a hydration pack and I have used my current one for several years now. While there are many good ones on the market, my preferance is the Osprey Hydraulics 2L Water Reservoir. I am always mindful to wash and dry it after I have used it in order to keep it in good condition and so that it will last a long time.

A while ago I accidentally bit through the plastic on my valve, and at the time I didn’t think too much about it, the hole wasn’t that big, so it should be fine right? Wrong. Fast forward a couple months and it just kept getting bigger, and then leaking. This led me to be concerned about how much bacteria might be getting in and not being able to wash it properly. Not to mention it was causing my backpack and shirt to get wet.

After purchasing a replacement valve I browsed the internet trying to find some information as to how frequently this item should be replaced, and I was surprised to find zero information about it.

What I could find was that hydration packs are intended to be replaced every 6-12 months. In my mind, if items are well cared for they should last much longer, and my hydration pack is an example of that longevity thankfully. However, should that not also mean that the bite valve should be replaced just as frequently if not more?

Just like any piece of gear, the better you take care of it, the longer it will last you, but also know when to replace your items. Moving forward, I will be more mindful with my bite valve, and will likely replace this piece more often! I’m hopeful it will last a year, and will evaluate it at that time.

One great thing about a hydration pack is that most brands offer individual part replacements, so you will not need to buy a new bladder. Not only does this save you money but it also keeps unnecessary waste out of the landfill.