Shape Shift Owner's Manual - Download Now (2.3MB)

Also, please see the image below:

Our new 28mm Flip Cap is a terrific upgrade for our Stow bottles and SF150 Flasks. However, not all year-models are compatible. This guide will help you to identify your product and determine if your product can work with the Flip Cap.

Compatible Models - The models below are compatible but not all generations will work. See below for more details.

2020 Stow Bottles - Our 2020 Stow Bottles are compatible but our 2019 models are not. To determine if you have a 2019 or 2020 model, look at the back of the Stow and find the Filter Compatible Icon. If you flask has this icon, then it is compatible with the 28mm Flip Cap.

Softflask 150ml - Identification on our SF150 is a little more difficult but it can still be determined by removing the top cap and taking a very close look at the threads. To identify if your flask is compatible, look for visible markings on the threaded nozzle of your flask:

Raised features circled above indicate that your flask is compatible. If the markings are not present, then your flask is not compatible.

Softflask 250 - Unfortunately, the SF250 is not currently compatible with the 28mm flip cap.

Water treatment is important to maintaining your health in the outdoors. As tempting and pristine as alpine lakes and streams may look, backcountry water sources can contain nasty waterborne bacteria or parasites that could make you sick and your body weak. To keep this from happening, collect the water from the cleanest source available—a flowing river rather than a freestanding puddle—and go prepared with a method to purify the water before you drink it down. To learn more about backcountry water safety, check out our Hydration 101 Blog.

Water filters are a popular choice for purifying backcountry drinking water. Filters come in a wide variety of designs and we are often asked which filters are compatible with our products. To help determine which filter will work best for you, we have grouped filters into 4 categories:

• Inline Filters - These attach to our containers by using a drink tube
• Direct-Mount Filters - These attach directly to the nozzles of our containers that have threaded top caps
• Adapted Filters - These require the use of a special adapter that allows a filter to work with some of our containers
• Iodine or Chlorine purification tablets

Inline Filters

Any container that utilizes a drink tube, such a HydraPak hydration reservoir, can be used with an "inline" filter. These types of filters have a fitting at each end that allow you to connect two sections of a tube to it. Popular filters in this category include the Sawyer Mini, Sawyer Squeeze (with Sawyer inline adapter kit), Platypus GravityWorks, MSR Thru-Link and many others.

To install the filter, you will need to cut the hose with scissors and connect the hose ends to the filter. Since you have to cut the tube, you will want to carefully consider where you want to place the filter. It can be placed down low near the reservoir or higher up the tube so that the filter is over the shoulder. Still another consideration is to remove the bite valve from the tube and place the filter at at the end of the tube and drink directly from the filter.

Direct-Mount Filters

Many of our HydraPak products are compatible with a variety of backcountry water filters that attach directly to the bottle or storage container’s threaded top. There are three different sizes of threaded tops in the HydraPak line of products, each is compatible with multiple brands and styles of filters. For your convenience, we have listed some of the available options for each size.

28mm Threaded Top

You can find this on the HydraPak Stow 1L and 500ml bottles (2020 models & newer, look for Filter Compatible icon on the back of the bottle)

Compatible Filters:

• Sawyer Mini Filter
• Sawyer Squeeze Filter
• LifeStraw Flex
• Hydroblu Versa Flow

42mm Threaded Top

You can find this on the HydraPak Flux bottles, Stash 750ml, Seeker Water Storage containers and our line of UltraFlasks and SkyFlasks.

Compatible Filters:

• Katadyn BeFree Filter
• Salomon XA Filter Cap

63mm Threaded Top

You can find this on the HydraPak Expedition, Stash 1L bottle and all sizes of our Recon bottles.

Compatible Filters:

• MSR Guardian Filter
• MSR MiniWorks EX Filter
• Katadyn Vario Filter

Adapted Filters

The Sawyer Squeeze filter is an incredibly popular choice for thru-hikers and lightweight backpackers. As such, it has become the industry standard for a compact filter. While the Squeeze will mount directly to our Stow bottles (28mm threads), an adapter and a Plug N Play top cap must be used if you would like to use it with our popular Seeker containers (42mm threads).

The above combination will also work for any of our 42mm diameter products including the Flux bottles, Stash 750ml, and our line of UltraFlasks and SkyFlasks.

Also, the HydraPak 28mm filter adapter will allow a Squeeze to be used with any our Plug N Play products including our reservoirs, Inline Connector, 63mm top cap found on our Expeditions.

Purification Tablets

Our hard-plastic bottle, the Recon, is compatible with Iodine or Chlorine purification tablets.

Unfortunately, our softflasks, Seekers, reservoirs, or other products made from TPU film are not compatible with Iodine or Chlorine solutions. For this reason, we do not recommend using TPU products as purification vessels unless it is an emergency situation in the backcountry.

Bite valves are a wear and tear part and will periodically need to be replaced. The help article below has three sections:

1. Reservoir Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement
2. Reservoir Bite Valve, Complete Assembly Replacement
3. Softflask Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement

Reservoir Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement

Often times the part that fails is the soft biting surface that is known as a sheath. Replacing the sheath is easy takes less 30 seconds.

1. Remove the sheath - Grasp the hard plastic part of the valve and in one hand and the sheath in the other and pull apart.

2. Install new sheath by pushing it onto the valve body.

Reservoir Bite Valve, Complete Replacement

Depending on the original problem with the bite valve, it is sometimes necessary to replace the entire bite valve. We define the bite valve as the complete assembly located at the end of the tube. This includes the hard plastic body and the soft biting material (known as a sheath).

1. Remove the bite valve from the tube

Quite simply, the bite valve assembly needs to be pulled out of the tube. There are barbs that hold the bite valve to the tube. Grasp the tube in one hand and grab the bite valve plastic body in the other hand and pull hard. The bite valve will pull out of the tube.

Sometimes the valves can be difficult to remove. In this case, we recommend the following solution using hot water. Heat water up to 170 F / 77 C and place into a coffee cup. Place the bite valve and end of the tube into the cup and let it sit for 30 seconds.

Once the hose is heated up, the bite valve can be pulled out of the tube. Be careful as the plastic will be hot. We recommend covering the end with a towel and then grasping the bite valve assembly firmly and then pull it out of the tube.

2. Install the bite valve. Normally, you can press the new bite valve into the tube without any problem. If you find it is difficult to press into the tube, use the hot water method above to heat up the tube and then press the bite valve into the tube.

Softflask Bite Valve, Sheath Replacement

Much like a sheath replacement on a reservoir, the sheath replacement on a flask is quick and easy.

1. Remove the old sheath by pull it straight off of the flask.

2. Install the new sheath by pressing it onto the softflask.

That's all there is to it. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns./p>

Email: info@hydrapak.co.nz

HydraPak reservoirs can be somewhat difficult to open when they are brand new. But rest assured, our reservoirs will open! The following steps will walk your through the initial process of opening our reservoir. After the reservoir is open for the first time, it will be much easier to open for the rest of the life of the product.

1. Remove The Slider Top

Grasp the slider top firmly and pull to the side. The slider is directional so be sure to pull towards the closed end of the slider.

2. Flip The Flap Up

3. Locate The Front Handle

Locate the front handle and place 2 or more fingers underneath.

4. Locate The Rear Handle

Look at the back of the reservoir and locate the handle, then place at least a couple of fingers underneath it.

5. Pull The Handles Apart From Each Other

With a firm grasp of both the front and rear handles, pull the two handles apart from each other in opposite directions. A fair amount of force may be necessary so pull hard. Our reservoirs are tough. They can take it!

Viola! Your new reservoir has been opened.