UKC

Went up to Helvellyn ( 1st time up ) on Tuesday  22/01/19 in real deep snow , met two good lads en route to the summit and back .

I had with me - also to try for the first time a EVOC insulated hydration pack/bladder 2L only purchased in December less than 2/3 rds of the way up the tube and mouth piece froze rendering this pretty useless are any of these bladders any use at sub zero temperatures  ( without having to case them in  foil and or further pipe type insulation materials) ?

Once you've taken a sip just blow the water back up the tube back into the bag. Should stop the tube freezing completely. 

Or just squeeze a handful of snow and put it in your mouth.

There are ones that come with a neoprene sleeve, which helps. Blow back and take regular sips as a precaution against it freezing.

And do the same in summer.  I learnt this years ago when paragliding.  Otherwise the liquid in the tube gets unpalatably warm.

Fill bladder with water, then add a decent measure of vodka, stops the mixture from freezing.

Water does tend to freeze below zero...

You can always drink direct from the bladder.  No less inconvenient than the old school water bottle.

Lol, Yep good idea

Well when youve got the tubing insulated ie from freezing you would expect it to do so, not freeze .

This is why i where a coat/jacket in winter to prevent from freezing 

It's just few mm of neoprene or foam, not really that much insulation at all... Try putting the mouthpiece end inside your jacket, that helps a bit. And blowing it back after each sip. Although I haven't had much luck with either, if it's really cold and windy. Thermos is a thermos...

You are an organism actively generating heat. The insulation slows down the loss of that heat to the outside. The water in your bladder does not generate heat. Without heat generation you too would freeze regardless of how many jackets you wore.

Surrounded by snow & ice.  Perfectly good to drink and no carrying involved.

Only the white stuff...

Try putting the right amount of electrolyte tabs in for the amount of water in the bladder. I have found this helps when I’ve been biking in below freezing temps. The science is that like grit the salts lower the freezing point of the water...it’ll still freeze just not as easily. Tip on blowing back is a good idea. 

Long before its cold enough to freeze I find drinking chilled water through a hose painful on my sensitive teeth. Love the convenience of a bladder for most of the year but in sub zero temperatures prefer a screw to bottle. 

Deuter hose insulation...which also covers a large mouthpiece...

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=deuter+hose+insulation&tbm=isch&s...

Never had any problems with drink freezing in the years I've had it....PS I do ski mountaineering, & hill walking etc up here in Scotland in winter...so -10C is easy...without windchill..

I've got the Source winter cover for my Source bladder. Used to use it for xc skiing when I lived in Finland, but can't be bothered in the UK. For UK winter and ski touring I've gone over to one or two 500 ml bottles on the rucksack shoulder straps. They don't freeze too quickly being on your chest.

Many thanks for - everyones advice , i think i will try the extra insulation,  i have already tried the electrolyte/salts  even Dioralyte - it still froze . 

Evoc bladders made by Hydrapac who also make them for Osprey - Osprey make an insulated tube and bit vale kit with insulated cover which should fit. I've used it at -25C and below when biking in the arctic - still worth getting into the habit of blowing the fluid back up the hose.