For 2017, Mazama Designs introduced the Backflip and Hatch hydration reservoirs which include a new flip closure that makes it easy to fill your reservoir on the run. No more threaded caps that are difficult to open and leak if they are not sealed perfectly. Mazama owners simply can push a button to open the cap and fill the reservoir. Once filled, users can flip the cap back down and throw a lock switch to prevent accidental spillage.
The Backflip hydration bladder is designed with a low profile for fitting into a backpack and is available in both a two-liter version ($31) and a three-liter capacity ($33). The Hatch is similar to the Backflip but is meant for the tactical market. It has both an extra heavy duty film for rugged use and Mazama’s proprietary Ultravalve that allows for either streaming flow or bite-activated operation.
Also added to Mazama’s lineup are the upgraded Axe and Dual reservoirs. As its name implies, the Dual has two chambers and two drink tubes, allowing athletes to fill their hydration system with water on one side and electrolytes on the other. It also ships with an upgraded top fill closure system. The Dual is now available in both two- and three-liter capacities with the two-liter version selling for $38 and the three-liter model costing a few dollars more at $40.
Mazama’s Axe shares the same new-and-improved top-fill closure system as the Dual, but the Axe has a single chamber bladder with a single drink tube. It is available in three different sizes — a short two-liter hydration reservoir, a regular-sized two-liter reservoir, and a larger three-liter reservoir. The new Axe 2L versions and Axe 3L retail for $30 and $32, respectively.
All of Mazama’s new reservoirs are listed on the company’s website as coming soon.
