A while back I decided to supplement my hydration set up with another, smaller bladder. I’d been using a 3ltr Source reservoir for a couple of years combined with a collapsible water bottle (The name of which escapes me).

It was lucky I decided to do so, After filling up my bladder and realising my cat had been using it as a bed/clawing mat… So, One extremely embarrassing incident at Longmoor later and I’m now down to one bladder again.

The 1 Litre Kangaroo Pouch is designed to fulfil two tasks, it’s primarily a hydration bladder but it also acts as a compact freestanding canteen.

As a canteen it’s certainly a usable option, Able to be stood up and filled from its patented Wideslide opening at the top, the whole top being so open also makes cleaning the bladder a simple task.

To open the top, simply pinch together the end of the attached plastic retained bar and pull the wideslide unit to the side, Don’t worry about losing it… Its attached via a thin cord. You can then simply pour your beverage of choice directly into the top, It’s also able to accept ice cubes… A feature I used whilst on a pit stop at a coastal bar the other week.

Your even able to 3/4 fill the bladder and dump it in the freezer, the tough nature of the bladder being resistant to splitting under extreme temperatures.

The other, much more useful way of filling this hydration pouch is through the use of Source’s UTA (Universal Tube Adaptor), Available separately it allows you to fill your hydration pouch on the move, without even taking your pack off!

The bladder itself is made with a “Glass-like” liner as is the tubing, this helps eliminate foul or plastic tasting water. It also has an anti-microbial property which helps prevent the build up of bacteria, a massive plus in something that may go a few weeks between uses.

The tubing itself is one of the more interesting parts of the design, Covered in a cool weave, UV protecting mesh it’s attached to the bladder and mouthpiece via its QMT (Quick Mate Technology), Effectively similar in its design to a garden hose, The press of a button allows the disconnection of whatever you wish to remove, The female valve assembly having a water lock which prevents any fluid from leaking out whilst swapping between parts. In practice it works very well, Only the smallest amount of water escaping when unhooking an accessory.

The mouthpiece supplied is their patented “Storm Valve“, A non bite design of which I’m a massive fan… I’ve never really liked the bite valves used by Camelbak… This design allowing much more fluid to pass through. It’s also angled at 90 degrees to its connector, a great idea that means that you don’t need to have massive amounts of surplus tubing.

Overall I’m a big fan, This 1 litre pack being ideal for quick direct action missions. For longer missions or walks it’s probably advisable to use this as an on the go hydration system supplemented with a canteen or water bottle in a pack to drink whilst your pausing between tasks.

There is also the option to buy this same reservoir with a molle pouch, Ideal for a low profile plate carrier, you could even mount it near your kidneys if your not looking to use the rear of your carrier.

Overall, A good hydration pouch… there are others in the range for different applications, Some being extremely low profile (This is certainly not low profile for its capacity) and able to fit behind SAPI plates. Having owned three of Source’s pouches I’d have to say that you’d struggle to find a better hydration pouch, Just buy the one that meets your needs.