I ride about 20 hours a week and my Camelback has sprung it’s second leak in eight months. I’m pretty gentle with my equipment so I think it is a quality issue.

Anyone have a recommendation for a brand with better quality?

Some people suggest Osprey. I have no first-hand experience.

My main issue with the camelback bladder is that the water that came out of it tasted like one.

I've mainly used water bottles.

Did you fix the first leak?

USWE packs are my favorite. https://uswe.com/en-us/hydration-packs/biking After riding Camelbacks for 20 years, a friend recommended USWE and its a huge improvement in comfort. I only wear one when riding my MTB and the Camelback packs always come up and hit me in the back of the head, when hopping over logs. The USWE pack has a different shoulder strap system that keeps the pack in place without an additional strap around your waist.

No. It was in place that wasn't possible to fix. The seam at the bottom where the hose attaches split.

Just buy a replacement bladder. There are several sellers on eBay with prices from $10 to $13 including shipping. https://www.ebay.com/itm/355720684541 https://www.ebay.com/itm/155399019649
I was given a Camelback by my sister-in-law and after using it one time it hangs in a closet for more than a decade. I too did not like the taste of plastic common with these packs. My water bottle cage holds a 20 oz Gatorade bottle. I live in an area with enough parks so I can refill the bottle well before I need to.

Yeah, that's probably the best idea. It's a bit harder for me to find refill spots in my area, and my arthritis makes a water bottle challenging. A bit of lemon solves the taste issue. Also, putting a few tools and tubes in the Camelback ensures I have the needed tools no matter which bike I ride.

Thanks for the idea!

Camelbak! Reach out to them.

I am not trying to be mean or nasty to anyone but why does nobody think to reach out to the OEM when they have an issue. When you buy a quality product like say Camelbak or Specialized or Shimano...they are generally there to support you in some way or another. Sure not every case not all the time bust most of them are willing to at least hear what is going on but many will offer a solution of some sort maybe if not a full replacement maybe a discount or willingness to take a look at it after you send it back. When I have an issue I reach out to the manufacturer right away (or within a short time) even if they say sorry we cannot help at least I tried but most are willing to help out especially if it is within their warranty period or near enough to it or it is a defective product.

I had an Osprey and the water tasted like plastic, gross and nasty and after cleaning it again and again same bad flavor. Granted it was a free bladder from a customer who didn't need it but my hydration needs are generally fillled by Camelbak and nobody else all my cycling bottles are Camelbak because the water always tastes like water even after sitting for a month in the bottle it still tastes OK I don't generally drink it and put in fresh water but I will usually taste it and it has gone stale but doesn't taste of plastic or chemicals or anything.

I have an Osprey and the first bladder split. Osprey replaced it at no cost.

I'm an Osprey guy and they have a lifetime no questions ask warranty on the PACK not so much the bladder. Mine sprung a leak last year and I keep trying to fix it but is also in not really patchable spot where the hose enters the pack on a seam. I'm cheap and don't want to spend the $50 for a new bladder so I've tried tire patches and finally just globbed E6000 glue all over the place and that slowed it down enough that it doesn't bother me. Downside it made the water taste awful and I had to keep filling it, letting it sit, and drain it over and over to get ride of the taste. Pack is about 10 years old so I can't complain too much about the bladder springing a leak and I use it a lot.

I have osprey and I like it.

I've had an Osprey for a few years and I like them over the Camelbak, never been a fan of their access points

I'm glad osprey lost the patent battle with camelback and changed their bladder design. The one with the screw-on lid took a lot of concentration to get right, at least for me. The only good news is I only wear a hydration pack when it's hot, so getting all wet never made too much difference. I don't have that problem with their new design. I didn't remember the new one being all that expensive, but it was about $50 for 2l bladder. I really like the osprey pack though.

The screw on lid on my CamelBak is definitely fidgety sometimes. You have to seat it just right or it won’t seal when you screw it closed. When it comes time to replace it, I’ll look at an Osprey. I currently use a 40 ounce for touring. Comes in handy at the campsite if the water tap is not very close.

I just found a leak in my Osprey bag, filed a claim and they are sending a new bladder free.