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This 2-minute project isn’t rocket science. It’s just a simple hack that will help you feel great on the trail.

I’m embarrassed to say how long it took me to realize I could simply cut a piece of plastic to fit properly! But judging by how much Excessive Dangle Floppage* I see on the trail, I’m not the only one.

You can do this project in a minute or two and enjoy every future hike that little bit more.

Here’s how to get it done…

How to Shorten Your Hydration Hose

I use an Osprey hydration reservoir but the process will be the same for any similarly-structured hose system.

First, simply pull out the entire bite valve. This might require a little twisting and turning, but the whole valve should come out as one unit. Like this…

hydration bladder bite valve in human hand — Reservoir bite valve

Next get some snips or a sharp knife…

You can either put on your backpack and mark the place on the hydration hose you’re going to cut (as shown in the Osprey video below) — or, like me, you can simply cut off small sections until you get to the right fit for you…