A member asked whether a quality water bladder could serve as a durable under-camper fresh water tank if it sits in a smooth, supportive box with no sharp contact points. The main practical concern was long-term durability under travel conditions, especially water slosh and repeated movement. One experienced member did not report direct bladder experience for this use, but questioned the need for a bladder if a rigid enclosure is already being built, noting that a fitted hard tank would...
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A member asked whether a quality water bladder could serve as a durable under-camper fresh water tank if it sits in a smooth, supportive box with no sharp contact points. The main practical concern was long-term durability under travel conditions, especially water slosh and repeated movement. One experienced member did not report direct bladder experience for this use, but questioned the need for a bladder if a rigid enclosure is already being built, noting that a fitted hard tank would likely hold more water and probably last longer.
The most useful outcome was that the fit problem, not the concept itself, is driving the idea. The member needs a very shallow tank, roughly 55 inches long, 30 inches wide, and only 5 to 6 inches deep, which appears hard to find in typical RV parts catalogs. A moderator suggested checking marine suppliers, which points toward boat tanks as a better match for unusual dimensions. The member later found a 26-gallon rigid RV tank close to the needed size, but the cost, around $280, stood out as a drawback.
Bottom line: there was no strong evidence either confirming or disproving long-term bladder durability in this setup, so the clearest takeaway is that most support leaned toward a shallow rigid tank if one can be sourced at an acceptable price. Best next steps are to compare marine and RV tank options in the required dimensions, weigh custom-fit convenience against cost, and only pursue a bladder if the space truly cannot accept a rigid tank.
