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Monkeywrench
06-12-2008, 17:07
For most of my backpacking career I have used a couple of Nalgene bottles (the hard lexan ones) to carry my water, and a pump type filter (currently a Katadyn nee Pur Hiker). I like having the bottles around camp in the evening for cooking and drinking, although they aren't very efficient while hiking as I have never been good at getting them in and out of their pockets while wearing the pack. They are also quite heavy, as is the filter.

I've been thinking about trying a bladder, but I wonder how that works when getting water for cooking and drinking while in camp. I also worry that it would be a pain to keep clean.

As far as the filter goes, pumping water becomes an annoying chore and it also seems quite heavy. I see some of the new gravity systems out this year and think I might try one of those, but I am trying to think of the filter, bladders/bottles, and whatever accompanying accesories as a system, and I just don't know enough about them to evaluate them well. Thus, I turn to the collective wisdom of the real WB network, and throw myself at the mercy of my fellow hikers hoping for inspiration and enlightenment. Don't let me down!

humunuku
06-12-2008, 17:16
right now i mostly use a msr bladder with a msr mini-works filter. I like this system because the filter screw onto to bladder and therefore nothing spills...pretty easy. Im not a super fan of pouring water from the bladder into a cooking pot, but its not that big of a deal.

Its not a big deal to keep the bladder clean when you only put water in it, if you put some drink kinda stuff in it, you might start growing stuff.

If you don't mind the weight, i think the best system is a bladder and one bottle for drinks, cooking etc... a little weight of a bottle isn't a big deal for me,if it does make life a little better

Pete Moss
06-12-2008, 17:16
an ancient chinese proverb taught....the best place for water is in your gut

Cool AT Breeze
06-12-2008, 17:28
I use a 3L MSR bladder and a 1L Mt. Dew bottle. I never carry 4L of water. I leave camp with about 2L of water in my bag then when I think my bag is getting low I just stop and fill the bottle. When its camp time I use the bottle for cooking and drink from the bag. I also use Aqua Mira when I suspect the water source but most of the time I don't treat my water.

Appalachian Tater
06-12-2008, 17:30
2.8 L Platypus bladder and hose and a 1 L Aquafina, Gatorade, or tonic water bottles (Seagrams?) that have wide mouths for mixing drink powder. Plus a Katadyn filter, it really makes good-tasting water. In camp I will also fill up my pot 3/4 when filling up the other containers if I am out of water but I prefer cooking with the warmer water I have been carrying than the cold water I just pumped. I usually leave some liquid in the bottle so if the bladder runs out I still have a few ounces left and it's also nice to have something besides water for a snack. After a while you pretty much know when your bladder is getting empty, either by weight or the change in suction required, or maybe just by how much you've used, or a combination.

Blissful
06-12-2008, 19:08
We used a Nalgene canteen for fetching water in camp. Used 3 liter Playtpus to drink from on the trail and I had a regular soda bottle for mxing up drinks like Gatorade type stuff etc, and I could replace it while in town.

PJ 2005
06-12-2008, 21:21
Just replace the two nalgenes with gatorade bottles. Look into Aqua Mira or similar (I prefer bleach) - most chem treatments are way lighter than filters. Usually it tastes fine, but if not, you might try carrying sugar-free drink mix (on-the-go packets).

Mags
06-12-2008, 21:31
2 1 ltr Sport drink type bottles (Powerade, Gatorade, "whatever is on sale"-ade)
1 3 ltr Nalgane Cantene

With this setup, I have a light and versatile way of carrying water. For dry camping, the Nalgene is very useful.

I do not like bladders. I find I can't accurately gauge my water usage with them, they are heavy, expensive and have not had good luck with them. Since I rarely treat my water (Dip and sip), the Gatorade type bottles work really well for filling up as needed.

When I do treat water, I use simple iodine tabs with a bandanna to get out the "floaties". As with Camel Backs, I find filters to be heavy, prone to breaking/clogging (Esp on long trips), bulky and not simple. They are also $$$.

This is what works for me. I tend to favor the simple, cheap and light.

Other people will different (and equally valid) opinions of what works for them.

You can always go for the less expensive alternative (Xade type bottles, iodine) and try something different if that does not work for you.

bigmac_in
06-12-2008, 22:25
I carry 2 - 1 ltr sport drink bottles and have 2 - 2 ltr platypus bottles for camp. I filter with a Katadyn hiker filter. Water is always clean and tasty. I've never thought of doing anything else.

rafe
06-12-2008, 22:51
Stoopid me, used nuthin' but Nalgene bottles right up through 2006. Finally ditched them for a 3 liter Platypus bladder; worked great last summer. There is that annoyance of not knowing how full it is... I carry a 20 oz soda/gatorade bottle as backup and for sweetened drinks.

Still filtering water... Used MSR filters for years, Katadyn last year, not sold on the Katadyn -- clogs much too easily. MSRs can be cleaned in the field. Chemicals or Steripen won't deal with murky or muddy water.

deeddawg
06-13-2008, 08:17
My system:

4L platypus water tank for collecting / treating water
1.8L platypus hoser in-pack
1/2 liter naglene for drink mix / coffee
AquaMira to treat

Monkeywrench
06-13-2008, 08:21
I am a bit intrigued by the new Platypus CleanStream gravity filter. The website is a bit lean on info, but it looks to me like one could add the drink tube kit to the 'clean' reservoir and use it as a bladder. I think I would add a gatorade bottle for drinking in camp in the evening. Thoughts?

Johnny Swank
06-13-2008, 13:28
I used a bladder and poly Nalgene on my thru-hike, but have now gone back to just using a couple of 1 liter soda bottles and a 2-liter Platy bladder for camp. Simple, easy to drink out of of, and cheap to replace.

Rarely treat anything, but carry a 1/8 ounce bottle of bleach just in case. A full Vissene bottle of bleach would probably last my an entire thru-hike now.

10-K
06-25-2008, 15:54
We used a Nalgene canteen for fetching water in camp. Used 3 liter Playtpus to drink from on the trail and I had a regular soda bottle for mxing up drinks like Gatorade type stuff etc, and I could replace it while in town.

Pretty close to the same here. I carry two 32 oz Nalgene canteens and a 2 liter platypus.

One of the canteens stays in my food bag until I get ready to camp and I fill it up and use it to cook with. The other canteen is my "reserve" and I try to keep it half full during the day to use so in case I suck my platypus dry and I fill it up too right before I camp.

double d
06-25-2008, 16:56
Your best bid might be to get rid of the Nalgene's bottles and you might want to replaced them with gatoraid 1 Liter bottles (I have 2 on the outside of my pack). I also use the camelpak, but alot of folks don't like them, but I do, it fits nicely in my pack as a good reserve if I need it (dry area, poor water quality, ect..ect..) and the weight is fine.
Also, get some of those gatoraid (or whatever brand) of power mixes, they really make a difference in the taste of water. I pre-place some of them in my ziplocks so I don't have alot of empty pouches with me from the used power mix.

rafe
06-25-2008, 18:51
I carried a 3-liter platy last summer on a 6 week/600 mile AT hike. No problems. I also carried a small (20 oz) soda bottle as backup. (I have a Granite Gear pack with a sleeve for the platy bag.)

bullseye
06-25-2008, 19:06
I carry 2 1liter Nalgene Canteens. One is hooked to my hose, the other is my backup. When my 1st bottle runs out I switch over and start looking for water for the other, so I rarely run out like I used to when I carried a 3L MSR bladder. I like the Nalgene Canteen b/c it has a large mouth that makes filling and cleaning easy. They are reasonably priced and only weight about 2 ounces each.

trailfoot
07-27-2008, 23:05
gravity fed water filter
Nalgene bottle NO bad for the body to drink out of a #7 bottle for that many days. Use Gatorade bottle or maybe one of the tougher bottles you find along the trail.
I found that bladders were a pain to suck. I found myself drinking more fluids when I switched from the bladder to a Gatorade bottle.

Bare Bear
07-27-2008, 23:51
This subject has been re-hashed to death.
Please you platy users......make sure your 70 oz. of liquid do not leak out and flood the hikers in the shelter below you. Yeah it happened to me and the smuck did not even apologize! It took several days to get my bag/gear dry again.

smaaax
07-28-2008, 12:16
I used 2 32 oz powerade bottles for water while hiking, and had a 3L platy for use in camp. I used to have a drinking hose for the platy and use that, but especially in the hotter weather, I didn't like using it because I didn't know exactly how much water I had left. You also tend to drink more water than you need with using the bladder on the trail. Using water bottles, its plenty easy to stay hydrated and you know exactly how much you have left so you can carry a minimal amount of water.

Used the water bottles to dip and fill the bladder. 5 liters meant one trip to water in camp with plenty to start out the next day. Used bleach most of the trip. Hard to beat, and there isn't much taste.

Wags
07-28-2008, 13:44
i actually like the hydration bladder, especially for summer use.

#1 it takes up less rigid space in my pack than a bottle will b/c it molds to the stuff around it.
#2 i tend to drink a little bit here and there - small, frequent drinks. i don't know about you guys but if i 'camel up' when i'm really working hard i get a little uneasy feeling in my gut.
#3 i don't have to fumble or stop to get to it. it's hanging right on my shoulder strap. i just took the inside of a camelback and put it in my sleeve on my pack. 2L

i carry a 1 L nalgene for gatoraid and for filling my camelback. i like to have the nalgene, as opposed to gatoraid bottle, for a hot water bottle at night if it's cold. it's probably a little bit heavier than some people's set ups, but it works well for me

fiddlehead
07-28-2008, 15:33
1 litre soda bottle.
One of those wine box bladders (3 litre) for camp.

Only in dry and hot season I add another soda bottle. Keep it simple.