View Full Version : Water Container...What do you like?
The other day I was in a supermarket and ran across a bottle of water in a very useful looking bottle. It was a bottle of Fred, and the shape of the bottle was the shape of a flask. So I got it. I thought it may come in useful for a backpacking trip.
When I brought the bottle home and pulled out all of my other water containers, that got me to thinking about all the different types of water containers people use. So, what type do you use, for what and why?
I did a write up on some of the containers I use and just containers in general and posted on my blog. It can be read here:
http://stick13.wordpress.com/
SGT Rock
08-22-2010, 00:36
Gatorade bottle because it is light and cheap - for a general water bottle.
Platy for hauling water and camp because it is light and flexible.
ChinMusic
08-22-2010, 01:00
Gatorade bottle because it is light and cheap - for a general water bottle.
Platy for hauling water and camp because it is light and flexible.
This
I use a Steripen and it fits on top of the 32 oz Gatorade bottle perfectly. I replace at next resupply. I keep one extra cap just in case I lose one. This happened to me once in heavy leaves at night. Had to use duct tape til I could replace.
That's a good tip about carrying the extra lid. The only flaw in that though is all the extra weight from carrying that extra lid...I just don't know if I could bring myself to do that... :) JK
Thanks for the tip.
What ever holds water and doesn't leak works. Nalgene, Camelbak, Platypus, Gatorade, Travel coffee mugs....seen it all out on the trail. Except a Fred shaped bottle...you've got a new one there! :-)
SGT Rock
08-22-2010, 07:56
Good tip. I use a Steri Pen when hiking with the wife and it does work on a Gatorade bottle, but Powerade tops were just a little smaller and wouldn't work with the pen. I lost a cap once on my BMT thru in the Smokies. Lucky for me humans are pigs and I found another cap on the trail through sheer luck.
I did an informal experiment while thru-hiking last year trying to determine which would last longer- a Gatorade or Powerade bottle. In the end they were both about as sturdy as the other. The Powerade bottle is a titch slimmer and slides easier inside and out of an outer backpack pocket.
Saw several thru's carrying the big "Smart Water" bottles too. Think I'll try those next hike.
I won't use a Gatorade for a water bottle. I use a Gatorade bottle for a piss bottle. I don't need to accidentally mix up bottles in the middle of the night.
Right now I use a big Dromedary because of all the water I drink. Eventually I'll switch to something smaller. It mostly depends on what mates best with my filter. I drink all my water out of my shaker bottle with a bit of powder for nutrition.
SGT Rock
08-22-2010, 09:12
I won't use a Gatorade for a water bottle. I use a Gatorade bottle for a piss bottle. I don't need to accidentally mix up bottles in the middle of the night.
Right now I use a big Dromedary because of all the water I drink. Eventually I'll switch to something smaller. It mostly depends on what mates best with my filter. I drink all my water out of my shaker bottle with a bit of powder for nutrition.
I use a Gatorade for a piss bottle in winter. But it is one of the smaller ones, so no confusion.
We have those Smart Water bottles at the hospital where I work. I have thought about carrying one of them, but I was wondering how well they would work since they are so tall and narrow. Also they are completely smooth on the sides so I wondered if they would easily slide out of the side pockets.
Sounds like they must work ok though. I will pick one up tomorrow and try one of those out too.
bigcranky
08-22-2010, 09:22
1 liter Aqua Fina bottles, a matched pair, the ones with the wide mouth cap. A 4 or 6 liter Platy Big Zip to fetch and treat water at night.
garlic08
08-22-2010, 10:11
Gatorade bottle because it is light and cheap - for a general water bottle.
Platy for hauling water and camp because it is light and flexible.
Ditto this, plus an extra platy cap, too. Another idea on another thread is to bring along an extra platy cap with a few small holes drilled in it for a make-shift shower.
I like the Platypus Bottles. No BPA and they pack well but they are a little heavier.
Kerosene
08-22-2010, 12:29
I carry a Nalgene flexible Cantene fitted with a hose and bite valve, plus a Platy Softbottle which is even lighter. When I anticipate a few dry camps, or the water source is more than a half mile from the tentsite, then I use a 4-quart water bladder that I can partially inflate and use as a pillow at other camps.
2 Gatorade bottles - 1 usually empty unless it's dry. Two 32 oz Nalgene cantenes for camping and hygiene chores.
Beware the flexible Nalgene cantenes - they fail so often I consider them disposable. In the past 2 years I've probably bought 8-10 of them. They always get a leak somewhere.
Beware the flexible Nalgene cantenes - they fail so often I consider them disposable. In the past 2 years I've probably bought 8-10 of them. They always get a leak somewhere.
This is what I was afraid of. I am surprised that they could not change the design a little bit and produce a much better (durable) product. Seems that the hard plastic around the mouth could be more rounded to keep from puncturing the container, as well as use a less rigid bottle material. I dunno, just my opinion...
For this reason I will just use it to collect water while at camp, rather than rely on it to carry water in my pack. However, I would hope that it would be reliable enough to use in an emergency situation...
I wonder how well the Evernew Collapsible bottle would fair...
daddytwosticks
08-22-2010, 13:38
I also use 1 liter Aqua Fina bottles w/the large mouths. I'm holding on to my last two...looks like they are not making them w/the large mouths any more. :(
Kerosene
08-22-2010, 15:12
Beware the flexible Nalgene cantenes - they fail so often I consider them disposable. In the past 2 years I've probably bought 8-10 of them. They always get a leak somewhere.I've had one fail when it fell from the third-tier bunk at a Hut when it was full (talk about a mess!), and another when it sprung a pinpoint leak just below the lid, probably due to the way I was stuffing it upside down into the pocket of my pack to work with the hose. The Platy Softbottle seems to be of a slightly better design and weighs a fraction of an ounce less.
Appalachian Tater
08-22-2010, 15:21
The cap from a two-liter Coke bottle fits on a Platypus--no need to buy one. Comes in handy if you don't want to use the hose assembly.
gatorade bottle because it is light and cheap - for a general water bottle.
Platy for hauling water and camp because it is light and flexible.
yes!!!!!!........
Mooselook Marty
08-22-2010, 16:58
Gatorade bottle because it is light and cheap - for a general water bottle.
Platy for hauling water and camp because it is light and flexible.
I use these, too. Didn't realize it was such a trend. :cool:
Marty
Big Dawg
08-22-2010, 17:45
1 liter Aqua Fina bottles, a matched pair, the ones with the wide mouth cap. A 4 or 6 liter Platy Big Zip to fetch and treat water at night.
I also use 1 liter Aqua Fina bottles w/the large mouths. I'm holding on to my last two...looks like they are not making them w/the large mouths any more. :(
ditto..........
I use a platy hydration system, 100 oz. Also use a Coghlans (http://www.coghlanscampinggear.com/cowabag.html) water bag to fetch water to camp from a spring or stream.