Nalgene - Holy Heavy Batman

[Van Lloyden]

Ever just take some items in your pack for granted....then weight them to discover they weigh almost half of your shelter.

Dear god, my 1 qt nalgene bottle is 6.3 ounces.

I've read that reusing soda bottles, gatorade bottles, etc can be harmful to your health and have thus avoided them for long distance hikes.....but darn 6.3 oz for a water bottle, I've got to fix that.

I use a half full platypus hydration system for hiking, and use the nalgene incase my platypus bursts (they have be known to do that) (usually consuming all water by teh next water stop).

What do you find is a nice lightweight, durable, healthy alternative?

[TankHiker]

I am ditching my Nalgenes this time around for Gator-ade bottles.
How are they harmful to your health? How bad could it be?

-Tank :confused:

[tlbj6142]

I use nalgene soft sided cantenes.


They are light. 1.98oz for the 32oz (actually holds 40oz) and 2.12 for the 48oz (actually holds 64oz).
Wide mouth so they are easy to fill in shallow streams, etc. Which is an issue for the small mouthed platty.
Can be used as a nice pillow in camp.
And, my primary reason, I can squeeze the excess air out of the container so I don't have to hear the water sloshing around in my pack.

[Singletrack]

Rubbermade makes a 1 liter wide mouth bottle, that is shaped like a Nalgene that works for me. It weighs 2.5 oz. Not quiet as light as a soda bottle, but good for mixing powdered drinks, and its easy to clean. Large supermarkets sell them for about $4. It is also bombproof.

[Van Lloyden]

You can reuse teh gatorade bottles, but after awhile the bottle material begins to break down and certain chemicals are released into the water.

I've read that this is only and issue for long distance hikers and not really a problem for the weekender.

I might try out the rubbermaid...take a look at them. Though I've forgotten that nothing warms me like tossing a nalgene filled with boiling water into my bag with me.....wonder if rubbermaid can handle boiling water.

[saimyoji]

Rest assured, you can reuse those Gatorade bottles.

http://www.snopes.com/toxins/bottles.asp

[TankHiker]

Yeah, that sounded like an urban legend made up by the people who sell expensive water bottles. :)

-Tank

[Mother Nature]

I use the RubberMaid qt bottle as a back up for my hydration system. I also use a waterbag on occasion to collect unfiltered and untreated water for camp. The wide mouth RubberMaid is easy to drape a bandana over and pour a qt of water for treating. I carried soda bottles for a while as they were lighter but proved awkward to fill from the water bag.

My husband and I used to use Nalgene bottles for day hikes for years. We bought a pair the same day and used them for about 5 years. My bottle served me well until one day. I was suddenly aware that my day pack was dripping water. The bottle had cracked all around the top and broken off. Thought that was strange until my husband's bottle did the same thing about a month later. So it would appear that Nalgene's will break down over time. Up until that time I have been filling them with boiling water for warmers on backpacking trips. Very glad to have the breakage happen on a day hike not in the Smokies at O degrees in my sleeping bag.

I have poured boiling water into my RubberMaid and hydrated foods but after my Nalgene experience I won't be putting any water bottles in my sleeping bag anymore. I take along a couple of handwarmers for emergency use in my bag.

Mother Nature

[plodder]

The slosh gets me. I tried to convince myself that meant I had water on board. Back to 20oz Diet Coke. I was doing a ul thing and had no idea. Now if I could just forget slamming 40 on Baxter last year. Did seem like a good idea...

[Kerosene]

I use nalgene soft sided cantenes.I do the same, using the 32 oz. cantenes. I put a Nalgene bite valve and hose on one of them, invert it in the side pocket of my pack, and hydrate while I walk. This configuration seems to work much better for me.

[RagingHampster]

I use the 1L widemouth Pepsi bottles. The gatorade bottles are hard to clean with all the shapes formed into their sides. I like to use half-strength mixes of things like tang, or ready-mix koolaid sometimes.

[Singletrack]

I do the same, using the 32 oz. cantenes. I put a Nalgene bite valve and hose on one of them, invert it in the side pocket of my pack, and hydrate while I walk. This configuration seems to work much better for me.
Is this a wide mouth Nalgene canteen? And if so, how does the hose hook to the canteen screw on top? Sounds interesting.

[Kerosene]

Is this a wide mouth Nalgene canteen? And if so, how does the hose hook to the canteen screw on top? Sounds interesting.Here is a link to the wide-mouth Nalgene cantenes: http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/NA1100

Here is a link to the Nalgene bite valve and hose: http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/subcategory.asp?categorysubcategorycode=39

[plodder]

Does it slosh or compress?

[Singletrack]

Here is a link to the wide-mouth Nalgene cantenes: http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm/NA1100

Here is a link to the Nalgene bite valve and hose: http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/subcategory.asp?categorysubcategorycode=39
Kerosene thanks, I was thinking that maybe I could replace my 1 liter platy with hoser, and my 1 liter rubbermaid bottle with a 1 liter Nalgene with hose and bite valve. I use the 1 liter rubbermaid for powdered drinks, and scooping water out of springs and creeks. In your opinion, would this wide mouth flexible Nalgene be stiff enough to scoop water. I really do not want to dig down into my bag and use my Ti Kettle to scoop water. Though it works well.

[Kerosene]

Does it slosh or compress?The remainder of the Cantene is a more flexible plastic, which you can compress by squeezing the air out, or it compresses as you suck water from the bottom. No sloshing to speak of.

[Kerosene]

In your opinion, would this wide mouth flexible Nalgene be stiff enough to scoop water.The mouth of the Cantene is rigid plastic, so yes, it could be used to scoop water.

[hikerjohnd]

The mouth of the Cantene is rigid plastic, so yes, it could be used to scoop water.
Seems to me it would be a small scoop - Singletrack, what do you have in mind using the lid as a scoop? you have piqued my curiosity. :confused:

[hikerjohnd]

I use nalgene soft sided cantenes.



They are light. 1.98oz for the 32oz (actually holds 40oz) and 2.12 for the 48oz (actually holds 64oz).
Wide mouth so they are easy to fill in shallow streams, etc. Which is an issue for the small mouthed platty.
Can be used as a nice pillow in camp.
And, my primary reason, I can squeeze the excess air out of the container so I don't have to hear the water sloshing around in my pack.


How are the canteens when it comes to cleaning them? I usually use my waterbottle for mixing drinks in camp (gatorade mostly). Also - how does it hold up to hot liquids? Can it be a hot water bottle if needed?:confused:

Thanks!

[tlbj6142]

How are the canteens when it comes to cleaning them? I usually use my waterbottle for mixing drinks in camp (gatorade mostly). Also - how does it hold up to hot liquids? Can it be a hot water bottle if needed?:confused:

Thanks!The access to the cantene (that's how NalgENE spells it) is the same size as your typically hard sided Nalgene. So, cleaning is just as easy, or hard, as cleaning the ridged containers. They claim it can hold hot water, but I haven't had the need yet. I do know that others have put hot water in them. Ryan Jordan of www.backpackinglight.com fame, uses them on his winter hikes.

[Tim Rich]

I use nalgene soft sided cantenes.


They are light. 1.98oz for the 32oz (actually holds 40oz) and 2.12 for the 48oz (actually holds 64oz).
Wide mouth so they are easy to fill in shallow streams, etc. Which is an issue for the small mouthed platty.
Can be used as a nice pillow in camp.
And, my primary reason, I can squeeze the excess air out of the container so I don't have to hear the water sloshing around in my pack.


I'll put in another vote for the nalgene canteens. I've been using these for a couple of years now, and they've held up fine. Since they're collapsible, they only take up the amount of space of the water and they're easy to pack. The bottom spreads out so they stand up well.

[Footslogger]

[QUOTE=Van Lloyden]You can reuse teh gatorade bottles, but after awhile the bottle material begins to break down and certain chemicals are released into the water.
===========================================
I used the 20 oz'ers on my thru in 2003 (shock corded to my shoulder strap) and just bought a new one every time I hit a town or convenient store. Never had a problem.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Singletrack]

Seems to me it would be a small scoop - Singletrack, what do you have in mind using the lid as a scoop? you have piqued my curiosity. :confused:
No, what I was thinking of, is replacing my 1 liter rubbermaid with this wm Nalgene. It would have to serve the same function that the rubbermaid had served. Mixing powdered drinks, and scooping water to put in my water resevoir in camp. If I bought the hose and adaptor cap, I could replace my 1 liter platy and hoser, that I drink out of while hiking. This way I shed two items from my pack, and replace it with one. Hope this makes sense.

[Nightwalker]

I've read that reusing soda bottles, gatorade bottles, etc can be harmful to your health and have thus avoided them for long distance hikes.....but darn 6.3 oz for a water bottle, I've got to fix that.
You can always find something to worry about. Or you can just drink the water and enjoy yourself. :D

[RagingHampster]

In addition to my 1L widemouth Pepsi bottle, I carry a 3L Platypus bag (with a cap, not a hose). It weights less than 2oz. That way I have a large potential capacity. I don't treat my cooking water (I just boil it), and just add my aquamira to my 1L bottle whenever I fill it up. The 3L bag is also a good pillow at night.

[Nean]

I never weighed my Nalgene... I'm sorry

[Singletrack]

Weighed a 96 oz. WM Nalgene Canteen on a digital scale at an outfitters shop, and registered 2.7 ounces.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

Yes, you can put hot liquids in the nalgene canteens, they make a nice hot water bottle. The slurpie-tube/cap and bite valve rig works great, you need to have faith cause the canteen must be inverted for it to work, but so far I've never had one leak even a drop. The 32's hold around 36-40 oz.

the 96 oz unit is great for gathering water then filter to smaller containers as needed. I've marked mine with a big orange blaze so I know it's untreated water. I have a length of nylon webbing passed through the slit in the bag as a carry/hanging strap.

Last and a bit off subject- the 96 oz canteen makes a pretty nice washing machine. I can get a pair of socks, a set of capeline boxers and a t shirt in along with warm water and some camp suds. Shake and knead, add a couple cycles of rinse water and voila!

[hiker5]

I think I'd have some reservations about washing my socks in a container I plan on filling with water to drink later. Even if it will get filtered before I drink it.

[Van Lloyden]

Well for starters.....glad to hear about the reuse of Gatorade bottles. I've never overly concerned myself with it, but with longer trips in the future I thought I'd check.....d@mn grad students.

That nalgene looks more like what I want...that weight is much better than 6+ oune just to carry water.

[JP]

I've used soda bottles or 22years and I'm still alive. Take I-96 to downtown Detroit if you want something real to worrie about.

[Rescue1903]

I always thought the concern with reusing gatorade bottles and the like was that they were more difficult to clean . . . possibly facilitating bacterial growth and what not. Bacteria certainly do like warm, wet environments . . . .

[RagingHampster]

Thats why I use the 1L widemouth pepsi bottles. They don't have all the hard to clean shapes formed into the sides. I replace them whenever I buy another cold soda (I like diet slice).

[Stoker53]

Most bottled water, soda and gatoraid bottles are made of PET ( polyethylene terephthalate ). Refillable PET bottles are now used extensively in Scandinavia and countries like Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland.

Your only concern for long term reuse is making sure that you properly clean the bottle esp if you store liquids that could promote growth of bacteria.

[betic4lyf]

i use my nalgene for around town use, running, measuring, just normal stuff. i use soda bottles for hikeing. i read this article in this mit magazine about all the work that went into designing soda bottles. they are really strong, and if they break a new one is cheap

[soulrebel]

I carry a 2L nalgene bladder system 5.7ozwt (very nice circular bite valve..shall i say feels natural heh)- refilling at stops by sitting the pack down removing the mouthpiece and attaching the hose to a gravity filter. This minimizes punctures and damage w/ removal from the pack. Takes about 3-5mins to fill up.

But in response to the post- I carry an empty 20oz Gatorade bottle for camp use and mixed beverages.

FYI-all plastic will "leach" if left in UV/heat/sunlight for extended periods of time. To avoid polyvinyl whatever's in your water don't leave your bottle sitting in the blazing sun...which I don't think anyone does anyways.

[Traction]

A 20oz mtn. dew bottle worked fine on my thru hike.. I went through several, as Mtn. Dew was at the top of my list everytime I went into town. But, 20oz was all I ever needed (except for new york where I carried two because the water sources sucked).. and the bottle was light, and cheap.. it's a good way to go if ya ask me. But, to each his own I suppose.