I sleep with my water filter, do I have to sleep with my water bottles?

[TinFoilHat]

Never thought about that...

[Traveler]

Some years ago I would sleep with water bottles, but that became so uncomfortable I had to do something else. So I made cozies out of packaging insulation (flexible spun material between two layers of plastic) that holds my water bottles at night, and I also have repurposed some down material to keep water in. It's a little over kill but is very light and is cheap insurance to have water in the morning. Also (as I have found out about 9 times), store water bottles with the open end down, water tends to freeze first where water meets air.

[garlic08]

I keep the water bottle out of the sleeping bag unless it's extremely cold, say single digits F or lower. I put it under my knees outside the bag (along with my shoes, to keep the laces thawed).

If it needs to go in the bag, it gets bagged, maybe double-bagged. A friend climbing Mt Rainier had one leak in his down bag (ice in threads). That almost kept him from celebrating his next birthday.

The filter has less thermal mass, will freeze very quickly, and is more susceptible to small parts breaking if it does freeze.

[TinFoilHat]

Great tips! Greatly appreciated!
It's the little things you don't think about that are concerning... besides the Big 3 and accoutrements that follow.
This online forum thing is all new to me, so still trying to find answers to previous topics before asking the same old questions.
Thanks again!
Stay Safe!

[flatcatgear]

Sleeping with your water bottle can pre-heat them allowing you to use less fuel to boil water.

[scope]

Sleeping with your water bottle can pre-heat them allowing you to use less fuel to boil water.

Yes, and if its real cold, might as well go ahead and use the hot water bottle method of staying warm and end up with lukewarm water in the a.m. that is easy to heat up. (if you can get your alcohol stove lit, not that I know anything about that)

[LazyLightning]

I usually put my bottles in my pack when it's cold which is in my tent next to me and put as much stuff around them as I could closed up in the pack and that seems to work well for overnight. I never had a problem lighting my alcohol stove, just takes a little more and longer when it's really cold. Good tip on the cap side down (never thought about that) although sometimes I have the flip caps on Smart Water and I wouldn't trust that, I usually do bring an extra screw on cap or 2 with me.

[Bati]

My water filter and my lighter were the key items I tried to keep warm when it was cold out. My gas whisper light depended on a functioning lighter, and I actually carried two lighters, one in my jacket pocket, to be sure I could have a stove. The only time the filter froze, I was able to unthaw it by placing it on top of the lid of a pot of boiling water. Of course, I had pumped it dry so there was very little water left in it but it was after that that the filter was stored deep in the pack or in my bag.
It's standard practice to carry you nalgene bottles upside down in the winter, and be wary of any other sort of bottle with a narrow top or thin walls. If there's no critter issues, you can just leave water in your pot, let it freeze overnight, and then set it on the stove in the morning. But honestly, I was out in a tough year on the AT, and only had these issues for a couple of weeks. I never had a water source freeze solid- you can just pump in the morning as long as you're near a source and the filter is good. Just be extra careful with chemicals as the times get ridiculously long when the water is cold.

[WinterWx]

I have kept a full water bottle outside with temps below 20F inside a double layer cozy made from Reflectix. Cozy weighs 2oz and worth every gram. I also use reflectix for my mug cozy and for rehydrating food cozy to keep them hot.

[gpburdelljr]

My water filter and my lighter were the key items I tried to keep warm when it was cold out. My gas whisper light depended on a functioning lighter, and I actually carried two lighters, one in my jacket pocket, to be sure I could have a stove. The only time the filter froze, I was able to unthaw it by placing it on top of the lid of a pot of boiling water. Of course, I had pumped it dry so there was very little water left in it but it was after that that the filter was stored deep in the pack or in my bag.
It's standard practice to carry you nalgene bottles upside down in the winter, and be wary of any other sort of bottle with a narrow top or thin walls. If there's no critter issues, you can just leave water in your pot, let it freeze overnight, and then set it on the stove in the morning. But honestly, I was out in a tough year on the AT, and only had these issues for a couple of weeks. I never had a water source freeze solid- you can just pump in the morning as long as you're near a source and the filter is good. Just be extra careful with chemicals as the times get ridiculously long when the water is cold.

Most water filters should not be used if they freeze.

https://sectionhiker.com/can-you-use...s-been-frozen/

[Bati]

Most water filters should not be used if they freeze.

https://sectionhiker.com/can-you-use...s-been-frozen/

Excellent point! In my case, I think it was the entry point that had frozen as the filter was not visibly wet, but no water was getting through and I had no other choice given the situation. Gentle warming got it working and I never got sick off it. The ceramic did not appear cracked and I finally replaced it when it got too thin thousands of gallons later.
After that experience I started doing more disassembly in cold weather to get the water out- the pump it dry only works to a point and won't clear the last little bits.

[HankIV]

I sleep with my water filter, do I have to sleep with my water bottles?

You sound like a popular guy…