Nalgene bottle or Hydration Bladder or Both?

I hate bladders so carry large soft bottles for bull water. While I like an insulated bottle late season, I like a soft 1L bottle for drink mixes etc earlier in the year. This one works well, flat bottom, shaped like a smart water bottle.

 
If your taking a nalgene for drink mixes and want to save space/weight you might get a small nalgene....I use mine quite often, it also fits in a cargo pocket.

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Thanks, I need to check those out. I’ve had over a dozen Nalgene bottles, lost, found, garage, kids and never knew those small ones existed.


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I prefer a two HDPE Nalgenes over a bladder. One of them is a wide mouth bottle and I will use that one for drink mixes as it is easier to clean. The other only ever gets water.

My dirty water bage is 3L, so if needed I can carry 5L. I'm guessing you will be in a wet area considering you quarry.

Foe me, I find I drink too much water when I use a bladder and I pee all the time. Plus, I hate how most packs put the bladder in the middle of the main bag eating up prime packing space and meaning I have to uncompress my pack to refill. Not to mention the mess if a tube gets disconnected.

Honestly thought, it is more personal preference than anything. I used bladders for years and thought they where great. The above explains why I stopped.
 
Camelback plus a 1 L Nalgene. I use it for mixing Gatorade etc and it is also easier to drink from and to filter into. Camelback mainly for storage.
 
Platypus 3L bladder. 2 Platypus 1L bottles for drink mixes, don't have any problem keeping them clean, rinse with a little boiling water at night and Gtg. Use a Platypus camp size gravity filter if we are using a base camp, other wise take a steri-pen and a nalgene. Haven't found a good soft bottle that it will work with yet. If there's a couple of us, 1 person carries a Pur hiker filter, and 1 has a steri-pen. If going UL just take the Platypus bottles and some iodine or aquapure.
 
I use the 48oz HDPE "ultralite" Nalgene. The HDPE's are significantly less weight. Depending on the trip I supplement with Gatorade bottles. I also might have a titanium mug if I think I might need to heat water.
 
2.5l bladder with a quick detach mouthpiece so I can add water without taking the bladder out by filtering from a 2l CNOC to a Sawyer Squeeze with a quick detach male end.

I will also carry a 750ml smart water bottle to mix in Gatorade powder if it is a hot trip.
 
I'm heading on a 8 day Sitka Blacktail hunt in October. What's everyone's preference for carrying water? Nalgene bottle, Hydration Bladder, or both?


When guiding hunters in Alaska, I carry two one-quart wide mouth Nalgene bottles. I'm definitely NOT a fan of hydration bladders.
 
Like most hunters, I've tried both and switched back and forth. I prefer a Nalgene bottle over a bladder. The wide mouth on the Nalgene allows me to drink more water in a short period of time and I end up drinking more overall vs sipping from a bladder tube. I also don't like the hassle of removing and cleaning a bladder. I like to add electrolytes to my water and that's a recipe for mold if you don't clean it out right away.
 
I use a 3L platypus bladder and a 1L Nalgene for my drink mixes. Later season when it freezes hard every night I ditch the bladder and add a couple collapsible bottles. The Nalgene although a bit heavy works great if I need to use my Steripen for sterilizing the water.
 
I currently roll with an "ultralight" Nalgene and a 1l Katadyn BeFree. If the water situation is especially dismal I might throw in my old regular Nalgene for the extra 32oz.
 
I use a 3L bladder from Platypus and a Nalgene. If it is cold I'll use a Nalgene with a coozie to keep it from freezing up too much. I've also used those roll up water bottles but wasn't the biggest fan.
 
Only nalgene worth having is one with the Human gear top! Stock wide mouth sucks badly. Like drinking from a bowl. Still get wide mouth advantages but easy drinking too.
And the osprey bladder is a definite upgrade over the camelbacks I used for years.
So I pack both with a steri pen or Sawyer squeeze.
Elk archery season I have had to learn and re learn that I NEED MORE than 4 liters of water for a full hot day of chasing elk. I just do. Nice if I know I can get it from the mountain.
 
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