Nalgene bottle or Hydration Bladder or Both?

MT_Wyatt

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Aug 20, 2014
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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.

 

68Plexi

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Mar 4, 2020
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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.

View attachment 399607

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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*zap*

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Marbles

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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.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2022
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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.
 
Joined
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Pine, CO
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.
 
Joined
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Broomfield, CO
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.
 
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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.
 
Joined
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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.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2022
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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.
 

C.payne

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Feb 13, 2020
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BC Canada
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.
 
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DC
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.
 

Mghatts

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Sep 23, 2020
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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.
 

Seeknelk

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Jul 10, 2017
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NW MT
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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