Who has ditched the trusted Nalgene bottle?

[Wyobohunter]

I made the switch from standard 1L nalgenes to 1.5L nalgenes and I will never go back. Being able to carry a full day of water is great.

Smart water bottles come in 0.75 liter, 1.0 liter and 1.5 liter. Lots of options but cheaper and lighter. The 0.75 liter comes with a top that is a perfect fit to a Sawyer filter for back flushing and the top can be used on all of the bottles. The cap threads also fits on the Sawyer female threads. Disadvantage might be if you want/need the wide mouth for some reason.

 

[peterbozeman]

I ditched my Nalgene and my small, titanium cooking pot. I replaced them with a 750ml titanium bottle. I drink out of it during the day and boil water in it in the evening.

 

[Wyomingwilliams]

I did the same as peterbozeman, to have 1 piece of equipment with more than 1 use. I also do still use nalgenes because I find them to be more durable than a bladder and if they start to freeze I can usually thaw them easier.

 

[scott85]

I carry 2- 1.5 liter smart water bottles. One goes in the pack and the others goes in my hydration holster on my SG pack.

 

[AK Shane]

I'm trying to remember if I've ever taken a Nalgene on a hike or hunt? I stick with Gatorade or similar bottles. Cheap and half the weight.

 

[SonnyDay]

I just saw the thread title and I have to ask….. why did everyone ever start carrying a Nalgene bottle in the first place? Isn’t that why we use bladders that hold larger amounts of water? And why “nalgene”? To me a collapsible bottle is only worth carrying anywhere for filtering before putting in bladder.

Back in the day, there just weren't any other options for leak-proof water carrying. Bladders and camelbaks and all that crap weren't around... Nalgenes were it. Guess I'm dating myself there!

 

[Jbehredt]

Back in the day, there just weren't any other options for leak-proof water carrying. Bladders and camelbaks and all that crap weren't around... Nalgenes were it. Guess I'm dating myself there!

Just proves you were doing it before it was cool. I carried a pair of mil surp canteens in my early days. Would have been laughed off the gram if I’d been seen sipping from one of those.

 

[SonnyDay]

I carried a pair of mil surp canteens in my early days

That was the other option! Especially when the plastic ones came out...

 

[AkRyan]

Smart water bottle ftw!

 

[mtwarden]

I recently got back from a long (100-ish mile) snowshoe trip and carried a hard sided Nalgene (and one soft Nalgene in the pack). Nalgene with the wide mouth is just about required in cold conditions. Narrow mouth containers will freeze and it's time consuming getting the opening thawed.

I also took a plunge in a cold creek on one of our many fords. That night I could tell I was going to get chilled. Before I went to bed, I boiled up 32 oz, put it in my Nalgene (insured the lid was tight about five times! ) and then into my bag. It really (really) helped out.

It's possible you could do that with another bottle, but I knew I could do it with the Nalgene without worries.

In warmer weather use whatever bottle you want, in cold weather might not want to ditch the Nalgene.

 

[SonnyDay]

In warmer weather use whatever bottle you want, in cold weather might not want to ditch the Nalgene.

Completely agree. Hydration packs and bladders are junk in the cold... and I wouldn't trust them (or thin-walled bottles) in my sleeping bag! A few ounces are well worth not waking up in a puddle of water when it's 10 degrees...

 

[LONE HUNTER]

My opinion is if you have even 5 lbs to lose off your ass or mid section, then focus there first..... if you are already as fit as could be, then maybe its worth worrying bout a few ounces.

 

[AngryCuttlefish]

Hard confirm on the wide mouth nalgenes for cold weather. My bladder hose (uninsulated) will freeze in around an hour in 20 degree temps and the mouthpiece freezes much quicker than that. If you keep your bottles inside the main pocket of your pack, you might could get away with something smaller.

 

[*zap*]

For cold I use microlite insulated stainless bottles.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I recently got back from a long (100-ish mile) snowshoe trip and carried a hard sided Nalgene (and one soft Nalgene in the pack). Nalgene with the wide mouth is just about required in cold conditions. Narrow mouth containers will freeze and it's time consuming getting the opening thawed.

I also took a plunge in a cold creek on one of our many fords. That night I could tell I was going to get chilled. Before I went to bed, I boiled up 32 oz, put it in my Nalgene (insured the lid was tight about five times! ) and then into my bag. It really (really) helped out.

It's possible you could do that with another bottle, but I knew I could do it with the Nalgene without worries.

In warmer weather use whatever bottle you want, in cold weather might not want to ditch the Nalgene.

Though I mostly carry lighter weight options. This is one of the reasons I still own multiple Nalgene bottles. Very cold weather necessitates the wide mouth and durable material

 

[woods89]

I'm a fan of Nalgene bottles and often have one of the 3 I own with me when I'm out and about. One thing I want to purchase before fall is the Source kit to put a drink tube on my 48 oz.

On the other hand, I hear a lot about bladders leaking, but I have packed a Source 3L all over for the last 5-6 years and never had an issue.

 

[slim9300]

3 liter hydration bladder and 6 liter MSR Dromlite bag here. 13 ounces for 9 liters of water storage. If I bring a bottle, it’s a 1 liter Smartwater bottle for the tent.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Neuro]

Ive put myself in a bigger quandary carrying around a 550gram Grayl Geopress that makes all the other water carrying implements insignificant besides volume concerns. Cant let go of its purifying capabilities but i do wish it weighed a lot less, even the lighter variants they've come out with arent ideal.
Still trying to decide if i go with a larger nalgene bottle or a bladder for my main water bank.

 

[*zap*]

if you take a nalgene then it is good to know that lifestraw makes a filter that fits inside that bottle which may make a very good back up filter. Of course if you carry a stainless bottle then it is e-z to just boil water pure.

 

[Iron Willhite]

Like many who have already posted, I too have tried a wide array of water-carrying and filtering options over the years. There are pros and cons to all of the various options, but 2yrs ago I converted to carrying a Nalgene for my go-to daily water supply that rides on my hipbelt of my pack. It's easy to reach and measure out water for dinner, heat up on cold nights..and with the Steri-pen being my primary filtering option, it's super convenient to sit on the ground and sterilize the water. I've had pump filters and Sawyers freeze, so a rechargeable Steri-pen has been a game changer in itself.

I also now carry a collapsible Hydrapak 2L or 1L water bottle to serve as a "dirty water" supply...it takes up no room, weighs very little, and is significantly easier to fill from a trickling creek or seep than any of the sawyer bags or even Smartwater bottles. If I'm crossing a creek and have no predetermined water source near camp, I can easily fill up the Hydrapak, clip it to my pack and filter it later. Keeps my time at the creek down and also minimizes how wet/cold my hands have to get. The Sawyer is a great filter, but I think it's safe to say the "lightweight/foldup" bags from Sawyer are a real pain trying to fill up and get them more than halfway full, in any size stream...much less a seep or very small water source.

Bladders: Hoses freezing, connections leaking inside your pack, the anxiety of never really knowing how much water I actually have left in my bladder....all reasons for me to have gone away from a water bladder. Furthermore, if you've ever tried removing your bladder from a full pack, fill it up with water...THEN try to shove it back in the bladder sleeve without having to halfway unpack your gear...no thanks. You also can't easily use some of that water bladder water for dinner either in my opinion. Whereas the 'dirty' Hydrapack has a 1.5inch opening so it's easy to pour and even drink from.

My hunting partner and I will even take in an empty 4L Hydrapack as a "dirty bag" for those same reasons, but it also provides us with a 4L supply of water at camp that we can refill our nalgene's with, steri-pen quickly, and not have to make multiple trips to water at night or 1st thing in the morning. Don't need all the leftover water in the 4L? no worries, ya dump n go. Obviously that allows us to use the 4L for cooking/boiling water too, without us having to use our pre-sterilized Nalgene water.

My 0.02 cents.