Who has ditched the trusted Nalgene bottle?

[Wyobohunter]

I have. This year I’ll carry:
1- 2 liter platypus bladder
2- 1 liter smart water bottles. They work with the Sawyer squeeze if necessary but I mainly carry them to be filled if I’m going to sleep away from a reliable water source.
1- 2 liter platypus dirty bag for filling the bladder/smart water and for additional volume if spending a little more time away from a source.
1- Cut in 1/2 Sawyer bag for scooping water.
1- Sawyer squeeze.
1- mesh bag.
Total weight is 12 oz.

The Nalgene 48 oz capacity wide mouth soft canteen adds another 2.3 oz but it’s for getting rid of water in the tent and is a luxury item. ;-)

 

[dvstrl]

I'm actually on the other end of the spectrum right now. Looking to go BACK to the nalgene. Specifically for very cold late season hunting. Pairing a few nalgenes with a steripen would mean I don't need to worry about a gravity filter freezing up. Also can heat water on a wood stove at night to tuck into boots and the bottom of my sleeping bag. I definitely don't like nalgenes for hunting, but bladder tubes start to crap out when the temps drop below 20.

I'm actually on the other end of the spectrum right now. Looking to go BACK to the nalgene. Specifically for very cold late season hunting. Pairing a few nalgenes with a steripen would mean I don't need to worry about a gravity filter freezing up. Also can heat water on a wood stove at night to tuck into boots and the bottom of my sleeping bag. I definitely don't like nalgenes for hunting, but bladder tubes start to crap out when the temps drop below 20.

I used powerade bottles for years but switched back to 48oz HDPE Nalgene silos for similar reasons. Storing them upside-down in your pack during the day can help keep the caps from freezing shut, especially if you fill them with warm water and bring them into your sleeping bag at night.

I've come back around on the sturdiness of Nalgenes here in the desert. It only happened a handful of times, but it was a real drag to fall and puncture a powerade bottle.

I used a Sawyer squeeze for a season about 10 years ago but no amount of backflushing would restore it after a few months of silty water. A buddy convinced me to try a beFree on a San Juans trip this summer and I was impressed. Time will tell how it stands up to desert water.

Sticking with aquamira for the winter, because I don't want to worry about the beFree freezing-pretty sure thats terminal for them.

 

[packgoatguy]

I just pack 2-4 unopened/full 16 oz plastic waters from Costco or Walmart (the kind that comes in the 24 pack). And a sawyer filter plus a 16oz and a 64 oz sawyer bag. For day hunts, the water bottles usually suffice, but if I end up overnight I can refill with the sawyer. The water bottles weigh next to nothing empty, and can be thrown away afterwards. Also does double duty to let me mix an mre milkshake or instant breakfast. Also can be heated over a fire if you are careful. Also works as a pee bottle when I don't want to get out of my bivy in a midnight rainstorm...

For multi day excursions, I end up mostly filling the larger sawyer bag and leaving the filter attached in a pocket on the outside of my pack, so I can get a quick drink on the go.

 

[Indeepship]

I have. This year I’ll carry:
1- 2 liter platypus bladder
2- 1 liter smart water bottles. They work with the Sawyer squeeze if necessary but I mainly carry them to be filled if I’m going to sleep away from a reliable water source.
1- 2 liter platypus dirty bag for filling the bladder/smart water and for additional volume if spending a little more time away from a source.
1- Cut in 1/2 Sawyer bag for scooping water.
1- Sawyer squeeze.
1- mesh bag.
Total weight is 12 oz.

The Nalgene 48 oz capacity wide mouth soft canteen adds another 2.3 oz but it’s for getting rid of water in the tent and is a luxury item. ;-)

Katadyn BeFree Water Filtration System 1.0L USA

Ultralight and fast water filtration with the award winning Katadyn BeFree 1.0L. Effective against microorganisms.

www.katadyngroup.com

Maybe look at this. Its alittle easier then the squeeze IMO but it does still have that smaller opening

 

[QuackAttack]

take a metal bottle…in an emergency, you can boil water and cook in it.

 

[sneaky]

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.

Once you get a hole in your water bladder and lose all your water you will understand having redundant water carrying systems. Besides, cold weather renders most drinking tubes a frozen rope. 3 SmartWater bottles are lighter than a bladder anyways. You also know how much water you have left after you switch from bottle to bottle. Don't get that dreaded out of water feeling from a bladder you didn't know was that low.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Wyobohunter]

take a metal bottle…in an emergency, you can boil water and cook in it.

I used to carry one. Then realized in an emergency I’ll be looking to either make a fire to warm or get to a road… not fuss around playing bushcraft dude. Same reason I got rid of several other things from my survival kit including fishing stuff. If I were in a drop camp in the middle of nowhere (walking out not a realistic option) I may consider bringing my metal nalgene because I wouldn’t be carrying it on my back. If I really need to boil water or cook something over fire I have the pot from my stove. But for the average Rocky Mountain backcountry hunt I don’t feel it’s worth carrying the extra weight. I have a few water treatment tabs in my (very sparse) survival kit. There is a mountaineer saying that goes something like, “If you carry a Bivvy you may end up using it”.

 

[StuckoYota99]

I have. This year I’ll carry:
1- 2 liter platypus bladder
2- 1 liter smart water bottles. They work with the Sawyer squeeze if necessary but I mainly carry them to be filled if I’m going to sleep away from a reliable water source.
1- 2 liter platypus dirty bag for filling the bladder/smart water and for additional volume if spending a little more time away from a source.
1- Cut in 1/2 Sawyer bag for scooping water.
1- Sawyer squeeze.
1- mesh bag.
Total weight is 12 oz.

The Nalgene 48 oz capacity wide mouth soft canteen adds another 2.3 oz but it’s for getting rid of water in the tent and is a luxury item. ;-)

That is genius for scooping water. Ive had to dig small holes to fill a nalgene. Definitely going to try that.

 

[Sloth]

Has anyone tried the Hydrapak stash?
1L capacity
Weights 3.7 oz
Collapses for great packability when empty

 

[Mosby]

My 32 oz orange Nalgene has been repurposed and I use it to mix my hunting dogs supplements in the back of my truck during pheasant season. It stays with my dog stuff. I have a glow in the dark Nalgene that I like and use when truck camping. I leave it in my basecamp tent. When elk hunting I take a bladder and either Smart or Ozarka sport cap water bottles. I am going to try a new bottle this year for hunting in really cold, below 20 degree weather. I am going to ditch the water bottles and try a 33 oz GSI Microlite. It weighs 13 oz but I will have water to drink....at least that's the plan.

 

[Oregonhuntrboi]

I am wondering who has completely ditched the Nalgene bottle? I always take one and a water bladder but I weighed the Nalgene and it was 6.5oz. I didn’t realize they were that heavy. I also weighed a smart water bottle which seems like a heavy duty bottle. But I do enjoy the wide opening on the Nalgene for gathering water

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Not me! I love mine and take it every time. I used to use bladders but couldn’t stand the taste after time in them. And used to use an insulated style bottle but having colder water wasn’t worth the extra weight to me.

 

[Oregonhuntrboi]

View attachment 372051Has anyone tried the Hydrapak stash?
1L capacity
Weights 3.7 oz
Collapses for great packability when empty

I’m gonna have to give this a try!

 

[wardl_3]

I always have a smart bottle for xtra water on hand, and a spare cap with small holes drilled… bottle worx great as a shower.

 

[Justin Crossley]

View attachment 372051Has anyone tried the Hydrapak stash?
1L capacity
Weights 3.7 oz
Collapses for great packability when empty

I have one and it works for extra capacity or for mixing drinks when needed. It's a two-handed operation to drink out of though since it's collapsible.

On the main topic of using Nalgene or not. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. Really just depends if I care about the weight or not. They are not even close to indestructible. I have broken at least three or four of them by dropping them on rocks or other hard surfaces.

Gatorade-type bottles have almost the same size opening as Nalgene bottles and weigh half as much. They are my choice if I'm really counting ounces. Smartwater bottles are the way to go if you really want to attach the Sawyer squeeze filter. I prefer to just carry the Sawyer bags and use

Bladders are fine for some situations but you can't mix in them, the hoses freeze, and you can't tell how much water is in them. They are also a pain to fill up compared to dipping a water bottle and drinking.

Speaking of filling things up. I carry my Sawyer mini squeeze filter, the cleaning syringe, and a couple of Sawyer 64oz bags in a gallon Ziplock bag with a very small hole cut in the bottom corner of it. The bag keeps everything clean and organized and is really easy to fill from ponds, lakes, or streams and then pour into the Sawyer bags for filtering.

 

[huntersdog]

take a metal bottle…in an emergency, you can boil water and cook in it.

Kleen Canteen is the way to go. It's not to heavy and solid.

 

[Shilly21]

I mostly day hunt and I found it cumbersome to use water bladders (have to dig out of pack every time to fill) so I switched to water bottles . Instantly saw the benefit as they are much easier to fill, however, they are heavy. After doing a little research, I found roll up Platypus water bottles. They are as light as your smart water bottle and can be stowed away when not used. I really do think of them as the best of both worlds.

 

[mfllood3800]

I use everything on various hunts, I am not loyal to one system. lo
Bladder in the desert or dry areas.
Nalgene in mtns with streams
OTC water bottles for day hunts.

My newest fav is the smaller nalgene bottles - fit perfect in packs pockets, half the weight and still wont freeze. But again a day hunt thing mostly, unless I am in water every mile or so.

 

[txtransplant]

a little closed cell foam and some gorilla tape makes them extra winter ready

smart bottles, Platypus, etc all have their place- they are certainly lighter than Nalgene's, but one frozen bottle at the opening and you'll never use one for winter again- don't completely ditch your old Nalgene's!

@mtwarden is this your full setup? Two foam-wrapped Nalgenes, a Steripen, and maybe a pre-filter?

Edit: for reference, what’s the weight of one of those foam-wrapped Nalgenes?

 

[mtwarden]

@mtwarden is this your full setup? Two foam-wrapped Nalgenes, a Steripen, and maybe a pre-filter?

It varies. For hunting I use a 32 Nalgene that is readily handy and in the pack a soft sided bottle (Nalgene Kanteen) size dependent on the trip and how much water is available in the area

Summer I usually have a 16 oz Nalgene on a shoulder strap and and then a soft sided bottle (size varies) in the pack.

I'll use a Steripen summer (late Spring, early Fall too), colder weather I use Aqua Tabs (and always have a few as backup with the Steripen)

I use the foam wrapped Nalgenes late Fall and Winter.

 

[rcook10]

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.