Comment

Comment by Sandra on June 26, 2011 at 6:00pm

I can't seem to find a water bottle that I like as much as I do the commercial kind that has a pop-off attached lid and is about 16 oz. (I think).  The thing I like about them is that they are very squeezable and can get that water into my mouth fast without having to suck on it, chew on a valve, or perform other oral gymnastics. 

When I'm thirsty, I want a lot of water like a waterfall in my mouth - not a trickle.  Maybe I'm getting too personal here lol. 

The light weight of the plastic those commercial bottles are made of makes them very squeezable, and that's the way I prefer to deliver liquid to quench my thirst.  This is, of course, if there is plenty of water available.

I am almost never without one of those bottles of water.  I drink maybe 4 or 5 a day on an average day without a lot of sweaty hiking or working out.  Maybe I drink it so fast the BPA's don't have a chance to leech into the water.  I know the bottle doesn't taste like plastic... plus I filter the water I put into the bottles.

I do reuse them - I rotate 4 bottles in the frig. 

I've tried the insulated Polar Bottle, and it comes close to what I like - easy to carry, squeezable, fits in the hand nicely.  But the plastic it is made out of is a little stiff.  Picky, picky, I know.  Plus the Polar Bottle has a valve you have to pull on to open.  If you only have one hand free, that means you have to use your teeth - not a good idea.  With the pop-off attached cap, you can use your thumb.

If I could find a non-BPA bottle that is very squeezable and about the size of those 16 oz commercial bottles with the attached pop-off lid I'd try it.  Any ideas?

Comment by Sandra on June 26, 2011 at 5:48pm

I'm not sure I'm picturing the Kool-Aid bulk jar use... especially having never bought one that I remember.  Why do you cut off the threads?  Maybe I'm not understanding this right.  I will have to look for a Kool-Aid jar in the grocery store next time I go.

 

Freezing anything (that can be without ruining it) is a good idea and can double as an ice pack to keep other items cold.

Comment by Jim Kotoff on June 26, 2011 at 1:59pm

Tony is correct that there is potential danger. You'l know it fr sure when the water starts to taste like the bottle.This is a personal choice, I have used these bottles but I dont use them repeatedly. I will recycle them after each hike, there usually seems to be an endless supply of them. That means they will get two usages. And in extreme emergancies they can be used to sanitize drinking water. Water is safe to drink if you can raise the temperature to above 160 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, but you will get the BPA's.

Comment by Jim Kotoff on June 26, 2011 at 1:33pm

I have used empty plastic peanut butter jars to carry dry goods, like utensils, napkins, condiment packets and my matches. Another container that works well is the kool-aid bulk jars. I cut the top off the jar above the threads to increase the opening because it is tappered a little. I will also freeze suaces in zip lock bags and carry them in these containers. They are free and if you have kids they are usualy readly availabe. Works well with my scout troop.

Comment by Sandra on December 19, 2010 at 5:41pm

True.  The key is multiple uses for one item, if at all possible.  For example, I just bought a .75 liter cup/cooking pot by Vargo.  Nice item.  You can drink out of it, cook in it, purify water in it, etc etc.  Very versatile.

Comment by Eric W. Heauser on December 19, 2010 at 12:32am

Great video, but a few coments...

This video was made a few years ago because Aquafina no longer offers those bottles (I have already saved a few of my own). Some people are afraid of the BPA's that are known to come from the reuse of these bottles (not me because of limited use) "disposable chopsticks" from your local Asian restaurant are a great substitute for a Spork.  Aluminum is not always the best choice for a cooking pot, but with limited use as in backpacking it can be OK. As for any choices in "ultralight gear" just remember, any item should have more than one purpose, just as long as you don't have a "multi tool" that hase a fork, knife, and spoon that can't be used at the same time.

Comment by Sandra on October 5, 2009 at 9:47pm

True true -- or carve yourself some chopsticks after you break or melt your spork! Or heck, just eat with your hands like our ancestors did. :)

Comment by Tony Padegimas on October 5, 2009 at 5:44pm

If you live in a hot climate, storing water in any old plastic bottle ain't that foolproof - or so I discovered a few months ago.
http://trekalong.com/arewelostyet/2009/04/24/the-miserable-facts-ab...
Also, you only have to break or melt one Taco Bell spork to understand the value of titanium utensils. If you want to go cheap and light and relatively indestructible, steal some chopsticks.