Let’s Talk Recycled Water Bottles

[John Donewar]

I had been using this reclaimed "peanut jar" as a re-purposed water bottle mounted on my shoulder straps via shock cord and toggles.

They weigh 1.65 or 1.95 ounces including the cap. Curiously a blue capped one is lighter. and a red capped one is heavier. ;-?

The problem with these is that the caps and the bottles need to be hand washed. Dishwashers generate to much heat during the wash and dry cycle. Their shape changes and leaks around the caps start to develop because the seal isn't perfect anymore.

I moved back to the tried and true 1.8 oz Gatorade bottle.

But lately I've noticed an annoying tendency for them to slip the bonds of my shoulder strap mounted shock cord and toggle water bottle carriers. I believe it has something to do with the bell shape and the weight of a quart of water.

Lately I've moved on to a new reclaimed and re-purposed water bottle.

The Powerade bottle is a 1 quart bottle that weighs 1.65 oz and with its different shape seems to stay put in my preferred method of carry.

Note: The bottles in the picture above are the smaller 20 oz Gatorade bottles.

On a recent training walk with the above pack and carrying one re-purposed Powerade quart bottle on each shoulder strap all went well. The bottles rode well, never slipped out of the shock cord carriers and were easily accessible.

I think the difference is the shape of the top of the bottle. The fact that the bottle weighs 1.65 oz which equals the smaller "peanut jar" is a win, win for me. I've added no extra weight for the bottle and gained some volume as far as the water that I can carry.

Party On,

Newton

[Roger Caffin]

> The problem with these is that the caps and the bottles need to be hand washed.
This is a problem?

Cheers

[John Donewar]

Roger,

I will attest to my own laziness when it comes to standing in front of the sink to hand wash anything. ;-) L O L

Party On,

Newton

[Ken Thompson]

I am my own dishwasher. Never had a use for the appliance type.

That's pretty lazy John.

[John Donewar]

Hi Ken,

ROTFLMAO :-)

Yep!

I'll hike a hundred miles, sleep on the ground in a tent, cook my own meals and make my own gear but I hate washing dishes.

Have a great day.

Party On,

Newton

[Erik Basil]

I really like the Powerade bottles, for the weight, shape and durability.

I direct our butler to gently hand wash mine.

[John Donewar]

Thank you Erik.

But now I have to go outside and get my silk and merino "base layer" off of the clothes line.

;-)” height=”56″ src=”https://dpcr19kltm61a.cloudfront.net/backpackinglight/user_uploads/1349700640_69775.gif” width=”91″ />

Party On,

Newton

[BlackHatGuy]

"Curiously a blue capped one is lighter. and a red capped one is heavier. ;-?"

Well duh! The government carries much of the weight of the blue capped one, the red capped one you have to carry all on your own….

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

""Curiously a blue capped one is lighter. and a red capped one is heavier. ;-?""

"Well duh! The government carries much of the weight of the blue capped one, the red capped one you have to carry all on your own…."

THAT'S Funny

[John Donewar]

Doug,

Love the comment!

The cost of my lifetime membership is worth every penny if for nothing else but reading your posts. ;-)

Yeah, I know that I could read them for free but they are worth their weight in gold!

Thanks for the smiles.

Party On,

Newton

[Cesar Valdez]

I have collected in my gear closet a bunch of different recycled plastic bottles for water.

There is no Gateraid here in Sweden (or at least, I have not seen it), but at 1.8oz or about 51g that strikes me as a tad heavy for a plastic bottle–but probably makes up for it in durablity.

My current favorite is an Evian 750ml bottle that is 29g, cap included. Then there is Imsdal bottles, 700ml and 31g total. Not sure if you can get these versions in the USA. But I remember in the US getting generic spring water bottles that were pretty tough and light too.

I have been on a quest for a bottle over 500ml that is the number 2 plastic, which I have read is supposed to be the "safest." The two I mention above are number 1–numbers 5 and 7 are supposed to be the "worst" but I am no expert.

I do have a 475ml little bottle from the US that I saved from last time I was there that is 35g and pretty dang tough. It's a recycled witch hazel bottle, and it's 2 plastic. I am pretty sure I remember bigger versions of this bottle, and I think I bought it at Kmart.

Anyone an expert on plastic that can weigh in here, btw?

[Rick M]

del

[Dena Kelley]

I don't wash my water bottles. I rinse them out. If I suspect some sort of contamination, I'll use warm water with a bit of bleach and let them sit for a while but other than that, I don't know why you'd need to run water bottles through a dishwasher.

[Mal Hooper]

@Doug

I don't care who ya are, that's funny right there.

[John Donewar]

Dena,

For the same reason that drink glasses, knives, forks, spoons and plates get run through a dishwasher or hand washed in the sink.

I have a collection of these things and after I've used them on a hike or a training walk they deserve a bath the same way I relish a good hot shower.

They may sit unused for quite a while and a water bottle that has been dipped into a water source on the trail has the same things on the outside of it that we treat the water inside of it for.

In the heat there is no avoiding perspiration dripping onto the bottles carried on my shoulder straps. Add a little trail dirt and I see no reason not to pass them through the sink or dishwasher when the hike or training walk is over. YMMV

I guess I could mix up some one to ten bleach solution in a plastic tub, submerge them and let them soak for a while instead. The dishwasher is easier for me.;-)

Funny thing is that the Gatorade and Powerade bottles and cap survive the dishwasher just fine.

Party On,

Newton

[Jerry Adams]

I think the plastic degrades over time.

I replace them every year or so.

Or if there's any sign of delamination or cracking.

I don't see how bottles every get so dirty you have to worry much about cleaning – maybe swish around a little detergent and warm water, shake vigorously,…

[Daryl and Daryl]

Douglas,

Thanks for sharing your humor with us.

I'd hate to see it bottled up.

Daryl

[John Donewar]

"I'd hate to see it bottled up".

Good one Daryl! ;-)

OK this has been a fun little thread!

Points we have established.

1.) Ken T. and I both agree that I am pretty lazy when it comes to my water bottle maintenance. ;-)

2.) Roger, Ken, Dena and Jerry do not mind maintaining their water bottles by hand. :-)

3.) Cesar and Rick have both found lighter alternatives.

4.) Erik likes the Powerade bottles but makes his butler gently hand wash his water bottles.:-)

5.) Jon, Mal, Daryl and I all enjoy Doug's sense of humor. ;-)

Original point of the first post.

It was to let the members of this forum know that there is a lighter and better shaped IMHO recyclable and able to be re-purposed plastic "water" bottle possibilty out there for use.

Thread Drift.

When I mentioned what happened to my "peanut jars" in the dishwasher it was meant to let others know that these particular bottles don't play well in that kind of heat. I don't believe that water bottles have to be washed in the dishwasher, far from it. I stayed two weeks on the AT last year with only a pre-filter, rinse, fill and treat regimen.

FWIW According to the info in the following links the main reason for not reusing #1 plastic bottles is that they are just porous enough to harbor bacteria.

http://www.livescience.com/5487-murky-truth-leaching-plastic-bottles.html

"Number 7 plastic, a hodgepodge of various newer plastics not defined by numbers 1 through 6, often contains BPA. Then again, new plastics purposefully free of BPA might carry the number 7. And other plastics might be hard to recycle (#4 and 5) or porous enough to harbor bacteria (#1)".

>>>and<<<

http://trusted.md/blog/vreni_gurd/2007/03/29/plastic_water_bottles#axzz1uScJmkiE

"The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is usually a #1, and is only recommended for one time use. Do not refill it".

I hope that these links in some way helps to answer Cesar's question at the end of his post.

Party On,

Newton

[Cesar Valdez]

Thanks for the info. Too busy a lot of times to research every little detail, so it is much appreciated. Looks like what I read in the past was correct about 5 and 7 being bad, though I did not know about the issues associated with #1. #2 was absent from that quote, so I guess that means my earlier reports still stand about #2. Tomorrow I am going to make it a point at the supermarket (I am going anyway) to find a lightweight (something under 40g and at least 500ml). I don't like the idea of my bottles, super-light or not, being loaded with bacteria. I do, for the record, make sure to wash my bottles often by hand. It's easy if you are a parent of younger kids, because you probably have a brush for cleaning out baby bottles, which works great for water bottles too.

I will try and remember to report back any good finds out there… though these might only be alternatives to be found here in Sweden.

[John Donewar]

You are quite welcome. ;-)

Party On,

Newton

[Roger Caffin]

> "The type of plastic bottle in which water is usually sold is usually a #1, and is
> only recommended for one time use. Do not refill it".

This is total and utter BS!

This #1 plastic is PET, and that is what many of us have been using for years at a time. Most rocket-based fizzy-drink bottles are made of PET. It is extremely robust.
Btw, I think many baby formula bottles are made of PET too.

So why do industry sources say this? Two main reasons.
1) Reuse means you don't buy a new bottle from the vendor every time. Agh! The lost profit! Pain and Suffering!
2) The lawyers want to make sure you never sue their client (the mfr).
THAT IS ALL!

Cheers

[Paul McLaughlin]

What I have heard is that Rogers' reason #2 is the main one. The small necks on most soda bottles make it difficult to clean the interior thoroughly, and so they cover their behinds with the recommendation that you should not re-use.

By the way, The OP notes that Gatorade bottles handle the trip through the dishwasher just fine. Well, I have been using a different Gatorade bottle – comes with a nice squeezy top, it's not the regular Gatorade but something like G series or O2 or something like that – and they do not do well in the dishwasher, at least not mine. They deform and shrink. But they are my favorite bottle – wide enough mouth for shoving in snow, squeezy top for convenience.

[John Donewar]

Paul,

Which one are we talking about?

Bottle #1?

or

Bottle #2?

Party On,

Newton

[Sam Farrington]

Like that G 02. Wide enough top for a cleaning brush is a must for me. Maybe most of you use just water, but tea and other drinks that can get moldy residues often go into my bottles. That is why I use the wide mouth bottles, and not the bladders.

The cap looks quite sturdy also, with a straw hole that will take a nylon bolt for a cap retainer. Wonder what the capacity is, the recycle #, and the weight, of course. With a little lurking around the drink coolers, will find out.
These could replace my #3 peanute bottles – no word here on #3's yet, though.

[Rick M]

del

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