4 liter water bag

I currently use a Sea to Summit Watercell, though it is neither light nor inexpensive. When it gives up, I plan on trying a Cnoc Vecto Plus.

I currently use a Sea to Summit Watercell, though it is neither light nor inexpensive. When it gives up, I plan on trying a Cnoc Vecto Plus.

Like many people, I have been using a regular Vector (3L) for several years now, and I like the large opening and light weight. I usually use it as part of a gravity system. However, I did need to learn to be extremely careful with it, the material is pretty delicate and prone to small punctures.

So for example, when I hang it, I have to make an extra effort to make sure it’s not in contact with any small branches. Also, if I attach a filter directly to the threads, I need to be gentle and not over-tighten because the place where the threads transition to the bag is a failure point.

Prior to making my own gravity system, I used a turn-key system from Platypus (GravityWorks). It came with a 4L dirty bag and everything about that system was very nice, including a quick-connect tube fitting, etc. It was just unnecessarily heavy, but if I’m with my wife and splitting weight, we still take it sometimes.

The Cnoc bag is similar to the Platypus bag.  The 3 liter version would work.  3.25 ounces.  I also carry a 1 liter soda bottle to use with Squeeze, so I could fill it up too to get 4 liters.

The Platypus bag also has a zipper top.  I never used it.  Except once I put the bag in my pack and the zipper opened – just a test so it didn’t matter.  And It also has a webbing handle which is unnecessarily heavy  and expensive to manufacture.  It seems like a molded plastic handle would be better.

If I need 4l, I’ll usually carry my Platy 2L, 1.3 oz.  Two of those would come in quite light

I still drag along my old MSR dromedaries, for close to 25 years now. Bullet-proof for life in the desert, and they survived use by my son’s Boy Scout troop some 20+ years ago. Not the lightest, but never a leak.

If something can survive a boy scout troop it’s rugged :)

Once I stopped using Camelbaks years ago I never went back to large single unit water vessels. I will take the weight penalty knowing if one of my bottles fails,  I have 75% or more of my total supply still available.

a 1 liter soda bottle weighs 1.3 ounces.  4 of them weigh 5.2 ounces.  About the same as some 4 liter bags, twice as much as the lightest 4 liter bag.

you will never feel a few ounces more weight on your backpack

I’ve been using Vectos now for 6 years. I have absolutely hammered them. If I’m lazy I will sit on them to increase filter flow. I’ve dropped them off of cliffs and use them to slap my friends in the face. Not one failure. The X ones are even thicker. They did release a 4 6 and 8 l version that has a bunch of straps for attaching outside of the pack which is handy. They’re pretty heavy. But they are baffled inside and a nifty piece of gear. I picked up the 4 l and the 8 l. 8 l is primarily for overlanding use.

Cnoc also now sells 28mm tethered caps. I have no idea how I lived without the zip end closure, which I considered required for canyon travel. It really saved my bacon on the dry stretch of Kanab Creek last year. There’s a water source called Crack Baby that you have to lower your water reservoir into a pool from 14 feet up with a rope.

Slap your friends in the face?

Thanks for the warning, I think I’ll avoid being your friend :)

Or, what do you do to your enemies?

Multibags have other benefits.  One 2l bag can be used for flocculant

Only if they try to steal my whiskey Jerry. “Don’t make me get out the Vecto” and they know.

I’ve been using Vectos now for 6 years. I have absolutely hammered them. If I’m lazy I will sit on them to increase filter flow. I’ve dropped them off of cliffs and use them to slap my friends in the face. Not one failure.

Interesting, I’ve had three failures while trying to use them carefully, and I’ve never had another water bag fail. Two pinholes, and one failure where the threads attach to the bag. I have learned to treat them with extreme care.

I can’t help making dad jokes, you guys are the straight men

Maybe Dan, if you slapped your friends with your vecto bags they wouldn’t fail?

Maybe Dan, if you slapped your friends with your vecto bags they wouldn’t fail?

It keeps them from turning back.

Yeah, I’ll need to try dropping them off of cliffs and slapping my friends with them. Maybe my bags are just too soft, and need some toughening up.

This is the way, now we’re taking. Sometimes our trail buddies need a little dose of discipline.

But seriously the only thing I have dealt with with the Vecto is some yellowing from UV. Maybe I’ve just been lucky? I did read of some failures in earlier models, maybe they’ve gotten better I dunno. They are a mass produced product. I’ve had some failures of various Platy bags, pretty much every other season, hence the switch. If in doubt, order the X model which is my standard now. 11g more in the 2L size for the X.

One thing I love is you can turn them inside out to dry and the zip system just works. The Platypus zips were really hard to engage especially when cold.

I use the CNOC Vector X 2L in the thicker model for pre-filtered water – which weighs 3.4oz, and I use 3 of the 1L CNOC reuseable water bottles (which weigh 2.2oz) with flip top 28mm threaded caps in red, blue, and yellow. I find the default cap used on the CNOC 1L bottles are prone to leak which is why I replaced them with the color coded flip top caps. The Vector X is quite leak proof except for the time I stored it too full in my sleeping bag and cold temps caused it to expand enough to leak. YIKES! I also usually carry a .5L HDPE nalgene in my front shoulder strap holder. So 5.5 liters of total storage. This works well for me because when loaded up, I can store the Vector X 2L in one side pocket, and 2 CNOC 1L bottles in the other side pocket, then a 3rd 1L CNOC in my back mesh pocket.

I think the 3L size of VectorX would be too large to fit in one of my side pockets.

I think there are 2 schools of water carry – either multiple pods of storage to distribute the weight, or a single large reservoir which must be stored deep inside your pack for balanced weight distribution. I favor the latter. But I can imagine if I do a desert trip sometime, I would surely fill up a 4-6L reservoir and store it deep at the bottom of my pack with a couple of 1L bottles for either side pocket.

On cold winter trips I will use 2 1-liter platypus flat bags which are easier to store inside inner drop pockets of my parka where my body heat can keep them from freezing.

If I’m just going a mile or two I’ll just carry it in my hand

Yes, sometimes I have carried a water bag in my hand like when I filled up a 10L bag for a shower. I prefer to hike with dual hiking poles, but 10L is super heavy so I had to stash my poles in my bag and awkwardly shift the water from one hand to another to avoid tiring my arms.