Where’s the best spot to carry water?

[Anthony Rosen]

I'm not a big fan of the bladder hydration system. I don't like using the hose, it's heavy, and I always have to dig it out of my pack when needed. I've noticed the lightweight people I've hiked with use the nalgene 1L cantene on the sides of their packs, but are always asking me to get it out for them, so they don't have to take their pack off.

Is it a good idea to put a bottle sleeve on the hip-belt? I've noticed a couple of packs have this option:

Is this a good idea? I have a couple of the nalgene bottle's I use already and want to get rid of my bladder. I might get the GG gorrilla and use a bladder when I need it because it looks like it gives you easy access.

Other people put it on their shoulder straps, but that just looks annoying. Does it really help carry the load at all?

[Mark Hudson]

I started out with a bladder inside my pack. I like it well enough for drinking, but when the pack is full its a major pain to refill and get back in the pocket. I switched to a bladder in one of the side pockets and like that much better. I have the platy hoser 2 liter and its light enough for me.

Now i commit a cardinal sin in carrying a real nalgene bottle in my other side pocket.

BUT I drink lots of protein type shakes for meal replacments and I use it for coffee in the morning as I dont carry a mug of any type and the weight penalty is 2 oz between my bottle and the canteen.

I do all fbc for meals when we cook at all.

I clip the bladder to my compression straps with a mini biner or tie it to an existing strap depending on what pack i am using.

[Robert Perkins]

"Where's the best spot to carry water"

Wherever it works best for you! I have an old REI mesh water bottle holder that I attach to my shoulder harness and is super easy to get to. My 'holy grail' is to find a pack that I am limber enough to reach my bottles out of the side pockets. I haven't found one yet. One of these days I am going to take Mark up on his offer to try the ULA Ohm with the angled side pockets and …just maybe! I also commit the BPL sin of using Nalgene bottles. I have tried using Gatoraide bottles and like the weight savings, but I also do what Mark does with mixing up shakes and powdered drinks, plus I like the cap loops when I am carrying them up from a water source. I have the smoked, softer version that are lighter and more durable than the hard sided ones. I am also switching to a Steripen this year and the Nalgenes are perfect for it.

[Will Inman]

"I might get the GG gorrilla and use a bladder when I need it because it looks like it gives you easy access"

I have the Gorilla, its a fantastic pack, I just use normal water containers in the side pockets and can easily grab them, drink and put them back without stopping, taking off my pack or twisting my arm uncomfortably.

Hope this helps :)

[Daryl and Daryl]

I use a front bag and that's where the water goes.

It is handy for me to drink it as I walk along the trail.

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

Those hipbelt pockets look like the water would be in the way of your arms as they swing.

I just use the normal side pockets on my ULA Ohm. They are very easy two get bottles in and out of. Some packs such as the Ohm have nice side pockets that work well for reaching water from, and other packs have pockets that are difficult to use. It depends on a ton of factors like the angle of the opening, height of the pocket, stretchy-ness etc.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Tony,

I'd recommend carrying yer water bottles upside down in winter to keep the water at the lid from freezing.

Personally in winter I carry my water in a bota under my GTX mountain parka. I replaced the carry cord with 1/2" wide nylon webbing with a quick release buckle

I'm still working on my Camelbak setup W/insulated hose and rubber capped/fleece covered mouthpiece on my backcountry ski pack. The pack is designed so the hose runs inside the right shoulder strap to keep it warm. A chemical handwarmer keeps the bladder water from freezing in camp 'til I take it inside my sleeping bag inside a dry bag.

P.S. In summer I use a front carry Dana "Wet Rib" zippered pouch & bike bottle holder. It attatches to my pack's lower shoulder straps. The bike botle is for electrolyte drinks.

And I use a hydration bladder for plain water as well.

[Nick Larsen]

Really? A half ounce hose is breaking your back? Are you talking about digging out the hose or the bladder? The hose should be fed down your shoulder strap where it is easily accessible. I keep my bladder against my back inside the pack. Slides right out when I need to refill it, then right back in.
I never understood the complaints about bladders: they're hard to clean, hard to get in and out of a pack… They're just as easy to clean as a water bottle, and I've never had issues getting mine in and out of a full pack. What I find difficult is reaching around my back to try and get a water bottle out of a side pocket. Having two poles strapped to your wrists makes things even more interesting. Also, water being the single heaviest item per volume, I like to have it as close to my back and as centered as possible.

Of course, if you prefer bottles, you prefer bottles, but the excuses are unfounded in my opinion.

[Kattt]

I have a Honet and I carry my water in 2 Gatorade bottles in the side pockets. I can reach under My arm and grab it pretty easily. I no longer use hoses, not really to save weight, but rather out of having a hard time cleaning them. I know it can be done, but I always postpone that part of cleaning up after a trip, and they get pretty funky.

[Paul Hatfield]

The closer to your center of gravity, the better, so I think the best spot to carry large amounts water would be in a hip belt (or on top of your head). The hydration bladder sleeve is also a good spot because it's right next to your spine. The on the front of the chest would be good too, and it has the effect of balancing out your load.

For 32 ounces and under though, I'm perfectly happy with the side pockets. I don't find it uncomfortable to reach a bottle in the side pocket, except on some packs.

[Konrad .]

The 2nd picture shows a Terra Nova Laser 20 pack…I have that pack and really really like the water bottle pockets that are attached directly the hipbelt. I almost wished all my packs had it. It makes perfect sense to me. Water is some the heaviest stuff in my pack during 3-season outings, so it makes a lot of sense to me to have it close to my center of gravity, transferring weight directly onto my hips.

Dan, a quick comment about swing interference. The pockets are sized to only fit your typical plastic water bottle (think 1L aquafina/ or other commercial bottle water brands) that are taller and skinnier than your typical nalgene shaped bottle. Hence, I only occasionally brush up against them with my elbows. I use trekking poles, so my arms are generally ahead of my body, so it's very rare that I'll make contact

So yes, I would recommend trying out a bottle holster directly attached to the hipbelt

[Nick Gatel]

"Wherever it works best for you!"

Normally I only drink once an hour (or longer on most trips), so I like to stop for a couple minutes and drink my water. I never understood the need to hike for hours on end, while drinking and eating. But HYH.

I never add anything to my water, except purification tablets, so cleaning is not a big job… just rinse them out after use and make sure they are dry.

Most trips, 1L or 2L Platys work best. When wider mouths are needed to capture water, then a Nalgene wide mouth cantene works better. If I have to carry a lot of water, then 64oz Gatorade's work best as the sides are rigid and easier to pack/carry. Sometimes in winter I use a old style Nalgene in an insulated carrier.

I really do not like bladders, because I do not need to drink often and don't really drink while moving. The tube is just an irritant to me. My wife likes hers. But if you like bladders, McHale has a pretty good idea, with the ability of his top lids to carry a bladder underneath.

For some people, every ounce counts, so a bladder is way too much. HYH again.

A water bottle on a hip belt gets in my way. On the strap seems like it would be worse. Water pockets on the side of a pack work best for me as they are easy to access when stopping. I really hot weather, I carry my water in my pack under clothes or my light Montbell Jacket, or quilt depending what I am packing; they it keep it cool. (Also wrapping chocolate or candy bars in your down jacket or quilt keeps them from melting).

So…. there is no best spot to carry it :)

[EndoftheTrail]

Anthony:

I too dislike the idea of inserting a big bladder into my backpack. OTOH, I do like using hydration tube / bite valve for the convenience. So…

I insert one 1L size Platypus bladder into the pack's side pockets — upside down — with one connected to the hydration tube. Two advantages:

1. Drinking convenience.
2. Safer – the bladder's irregular contour means it stays inside the mesh pocket — unlike a smooth plastic bottle that can sometimes jump out and escape into the deep ravine…

But as one drinks through one bottle, wouldn't that cause a weight imbalance? In theory, yes. In practice, I've never once felt the effect of imbalance at all.

[Roger Caffin]

I don't like bladders either.

Two 1.25 L PET rocket bottles (45 g each, $0 cost)inside my pack at the middle against my back near the top. They never freeze, and remain drinkable even in the depths of winter.

cheers

[Kevin Babione]

You can see it in my avatar – I carry a 2L Platy Hoser in the right-side pocket of my GG Murmur. Like Ben I've never noticed an imbalance in the pack, but I rarely put more than 1L in the Platy. If I know water is going to be short for the next 8-10 miles I usually fill a 1L Platy (with a spout) and put it in the left pocket. That way my imbalance never totals more than roughly two pounds.

Unlike Nick I drink a lot while hiking – at least a liter every two hours. I'm not sure what I'd do without my hose and bite valve! One of my hiking buddies on the other hand is a "chugger" and prefers to down 16 ounces at a shot. That's tough to do through a Platy hose.

[BPLwiia]

I prefer bottles too.

I'm awaiting a ZPacks Blast 26 where I plan on placing smaller water bottles in shoulder pouches. We'll see if it works. The idea is to front load some weight albeit small.

I'll report back when I try it.

It was always easy to reach my McHale bag side pouches but I'm trying to get away from all that weight. Interesting enough, I would remove them and reattach to a Mountainmsith day bag. They worked perfectly and were easy to reach. Sometimes, "cut and paste" works.

[Hiking Malto]

Very timely thread…

Until a week ago I had a Jam that I attached four Outdoor Products bottles bags. I used two for snacks and small stuff and two for 32oz. Gatoraid. I loved this system and never found the bottles to get in way and I use poles. In fact I have trail run using this setup and I was very satisfied. A week ago I received my new Burn and put it to the test last weekend. I was able to use the side pockets of the Burn easier than the Jam by putting the bottles upside down. But it still wasn't nearly as efficient as the bottle pockets on my Jam. So I have attached two bottle bottle pockets on the hip belt of my Burn, all the way back next to the pack and it is even a better pack setup than my Jam. For high water carries like SoCal I will also use the side pockets of the Burn.

What works for me:
1) Super easy to remove and replace bottles.
2) Distributes weight off my back.
3) Puts water in place that encourages me to drink.

My goal is to put my pack on in the morning and not have to take it off to access anything until my lunch break.

[JASON FRITZ]

I carry two 1-liter Smart water bottles in each side pocket of my Jam. I modified the cap by drilling a hole big enough for the Camelbak hose to slide through snug and drill a second very small hole next to it for bottle venting. A normal length Camelbak tube will reach the bottle bottom and over my shoulder to the normal hydration tube location. I just used this setup on a 42 mile hike across the Maryland AT section and it performed flawlessy. By doing this the bottles are light, cheap, and easily replacable. This design can be used with any bottle really.

Here's a small drawing since I don't have a picture at the moment.

[Ken Thompson]

Like a low tech version of the Evernew EBY271hydration tube

[EndoftheTrail]

Platypus hydration tube users can copy the above by cutting off a section of the tubing (they give you way longer than is needed anyway) and jamming it up the underside — just like Ken's photo above.

[Aaron Benson]

Is there a particular brand of bottled water that uses the same threading size as the Platys? It'd be great to get a fit without any mods other than cutting the tube…

[Ross Bleakney]

I basically have two modes. In the first case, I don't carry water. At very stream (or every other stream, as the case may be) I pull out my inline filter and platypus. I fill it up, turn it upside down and have a drink. So, for this case I like to have everything easily accessible (outside the pack if possible).

In the other case, I like to have the full platypus next to my back. As Paul mentioned, this is good system, as it is close to my center of gravity. I use a sleeve of my pack, which is meant for a tube system. But, like a lot of folks, I don't like the tube. I find it really easy to slip the water in and out, since it is in its own little section. I have to squish some other stuff out of the way, but it is still pretty easy.

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