Ultralight Hard Bottle?

Smartwater bottles are great!

This isn't a trial.

I'm looking for the best alternative. The holy grail bottle is elusive.

You guys are acting like me choosing a bottle that goes against one criteria I casually mentioned a day ago is a betrayal you can barely stomach.

I remember that WP/B Bivy thread. I remember learning a bunch and then I followed the advice I found there, and even though it was different than my original criteria, it reflected the information I gained from the forum and I was better for having asked.

Nobody is holding a hot poker to your side, demanding that you come up with an answer. Eugene especially; If participating in this thread is causing you so much distress and confusion, walk away.

Where'd you hear that? I've been filling Hunnersdorf wide mouth bottles for years with boiling water and I haven't spawned any mutant children yet! Why do you think they're recommended by Everest Guides?

Philip Werner

"Hunersdorf Bottles are recommended by Everest Guides, they’re about 50% lighter than Nalgenes"

A bit of a disingenuous comparison I think. Because, they're comparing the Hunersdorf to the heavier Nalgene bottles that come in colors which I wouldn't think anyone here on BPL would carry. If they compared to the lighter weight, original HDPE Nalgene bottle, they would have to report that the Nalgene is a full ounce lighter than the Hunersdorf.

As for winter use. I've never used the Hunersdorf, but I will assume they are better in winter… at least better than the heavier Nalgenes that come in colors. But I can also tell you that I used the original HDPE Nalgene bottles on Mt. McKinley for three weeks in -40F conditions and had no problems with them.

The 'original' Nalgene bottles are more flexible than the colored ones and are milky white color, slightly translucent. Sometimes they are not on the shelf as some REI stores don't stock them… But they can be ordered:
http://www.rei.com/product/402049/nalgene-wide-mouth-loop-top-round-bottle-32-fl-oz

And the HDPE (high density polyethylene) may be the safest of all the plastics. It's the same plastic used for milk bottles.

Bill D.

Max I wasn't whining but when you said people were not understanding what you were looking for and restated your criteria it seemed silly for me to suggest something that you made clear in your second post was not going to fit into what you were looking for,it didn't seem casual but more of an explanation of what exactly you wanted,there is nothing wrong with having criteria for a specific piece of gear that you are looking for but no need to get upset either(I'm not :)

Yes, HDPE Nalgenes have been around for a long time, which is why landing on the Huffenbrowsendorflinger, or whatever, is a funny conclusion to this thread. With the exception of the larger cap thread size and cap material, both of these are basically the same vessel, which under most circumstances achieve the same end. I was under the impression that you required something "unique" which had me, and others, digging around racking our brains in curiosity.

Again, I am GLAD you found what you were looking for. Not sure how many times I can state that without you alluding to my "distress" over this- lets ease up on the exaggeratory assessments.

Not to beat a dead horse, but notice a common thread in your postings Max, here at BPL. Either everyone else is "out to get" poor old Max, or perhaps you need to consider more how you interact and communicate within the forum. You regularly find yourself on the defense and I think you perpetuate that pattern.

I hate redactions, but this comment I made was unhelpful, and it's gone.

I have no major problem with Eugene and don't want to invent one.

"not to worry about Euguene Smith, he bothers everyone"

Eugene has the best avatars.

It definitely bothers me that his are always so much better than mine.

Alright, all done looking for a bottle.

Goodbye, thread!

Eugene bothers everyone?
That's news to me. You guys have some "disagreements" , but Eugene has nothing but a stellar reputation from anything I have ever seen or heard.
Mondays can be rough. Good luck.

As long as you're taking a survey and publishing the results, I'll agree with Eugene sentiments (some criteria were vague, others were contradictory), say that I find his posts in this thread and others helpful and on the mark, report that Eugene puts together kick-ass trips for BPLers who want to push themselves on the trail, and from Max's thoughts on the WP/B Bivy thread, "I remember learning a bunch . . . even though it was different than my original criteria." point out that going slightly "off-thread" isn't always a bad thing.

My posts on avoiding UV degradation and an extremely lightweight aluminum option were (1) in case you wanted to consider a wider range of options and (2) because other people were discussing UV degradation and (3) not everyone reading the thread is going to make the same choice in the end. i.e. the thread can add value beyond Max getting his elusive, perfect bottle – I often benefit from a thread when I wasn't the OP.

If I'm invoicing a client at billing rates, I only charge for time spent on their specific project.

I don't consider a thread about gear to only about the OP's goals and no one else's.

Edited for typos and to add: Clearly we all need to hit the trail more. Thankfully, I'm heading 2,116 miles south on Wednesday so I'll be able to do that in between turkey dinners.

All… please chill.

This forum is supposed to be about gear; not personal disagreements.

If you don't like the way that someone posts, take a deep breath, move on, and let it pass. No one is perfect here and there's always going to be someone that rubs you the wrong way. Just let it go. You, and the rest of us, will get on better that way.

Bill

I don't own one of these but I figured the Vargo Bot is worth consideration.

http://www.vargooutdoors.com/titanium-bot-bottle-pot.html

FWIW I use the Smartwater bottles for three seasons and the opaque Nalgene bottle in the winter.

"No one is perfect here"

Not true! Far more times than I care to remember, I've been called a perfect ass. By friend and foe alike.

At least I'm perfect at something!

Indeed Doug, Indeed…. lol

Billy

del

I need to give those a try. Not sure why they didn't fit the OP, but I find them interesting.

IMHO, they all hold water.

The UL "standard" has been recycled spring water bottles. A one liter Talking rain bottle is 2oz on my scale and nearly free. They last long enough to be practical and there is a good recycling stream to dispose of them when they are shot. The "rocket bottom" bottles for pressurized drinks are a feather heavier and they have been reported to survive a through hike. That's a tough bottle!

Next up for me is the HDPE Nalgene one liter, which is 3.6oz in the narrow neck version and 4oz in the wide neck model. The most current Triton BPA-fee plastic 1 liter Nalgene I have weighs 6.4oz. An interesting alternative is the blue canteen with the REI logo on the far right. It was made by Nalgene and is Triton plastic, holds a liter and is 4.6oz and of course is discontinued.

H2Go has made 40oz stainless wide mouth bottles that were quite thin and just a bit more than the Triton Nalgenes from what I recall. They are near impossible to find. I liked them as they could double as a boiler in an emergency– the top came off like a Nalgene. I was always surprised they weren't more popular in the outdoor world.

The closest I have found is this: http://www.outfitterssupply.com/Stainless-Steel-1-liter-Water-Bottle-with-TrailMax-Logo/productinfo/WTM585/. No idea on the weight.

The Sigg one liter bottles are 5.2oz. I don't care for the narrow neck, mostly because the threads are easy to strip and the caps can be lost. The insides have a coating, so it's not just plain aluminum. They have made wide mouth and stainless versions.

Vargo markets 22oz titanium bottles that are 4.2oz (not that light) with a $60+ street price. Not for me!

I would just use the recycled bottles. I wouldn't be too worried about leaching and recycling is easy. The "rocket bottom" bottles are the way to go if you're concerned about durability. The UV thing is way off the radar for me.

Larry:

Yeah, I like the wider mouth and it can't beat for SUL if you want aluminum. I don't have a Monster-brand one in my stash just now, but in 16-ounce, aluminum screw-tops I checked Snake Eyes energy drink and a Miller Lite. Both were 27 grams.

All my twist-top, 24-ounce Rockstar aluminum bottles have modified with heat exchanger fins. The one pictured below weighs 42 grams WITH HX fins. I'd estimate it at 35 grams without. The sides aren't very stiff AT ALL, although it is more sturdy when full of water. I'd accept the extra 19 grams of weight for 2 x 16 oz = 32 ounces at 54 grams for greater capacity, redundancy, and sturdiness.

And to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin ('Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.') if 16-ounce aluminum bottles are cheaper with beer than with Taurine and Vitamins (or air) in them, I think we should take that as a sign from the universe.

Edited to point out that the BF quote is argued by some as not being accurate (as to author, it is obviously a true statement).

Dale: Nice idea about multi-purposing the SS 40-ounce bottles.

As a promo product they can be $4-$6 each in quantity WITH printing.

http://www.4imprint.com/tag/114/Sport-Bottles/product/105672-CL/h2go-Wide-Stainless-Sport-Bottle-40-oz.–Closeout

Maybe prior to GGG, someone would consider a minimum order. I'll just keep my eyes at trade shows and such.

I already have some of the 16oz beer bottles. I'm looking at the Monster, et al. as a bigger bottle to better double as a water boiling container.

I'm sure you've posted it before, but how did you make the fins? That might be an interesting DIY project (not that I need another project!).

I find it interesting that the Fiji bottles have been mentioned several times. That is what I use currently. I also cut the bottom off one to use as a scoop dirty water "container" for my sawyer filter. They seem a little better than round plastic bottles…

"If 16-ounce aluminum bottles are cheaper with beer than with Taurine and Vitamins (or air) in them, I think we should take that as a sign from the universe."

Absolutely! I only drink the beer ones, that other stuff tastes like…

I originally researched the stainless bottles in my "survival kit" stage. The idea is to have a can full of survival/essentials that can be handed to a hiking companion that wasn't prepared. Like I said, the stainless bottle could double as a boiler for purifying water and cooking. You can get quite a bit of stuff in a 40oz wide mouth bottle. The non-boil alternative is to hand them a spring water bottle and a small stuff sack full of goodies. Recycled mayonnaise jars work too. All versions should include Micro Pur tablets, so boiling isn't a deal breaker.

There's a joke to be written about a mayo jar of gear in comparison to a thousand rounds of 7.62×39 and one ton of rice, but I'm not going to try to assemble it.

I do like the all-in-one, and totally-water-proof aspects of the survival kit in a jar.

" I also cut the bottom off one to use as a scoop dirty water "container" for my sawyer filter. They seem a little better than round plastic bottles."

Yeah that. they work good.

I already found that link – minimum order is 36. I'd be willing to take a couple if there is sufficient interest for someone to do an order. GGG is a good idea.