Bear Country Collapsible Bottle?

[Matthew / BPL]

I’ve got a couple 3-4 day trips in the Sierra planned this summer. I’ll be carrying my food in my Bare Boxer Contender.

I’d like to be able to mix electrolyte and protein drinks during my trips so those bottles should probably go in my bear can at night. Normally I’d use a Gatorade bottle for making drink mixes but that will take up so much of the tiny 4.5 liter bear can. I’m wondering if anyone has any good ideas about how to deal with this problem. I’m thinking a wide mouth collapsible bottle would be the ideal solution but I’d rather not spend much money on a Hydrapack or Vapur bottle. Does anyone have a creative or inexpensive solution to this problem?

[Matthew / BPL]

Maybe I’m thinking about this the wrong way… Perhaps I should use a .5 liter Platypus bottle and be DIY’ing a collapsible funnel so I can get powdered mixes into the bottle…

[Ryan K]

I think these are all a bit heavier than Platypus, but you can get collapsible flasks/bottles with wider mouths than Platypus, easier for pouring in nutrition. Check out:

Ultimate Direction Body Bottle Plus

Nalgene Wide-Mouth Collapsible Cantene

Hydrapak Soft Flask

Hydrapak Stash Bottle

The biggest opening would be a Platypus Big Zip, but I don’t like to drink nutrition through a bite valve/tube.

[Ryan K]

I found a very cheap no-name version on Amazon that might work as well:

 

[John S.]

Or add protein bars and let the electrolytes come from your food which is enough anyway really, imo.

[IVO K]

The hard-sided 0.5 L wide mouth Nalgene has always worked for me for a similar purpose (liquid food while on the move like Hammer Perpetuem and such).

It can fit easily into the bearcan although I don’t see this as a necessity – you can always drink up the contents before bedtime, rinse, and fill with water for overnight use. Its odor would be no stronger than those emitted by your mouth while asleep.

[Matthew / BPL]

Lots of good ideas here. Thanks, everyone.

Ivo’s comment reminded me of those little 8 ounce polyethylene Nalgene bottles. I picked one up today and it works fine for making 1/2 of my favorite protein shake. I’m happy to make it in two batches and the bottle has a much wider opening than a soda/water bottle. It cost $2.60 and weighs 39 grams with a few drops of water in it.

[Edgar H]

What about something like a plastic peanut butter jar?

[Ben H.]

you can always drink up the contents before bedtime, rinse, and fill with water for overnight use. Its odor would be no stronger than those emitted by your mouth while asleep.

-Ivo

+1 Drink and rinse it out… I’ve never put eating/drinking containers in my bearbox.

 

[Pedestrian]

Or stop carrying around sugary powders and mixing them in water creating the mess that you speak of.

If you do need to supplement electrolytes ( as some people do), try something like the Succeed or Saltstick electrolyte capsules. Take the capsules with water and something sweet – it appears that the sugars help in the rapid absorption of the electrolytes.

These capsules are popular with a lot of ultra runners and long distance cyclists.

http://saltstick.com/

http://www.succeedscaps.com/products/s_caps/

http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes/

Also, if you consistently have cramping and need to take electrolytes, consider getting your blood magnesium levels tested or just take a magnesium supplement. Be sure to try the magnesium supplement first at home for a couple of weeks before your trip. Magnesium supplements can have a significant laxative effect.

Taking magnesium supplements almost completely stopped my cramping issues; I tried many different electrolyte supplements over almost a dozen years but nothing really helped until I started the magnesium supplements.

Of course YMMV.

 

 

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Good idea using collapsable Platypus or other brand bottles for electrolyte containers that can be stored collapsed in the bear-proof container overnight. Thanks for the idea. I DO use electrolyte drink (Cytomax) and my brand seems helpful in preventing cramps after tough climbs.

I have a couple of Platy bottles and the old Garcia bear-proof container but it is also strong enough to use as a stool.

 

 

[jscott]

I also moved from electrolyte mixes to Saltstick, primarily because they’re far lighter.

That still leaves the protein mixes however. I’d guess rinsing the bottle and leaving it full of water with the cap on would work. When I used to take electrolyte mixes I’d do this and never had a problem. Lucky? who knows.

[Author]

Posts