Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting How do you carry water?

Plastic pop bottles.

I have some kind of 1.5L soft bag that I've been using for years. There's no brand name on it so it's probably some kind of Chinese pirated version of a Platypus. I'm too un-PC to call it a hydration bladder, though. I drink, not hydrate, and a bladder is to pee out of. Mine is a soft canteen with a sucking tube.

So are you guys talking about the sip type bladders or just a carry bag?

Spot

Mine has a hose but I'm not all that sold on them. In warm weather, you need to drink then blow into it to force water back into the bag. Otherwise, the next time you drink, it'll be hot and stale. In cold weather, you need to do the same thing or it'll freeze.

I've never used a bladder but I'm thinking about it. During 3rd season things freeze pretty quick so I don't think it's going to work that good.

I never heard the blow into the bladder trick.

Spot

I've never had water freeze in my bladder while I'm hunting as long as I remember to blow back my hose after every drink.

I made the mistake of not blowing the hose clear in cold weather 1 time. Just the mouthpiece froze before I discovered it. I was able to pull it off and carry it in an inside pocket to thaw it out.

I use 1qt Gatoraid bottles. They're indestructible (for me at least), cost .99c with the drink in 'em, and can be recycled after a couple years of being beat around. They weigh a little more than the 16-20oz bottles, and don't crush down, but I MUCH prefer drinking out of the larger 1qt wide mouth bottles when I'm thirsty.

(2) 1qt GI canteens because they ride so well in holsters on my hipbelt. I've used the gatorade bottles a lot too but for hipbelt carry, I don't prefer them. In addition, I'll have another canteen or two in the pack, or one of the nalgene 1.5qt tall boys. Water is too important to trust to bladders. I've had the following brands of bladders fail me: platypus, source, camelback, MSR. For a long time, I kept going back to bladders like an idiot though.

I am glad I am not the only one to do this. I have two canteens and can mount them on the belt or pack. I also carry the metal cup that fits inside the canteen cover as my cooking gear. The stuff is cheap easy and durable. I suppose I sacrifice some weight.

I believe the platapus is the way to go. Been useing them for over 10 years because they dont weigh anything and they dont take space in your pack when they are EMPTY. We even bought one just for hauling a 40 yr old bottle of scotch in on a week long trip 10 years ago funny thing is I found it in my hiking bin a couple years back, opened it cause there was a swig left in it it tasted just as good as day one No plastic taste at all.

Hmm, a 40 year old bottle of scotch. That is some high end backpacking gear well worth the added weight.

Platy bags. Also use Nalgenes, both canteens and bag but frankly prefer the Platy over the Nalgene for the flexible container most of the time. Empty water/soda/Gatorade bottles are used as well.

Nalgene... water is life, especially in the desert. I know that gatorade and pop bottles are pretty durable, but I'll pack the extra ounces. If weight is an issue, I'll cut back elsewhere to ensure I have the added durabilty. To go cheap on your water carrier is reckless IMHO.

I use one Nalgene bottle. However, I also use the same bottle to cook my dehydrated food in. It works great for double duty.

I have tried lighter bottles and while they work great for water they tend to melt when you put boiling water into them.

I fill it up at every occasion and water is less of a problem if you are hunting near glaciers.

Sincerely,
Thomas

I used one Platypus bladder for about four years before I junked it. Used year round, often three times a week, the orange tint, or alge growth bothered me too much.
Just had Platpus No.2 spring a leak while grouse hunting. Small, very slow leak. Just drops at a time really. This one had seen almost 3 yrs. of regular service.
Having water regularly availiable and lots of it is why I much prefer a tough hydration bladder like the Platypus. That way you drink your water regularly.
The other thing is carrying a half gallon or more on one's back in a small pack is alot more comfortable than carrying 2.2 lbs. per quart on one's waist. Did that for many years. No more. E