Water Bottles or Water Bladder

[Flatlander3]

Thinking about what the best option is for backpacking water. I am learning toward nalgeen bottles versus a water bladder, but wanted to hear you guys thoughts. Vote on the poll or leave you thoughts.

Thanks

 

[glass eye]

When hunting in hot weather I prefer a large bladder so I can drink it as I go without having to take off my pack and dig out a bottle. Keep hydrated this way.
If it's freezing cold weather the tube on the bladder freezes so I go with an insulated nalgene bottle.

 

[rwc101]

I like having at least 1 bottle if I'm doing anything longer than a day trip. Don't trust my life to a bladder than can leak.

 

[RobG]

If it's freezing cold weather the tube on the bladder freezes so I go with an insulated nalgene bottle.

Raise the tub over your head and squeeze the bite valve so the water runs back into the bladder. I also tuck the mouth piece into my shirt since the valve can freeze.

 

[Spedray]

Anything close to freezing i use a insulted water bottle. I hate having to dig out a bottle though so if it's above freezing I use a bladder.

 

[COEngineer]

You need to add a 4th option: Bladder above freezing. Bottles below freezing.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I've never had great luck clearing the mouthpiece on my bladder in really cold weather. Maybe it's just the design I have or something. I use a bladder down to about 25* and go with quart bottles under that.

 

[nrpate05]

I use a nalgene and bring a 2 liter bladder for day hunts, but don't use the hose - its just for storage. I drink from the nalgene and then will refill it during the day. I've had it into the teens and haven't had an issue with freezing. I throw the nalgene in my bag at night and keep the bladder close in the tent and usually wrap it in my rain jacket. I don't deal with the hose anymore, freezes too easily and getting it out to fill became a pain.

 

[WalkingBird]

It's usually never freezing in AZ, at least not for long, so I go the bladder route, but I will often toss 1 or 2 bottles of water in my pack too for making a hot meal/snack or a cup of tea/coffee while glassing

 

[RobG]

The main reason I don't use a water bottle is I can hear it sloshing around. Doesn't seem stealthy to me

 

[Frazier]

I do both. Love the bladder but mine sprung a leak last Hunt 3 miles in. Thankfully had the nalgene

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

2 bladder or a bladder and a bottle.

As per many above if it's warm I'm going with a bladder, I then carry a MSR dromedary for extra water or for cleaning water. If it's below freezing I switch out my drinking bladder for a bottle.

Don't over look the extra bladder.
1. It's nice to be able to carry enough water for 2 days if you need to gain a ton of elevation and you know there won't be water up top.
2. If you are using tablets or drops to purify water you want to have the extra container to clean your water in so that you don't have to walk around for 40min to 4 hours (depending on what your using) with your only water being contaminated. Once I get down to 1L-.5L I start looking for water, fill up my 3L bladder, and then keep hunting. By the time I run out of water (if I planned it right) the water in my extra bladder is ready to drink.

I don't like to run around the hills totally dehydrated all the time, and if you don't do a bit of planning water can become a major impeding factor of your hunt rather than a minor inconvenience.

 

[Irrelevant]

If I'm still hunting or doing much hiking I prefer a bladder. I'll start the morning by adding hot water and my wife made me a fleece bladder sleeve to help keep it warm, then I just try to drink a little every 5-10 minutes to keep it ice free. Sometime I forget... and then regret the bladder...

 

[SFC B]

In everything but freezing weather I like bladder systems. Once it starts to freezing I am bottle all the way. Easier for me to keep liquid and usable.

 

[MTGomer]

I won’t use a bladder on an overnighter or in tough weather. Just too much risk of it soaking your stuff when it breaks, which will happen eventually.
Nalgene and MSR dromedary for me

 

[ntodwild]

I am a firm believer that they both serve a purpose.

In my younger years I spent plenty of time and miles on the PCT here in Washington. I would not even think of a bladder back then, mainly because technology had not caught up to the bladder filling process using a filter. These days bladders can be filled using specific filters or adapters which make it easy. Bottles were always the way to go (still get the nod for me). When bladders first came out many of them were made of materials that just flat out made the water taste like you were sucking on a balloon (not anymore). As bladders have become more and more technologically advanced I find that for months out of the year (spring and summer months) while scouting it's all I use primarily because I am moving (hiking/ATV) from camera to camera, checking video or photos, covering miles of country and exploring new territory, sometimes with limited time to get it done. I just love the convenience of drinking on the go without having to fiddle with a bottle. Bladders have a bit to be desired when it comes to rationing if you ever find yourself in that situation as most of them are in a closed pack and you can't tell how much water you have unless you make a concerted effort to stop and check so I don't like them for that. If you ride an ATV for any distance in the backcountry to and from hunting areas bladders are far more convenient than water bottles as you can drink with a helmet on. Bottles still get my nod for backpacking, or multi-day trips of any kind. The utility of a bottle/bottles is unmatched. Bladders get the nod for anything "day" related. Bottles always get the nod for multi-day anything.

My .02

 

[KipCarson]

Can we have both? I use a 3L bladder for my main drinking source throughout the day. No taking off my pack digging out a bottle or a bottle clipped to the pack belt bouncing by my side. I also keep extra bladders for water storage at camp since I’m rarely camped right at a source and don’t like dropping elevation just to go get more water all the time. When they’re empty or I’m heading out they just take up a lot less pack space than a quart bottles. I’m never backpack hunting in sub freezing weather so the posters who are noting freeze concerns should be paid attention to. I sometimes often do have a bottle around because on long hunts I like to occasionally mix up some flavored drink powder to drink as a pick me up, much easier to do that in a nalgene

 

[WapitiBob]

1.5 litre smart water bottle in a camelback bottle holder on pack belt, virtually silent.

 

[AggieOutlaw]

In NM water may be scarce. I always carry a 3 L bladder, I have a 3-6L dirty water bladder, and usually a Smart water bottle that connects to a Sawyer.

In sub freezing I carry 1L nalgenes and sleep with them in the bag. I’ve got an insulated molle nalgene carrier which is useful in winter. But it can still freeze if it’s cold enough.

I use the military grade camelbaks and haven’t had a problem leaking. Sometimes my valve seeps. You can lose a lot of water from a drippy valve. But the commercial grade bladders are notoriously leaky. I had a complete blowout of a Platypus style so it lost my trust.

 

[Boarmaster]

I been using a bladder of one sort or another for 15 years. This year I going to try smart water bottles. My bladder will be in the trailer if I decide to use it.