Nemisis said:
I've spoken to the manufacturer; who referred me to their UK distributor...
First Ascent.
Try via there (usual suspects listed)
Price List (PDF)
Carrying Water.
- Thread starter Longstrider
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I've spoken to the manufacturer; who referred me to their UK distributor...
First Ascent.
Try via there (usual suspects listed)
Price List (PDF)
I try to take as much water as I can reasonably carry and IMHO water bladers are easiest from a packing perspective, but also take a very small light filter about the size of 4 pens with me, I dont know where it was from and is only good for 60 litres and takes ages to pump and cost about £15. I have been out on a long hot day without it miles from a fresh water source burning up and out of water and both my wife and I were quite ill afterwards and we were carrying 3 litres each at the start. Any safe water would have been very welcome at that point, I think this is essential kit for any long hike.
warthog1981 said:
You must be reeeeeeelly strong!
and what a size backpack!
Sorry
Anyway to address a couple of previous issues
and I am not a platypus sales man
If Its a cold day I fill my 2 platypuses with hot water. I keep my platypusses /Platypussi? at the rear of my backpack I then find that the heat warms me up first thing on a cold day and later on the heat from me keeps the water liquid (I know the UK is warmer than Canada)
Re. drying so they don't go manky
I store mine in the house opening down on a wall mounted CD holder and as for the tube I take the mouthpiece off and spin it round a few times and the centrafugal force chucks the water out.
I've had mine for a couple of years with no probs apart from I used to use it for orange squash when taking scouts out. It's now dyed permanently a sort of green-yellow. If observed I have to answer lots of questions about why I am drinking urine
Blimey! 3 pages of answers! 
I think that I'll be trawling round the shops to look at wide mouth bladders before long, but I will probably have to either buy them in bulk or stick to a rigid container for the bulk of the water as I'm looking at carrying at the very least 5 litres. I do, after all need enough for 2 people for a weekender, (and we like our tea!)
I like Warthogs thinking. As long as I can find something similar that I'm convinced won't leak (I've had more than one petrol can that piddled if you tipped it up) I think thats what I'll end up carrying most of our wet in.
Thanks for all the input guys. :You_Rock_
I think that I'll be trawling round the shops to look at wide mouth bladders before long, but I will probably have to either buy them in bulk or stick to a rigid container for the bulk of the water as I'm looking at carrying at the very least 5 litres. I do, after all need enough for 2 people for a weekender, (and we like our tea!)
I like Warthogs thinking. As long as I can find something similar that I'm convinced won't leak (I've had more than one petrol can that piddled if you tipped it up) I think thats what I'll end up carrying most of our wet in.
Thanks for all the input guys. :You_Rock_
Longstrider said:
I used to just carry a cup - but with the advent of giardia (transported to our area from europe in 1973) I started to carry a water filter and canteen. For many years I carried a WW II Brit army canteen, These work fairly well and are easier to carry than the US ones, but cannot be heated due to the enamel (well, they can be heated once).
I now use an experimental US army extreme cold weather canteen. Got ten of them for $50 and have been reselling them for $15 apiece. It is fairly small in size for carrying a quart - and having double walls with an inert gas inbetween. Acts something like a thermos and keeps water from freezing far longer than a regular canteen. Keeps coffee hot for a long time too.
For mealtimes while canoeing I just bring a canvas bucket and use the filter to fill it.
PG
try axminster tools thats where i got mine from no leaks
Longstrider said:Blimey! 3 pages of answers!
I think that I'll be trawling round the shops to look at wide mouth bladders before long, but I will probably have to either buy them in bulk or stick to a rigid container for the bulk of the water as I'm looking at carrying at the very least 5 litres. I do, after all need enough for 2 people for a weekender, (and we like our tea!)
I like Warthogs thinking. As long as I can find something similar that I'm convinced won't leak (I've had more than one petrol can that piddled if you tipped it up) I think thats what I'll end up carrying most of our wet in.
Thanks for all the input guys. :You_Rock_
Personally, I use a couple of 1 litre military style canteens (one for drinking from, one for collecting water with), a filtering water bottle (filters out iodine as well as nasties), and a camelback, mixing and matching as needed.
That said, for all that, I had a 2 litre pop bottle which served very well for about a year, so there we are.
That said, for all that, I had a 2 litre pop bottle which served very well for about a year, so there we are.
I use a Platypus type bladder called a Flexi Flask http://www.thegorgeoutdoors.co.uk/a...ors_TFO_Flexi_flask_hydration_systems_91.html. I like these because the bladder stands upright inside your pack using an internal tube to get to the bottom of the bladder, meaning the water is drawn form the bottom (see a piccie on the link if my description doesn't make sense). I've always thought that as the drinking tubes on the Platypus and Camelbak join at the bottom and outside of the bladder there was a bigger chance of a leak.
A small disadvantage I find with bladders is that if you are not careful where you site the mouthpiece it can sometimes come into contact with the ground when you take your pack off. Not a major issue but something to be aware of.
Mat
A small disadvantage I find with bladders is that if you are not careful where you site the mouthpiece it can sometimes come into contact with the ground when you take your pack off. Not a major issue but something to be aware of.
Mat
I've tried the flexiflask, had one for a few years but last year decided I needed something a bit bigger so bought a 3L Unbottle. Fantastic, the wide mouth makes a massive difference to cleaning although the bite valve is still a hassle. Don't think I'd go back to a solid bottle again due to the space they take up. I still find 3L is no where near enough so it depends on what I'm doing, if I've got the car then its a 20 gallon container in the boot.
I have a number of carriers for water, rigid walled are British Army water bottle, Nalgene 0.5L and Nalgene 1L. Flexi Walled are, Liquipak 7L (it is old but still going), Camelbak 3L, Platypus 2L, Platypus 1.5L and 2X Platypus 1L bottles.
One of the Platypus 1L sits in a bag with my millbank bag and a purification kit and is only there for emergencies, but I will also be carrying a Katadyn Mini or PUR Explorer (no longer available) for purification.
Hard bottles are good on a belt, but drinking straws are very handy to have and more accessible when you are walking in some ways. Flexi walled stuff has the great factor that they pack flat when empty which means that you can carry empty packs to a site and fill them when you get there and they take up virtually no space.
The flexible bottles are also quite robust.
One of the Platypus 1L sits in a bag with my millbank bag and a purification kit and is only there for emergencies, but I will also be carrying a Katadyn Mini or PUR Explorer (no longer available) for purification.
Hard bottles are good on a belt, but drinking straws are very handy to have and more accessible when you are walking in some ways. Flexi walled stuff has the great factor that they pack flat when empty which means that you can carry empty packs to a site and fill them when you get there and they take up virtually no space.
The flexible bottles are also quite robust.
I use a 3 litre Karrimor "Source" bladder style carrier and I have found it to be far better than rigid carriers as I can squish it into a side pocket on my rucksack. With my Wetterling axe on the other side (inside the pack) and my tarp and hammock in the other side pocket it's perfectly blanced without being top heavy. I know that Karrimor have a free repair service for rucksacks so I would expect it to be the same for their other gear.
As for punctures, I'd have to deliberately stab through my rucksack and the tough cordura outer cover and the internal bag.
I'm not going to try but I reckon it would be difficult to do by accident. Also, having the drink tube over my shoulder and the hands free mouthpiece is perfect.
I've never considered going back to rigid carriers since I got the Karrimor, 6 years ago.
Hope that hepls
Cheers
As for punctures, I'd have to deliberately stab through my rucksack and the tough cordura outer cover and the internal bag.
I'm not going to try but I reckon it would be difficult to do by accident. Also, having the drink tube over my shoulder and the hands free mouthpiece is perfect.
I've never considered going back to rigid carriers since I got the Karrimor, 6 years ago.
Hope that hepls
Cheers
The best tip I can give for storing your bladder, when it is empty, put it in a carrier bag and keep it in the freezer. No more mouldy pipes and does a prety good job of killing bugs too. And too clean milton fluid is good and denture cleaning tabletts.
Is it just me, then? I have been using Sigg aluminium bottles for over 10 years and have to say I love them to bits. My regular 1 litre bottle has suffered many heavy blows (including rolling a good way back down Striding Edge on Helvellyn) and is still watertight. I have tried bladder-type containers but just prefer the Siggs. I also like the character that a beaten-up old Sigg bottle develops through use and wouldn't be without one of my old ones.
Note: I have just read through this and apologise for getting sentimental about a water container - good grief.
Bowman
Note: I have just read through this and apologise for getting sentimental about a water container - good grief.
Bowman
I use an Ortlieb 4L (with shower attachment and soon to get a drinking tube) which is kept in my pack, and I also have a 1L British Army canteen which is close to hand for drinking on the move and also security against any punctures (however unlikely as the material is seriously tough) on the Ortlieb. I refill the canteen from the Ortlieb once I've drank it.
I used to use a Camelbak but found it to be slightly impractical as it isn't as easy to use around camp and when rolled down is bigger than the Ortleib which carries twice as much water. When I was trekking through the Sinai desert I had a platypus as a reserve to my Camelbak. Most the people I went with had a Platypus as a main bottle but 90% of them ended up being punctured or simply started leaking.
This experience taught me to look carefully at what I carried what is essentially our most important resource in.
Big thumbs up for 4L Ortlieb and 1L canteen
I used to use a Camelbak but found it to be slightly impractical as it isn't as easy to use around camp and when rolled down is bigger than the Ortleib which carries twice as much water. When I was trekking through the Sinai desert I had a platypus as a reserve to my Camelbak. Most the people I went with had a Platypus as a main bottle but 90% of them ended up being punctured or simply started leaking.
This experience taught me to look carefully at what I carried what is essentially our most important resource in.
Big thumbs up for 4L Ortlieb and 1L canteen
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