Why no Clear Plastic Water bottles?

[redcollective]

IIRC, glass does a fairly good job of absorbing UV anyway. There are coatings that increase UV absorption to prevent it getting through to the delicate liquids inside. No idea whether such bottles exist, though.

So perhaps for general use, and not for long-term storage, clear bottles are fine.

The ultralight backpackers tend to use normal water bottles (e.g. Evian etc) as they're very light and actually fairly leak-proof. You probably don't always need super-strong Army-issue bomb-proof ones if you're not doing anything too strenuous.

I've given up using my alu bottles and nalgene bottles in favour of a couple of 1 litre, narrow necked mineral water bottles (new set whenever you want for price of the water) - reason? - because they are slender at the neck you can shove them in your backpack (lid down) down the middle of your bivi bag/sleeping bag/tarp etc really easily - not had one leak yet - they are pretty strong. I have has a platypus bladder explode, conveniantly, at the beginning of a three peaks walk (yorkshire)!.

 

[Mantic]

I've given up using my alu bottles and nalgene bottles in favour of a couple of 1 litre, narrow necked mineral water bottles (new set whenever you want for price of the water) - reason? - because they are slender at the neck you can shove them in your backpack (lid down) down the middle of your bivi bag/sleeping bag/tarp etc really easily - not had one leak yet - they are pretty strong. I have has a platypus bladder explode, conveniantly, at the beginning of a three peaks walk (yorkshire)!.

Annoying or what! I had a flask of vegetable soup shatter and leak (leek?) everywhere. That was a pest, but worse was a bottle of scotch (for the loss of the booze as much as the stink of it on my clothes). A mate of mine can top that though. Aftershave. Why he was carrying a bottle of it hiking I have no idea but boy did he smell : )

I bag everything now - it helps with life's little troubles.

 

[Skippy]

I tend to avoid green bottles because of there tendancy to accidently falling off of walls...(ten green bottles).

 

[BOD]

Hi Folks,


I have found a site that sells screw top bottles that I think would be ideal for water containers...not collapsable but in a wide variety of sizes...Well, why not take a look at the items I have linked to and some of the others that are available...then let me know...

LS

http://www.altecweb.com/home.asp?cat=Subcategory40060b

Looks good. More or less what I originally had in mind

 

[crazydave]

Why no clear bottles - mainly its due to the UV. military kit has always been blacked out on way or another this helps keep the water fresher for longer so returning to your bottle two months later you still have potable if horribly tasting water

recently in iraq and afghanistan all of those shiny camelbaks issued to the US troops and pilfered by ours have been causing serious problems so they are upgrading the kits with cleaning kits and inline purification filters on the drinking hoses. the main problem is the bottled mineral waters used by the troops as its filtered not purified ie.. evian has 200+ times more bacteria in it that tap water as proven by watchdog and other consumer programs.

I refuse to use them but my missus has a platipus which frequently goes funky possibly due to mouth bacteria back washing into the pipe.

I purge my bottles every couple of months simply by leaving them full with tapwater and a steritab in them. this kills anytihng in there, changs the taste slightly and also leaves a little chlorine in the plastic for later. never overdo chemical purification though as it will give you a poohy bum

hope this helps

 

[BOD]

Interesting. Just returned to Perth (WA) from the Pilbara (arid zone) where I spent a week doing a survival course.

Used a clear plastic 2.4 litre ex-fruit juice bottle as container for drinking water and for boiled and puritabbed water. Whole group did as well as useing such a bottle was mandatory.

The reasons were that it enables you to check your consumption and that of others and that it also means you can check the clarity of the water. It also makes a surprisingly good pillow.

The instructor dismissed the UV as a factor and said in a survival situation there was no point worrying about long term algae growth in water which is quickly consumed and purified.

I understand that clear fruit juice bottles are also being used by Aus forces in Afghanistan for similar reasons.

 

[pierre girard]

Interesting. Just returned to Perth (WA) from the Pilbara (arid zone) where I spent a week doing a survival course.

Used a clear plastic 2.4 litre ex-fruit juice bottle as container for drinking water and for boiled and puritabbed water. Whole group did as well as useing such a bottle was mandatory.

The reasons were that it enables you to check your consumption and that of others and that it also means you can check the clarity of the water. It also makes a surprisingly good pillow.

The instructor dismissed the UV as a factor and said in a survival situation there was no point worrying about long term algae growth in water which is quickly consumed and purified.

I understand that clear fruit juice bottles are also being used by Aus forces in Afghanistan for similar reasons.

Great idea! I've often felt the one liter Nalgene bottles were a bit small for our needs - and - we have a whole load of 2 liter fruit juice bottles around. Thanks for the tip!