Carrying your water on alpine objectives?

[JP Peters]

At the risk of being flamed for such a simple question...

 

What's the best method you have found for carrying water on serious alpine objectives?

 

Nalgene's with an OR cozy are the tried and true and what I have always used, but there has to be a lighter set up that still can take boiling water and doesn't require a dangling cozy and bottle. I used a collapsible Nalgene on Curtis Ridge this year with success but it sprung a leak on the following trip - not exactly confidence inspiring.

 

I have not tried the Dromedary or Gatorade bottles, anyone

fancy those? Other ideas?

[keenwesh]

powerade/gatorade bottles. They're cheap and have a really good water holding capabilities.

[GerritD]

I haven't done any objectives as serious as the Curtis Ridge but I bet I have time twice as much time fussing with water systems and half as much time climbing as most here. I like the dromedaries for overnight winter climbs or spring volcano climbing.

 

Colin Haley lists he uses them and you can see a 4 liter dromedary is often used in some of his videos.

 

http://www.petzl.com/en/Sport/News/2014-10-22/What-s-in-Colin-Haley-s-Pack-?l=CA#.VIJMD2B0wy8

 

The MSR Dromlite and the Platypus collapsible bottles are rated for boiling water just fine. It doesn't say it online but I confirmed it at one point.

 

I just wrap the dromedary or bottle in my puffy jacket which also makes switching to a jacket already nice an toasty but then the water gets cold quick. I am curious how this works in truly cold conditions, I can't imagine it holds up for long.

[JP Peters]

powerade/gatorade bottles. They're cheap and have a really good water holding capabilities.

 

Excellent water holding capabilities yes, how about the boiling hot water part?

[JP Peters]

I like the dromedaries

 

How's the taste with the dromedary? I've been told they get a little funky. Any truth in your experience?

[keenwesh]

I've poured boiling water into them. They work.

[dave schultz]

I carry at least two items:

 

Always - A small (16 oz) hydroflask with boiling water from home at the start, and refill with boiling water at least every subsequent morning (more frequent if possible, depending on the nature of the route, but it ensures I will have liquid water to begin the water melting process at all times).

 

Always - A one liter platypus collapsible with an adjustable over-the-shoulder-sling that stays in front my my body inside my outer most layer and outside the others (right next to my beacon and radio chest harness). The bottle usually makes its way to one side or the other while the beacon and the harness stay centralized. Depending on the route/objective I might be able to put the beacon in the chest harness as well. It keeps it from melting and keeps it close for easy access (thus facilitates frequent hydration). You can occasionally stuff some snow/ice into the bottle to make your 1.0 liter last to about 1.3-1.5 liters of consumable liquid. I've been doing this for about three years and have not yet had a problem.

 

Optional third, 0.5 liter platypus collapsible (or two) that goes in the top of my pack, I can drink these fast, before they freeze They also give me some options later if something happens with one of my other two containers (albeit not good options). If its VERY cold I usually don't use this since the time window is too small, but if its above 20 degrees you've got a pretty good amount of time before they freeze.

 

I have never used a nalgene in winter. I rarely use nalgenes even in the summer. The platypus is smaller/lighter per volume held and collapses as you consume (but possibly more fragile, but I have never experienced issues with their durability). If you carry two 0.5 liter instead of a single 1.0 liter you can also stuff them into the voids in your pack easier.

 

YMMV

[JP Peters]

 

Always - A one liter platypus collapsible with an adjustable over-the-shoulder-sling

 

Thanks for the post Dave. I carried the platy in my jacket as well and it works well. How did you rig up the adjustable sling? Also, have you figured out a good field patch for when/if the platy springs a leak?

 

-Joe

[TwoFortyJeff]

I used to use a Gatorade bottle with a short piece of webbing duct taped to it. It was light and convenient, but it couldn't handle hot water from melting snow. I switched to a HDPE bottle with webbing and duct tape. It can handle hot temps, it's lighter than a normal Nalgene, and it's durable.

 

For bulk water carrying, I use a Platypus 3L bag that gets buried in my pack.

[ScaredSilly]

Like others I have carried the MSR dromedaries on climbs. I'll will often hike in with it empty then fill it when near camp from following water. I have never had the need to fill it with warm/hot water because when I take it we are not taking a stove.

 

If taking a stove, I never take it with me cause my bottle is 1.5 liters and will just fill it with warm, never hot water.

[Wallstein]

I use a 2 to 3L Dromedary and a 1/2L Nalgene on most Alpine climbs. Colin doesn't mention the 1/2L Nalgene but he also uses one on some climbs. I've found it to be the best of both worlds. I can put hot water in the nalgene or fill it up in little trickles or puddles. Its easy to clip to my harness or even put in my jacket but doesn't take up a lot of bulk.

[Woodcutter]

Dromlite 2litre

It's all I ever use, never leaks (as long as you use a different nalgene screw top or glue up the little stupid spout (that accidentally opened in my pack and ruined a camera body in the Windrivers)),

the absolutely brilliant thing is when you fill it up with hot, or boiling water @ bedtime & stick it between your legs to sleep, really keeps you warm at night.

Bad taste? Don't put anything in it but water & smoke for 20 years and there's no problemo.

[DPS]

Alex gave me a Platypus as a gift once. The first time I used it, it sprung a leak and the cap broke. I refused to use them for years until a partner convinced me to try one again. I have since used one 1 liter Platy (no hose) and one 1 liter Nalgene. The Nalgene doubles as a mug and if the Platy springs a leak I still have one serviceable container. This summer I started using a 3 liter Camelback with a hose on day climbs and overnight climbs where we do not bring a stove. In the winter I still bring two Nalgenes with cozys. I have had problems with the Camelback I use for trail running freeze in the winter.

[Blake]

Mix some gatorade-ish powder in your water and it makes it more resistant to freezing.

 

If you have an extra sock, slide it over your nalgene-type bottle, and it will insulate it and prevent freezing.

[layton]

every iteration of foldable waterbottles (vapur, camleback, nalgene) i've owned has leaked very early in its life. Dromlite and gatorade. I'm a fan of the 2 liter rectangle shaped opaque plastic nalgene if I use flavored water. I only care about funky taste cragging. Alpine i'm too thirsty to notice. Like cheap sunglasses, because the gatorade bottles are so cheap, you will never lose them.

 

Blake is on the money with adding gatorade type powder. Also don't fill it all the way. The sloshing will help it from freezing.

[ivan]

i've been using the same 1-liter tonic bottles i accumulated during a gin-bing in the glory days of the 1st obama-administration

[dave schultz]

 

Always - A one liter platypus collapsible with an adjustable over-the-shoulder-sling

 

Thanks for the post Dave. I carried the platy in my jacket as well and it works well. How did you rig up the adjustable sling? Also, have you figured out a good field patch for when/if the platy springs a leak?

 

-Joe

 

It's actually 5mm cord with a fisherman's knot and then just a stopper knot so the cord can slide through the fisherman's to adjust the length, but it won't tighten down on itself or pull through.

 

If the platypus ruptured or sprung a leak I'd probably try and patch it with something; but I probably wouldn't spend too much time on it. I would just accept the loss and not mess with it, unless I really needed it, then I might try some backcountry mcguyver (sp?) shit. I would just have to use whatever else my partner and I brought, another reason for bringing multiple smaller water containers. You can actually go about three days without water (but it gets unpleasant).

 

I'll also agree with, and add to someone else's recommendation for the 1/2 liter hard sided nalgene. Its small enough that its not really wasting too much room when empty, and it also a perfect size for filling with hot water in the morning and putting into your boot to pre-warm them.

 

I'll also add that in non-winter season (ie no real risk of sub-freezing temps) a two liter camelback usually takes the place of my 1 liter platypus chest setup.

 

I did have a camelback get a hole (fortunately near the top) around mile 4 or so (of 44+) when I ran Olympus this past August, duct tape was fairly inadequate (though probably more due to the running action, and probably would have been fine just climbing or hiking). I do think that hope contributed to an overall inadequate water consumption on that run/climb. That's my only water failure.

Edited December 7, 2014 by dave schultz

[Pete_H]

I definitely like using a suck tube system in summer. If I was doing something really committing where I'd be super fucked if it failed I'd probably stick with a bottle.

[JP Peters]

Has anybody figured out a way to patch the platy's? I emailed Nalgene but they just offered to send a new one. I was thinking about those quick bike tube patches or maybe tenacious tape, but I don't want to poke a hole in my new play just for science. I've never given thought to the small .5L Nalgene's but I'll be getting one. Thanks for the insight.

[YocumRidge]

Has anybody figured out a way to patch the platy's?

 

Duct tape-baby. I consider myself retarded when it comes to fixing things but was surprised the duct tape actually worked like a charm when marmot chewed a 1/2 inch hole in my partner's 2L platypus. The important thing was to drain all remaining water, thoroughly dry off the affected area before patching it. Not sure if duct tape works with camelbacks or MSRs.

 

On a related note, has anyone figured out a way to insulate hydration tubes on winter routes? The "insulation sleeves" seemed to be a bogus, someone suggested to stick the

hydration port under your jacket but that never really worked for me...

 

[Water]

re: insulate hydration tubes

 

use the bogus cover and diligently blow back so that liquid is cleared from the line-i've found that to be a solution in the mid-20's. You could also open one of those stick-on body "sized" chemical heat packs on it maybe a few hours into a trip, if temps are really low. Haven't done that but seems sorta plausible..never had luck with those heat things though..they dont seem warm when I need them and then driving home they'll be fire-hot in the car 14 hrs later..

[YocumRidge]

Ah yes, I heard about using the handwarmers and specifically attaching them to the platy-tube connector. Curious what will be the freezing range then?

[ryanb]

A bike bottle on the shoulder strap skimo racer style is far superior to a suck tube in cold conditions.

[Tyson.g]

IMHO carrying a small piece of air sealing tape, I.E. Sigatape or 3m is a much more reliable option for repairs on anything like a Thermarest or a platypus than duct tape....by light years. These products are amazing and the repair is flexible, instant and permanent. I would not however recommend putting these products on anything you don't want them on forever!

 

[JP Peters]

IMHO carrying a small piece of air sealing tape, I.E. Sigatape or 3m is a much more reliable option for repairs on anything like a Thermarest or a platypus than duct tape....by light years. These products are amazing and the repair is flexible, instant and permanent. I would not however recommend putting these products on anything you don't want them on forever!

 

Where do ya find that tape? I just googled Sigatape and a roll of it costs about as much as a new thermarest. Whats the name of the 3M version?