[RubberChickenGirl]

Are these just trendy? Is there a reason everyone mentions these? They just seem brittle and breakable to me. Are they? Then you read around and lo and behold the cause cancer (in the state of CA as we say around here)....what's up with them?

 

[Angrist]

the hard transparent Nalgene is made from a polycarbonate plastic that contains Bisphenol A. It may leach into the water over time and is toxic in surprisingly small amounts. The softer translucent Nalgene is made from a much less toxic plastic. All Nalgene bottles are very sturdy and that is the reason for their original popularity.

 

[Survival Helper]

They are nearly indestructible, and aren't made in china. The OLD ones contained chemicals known to commifornia to cause something other than commification. The new ones are all free of the nasty chemicals. Nalgene is the toughest bottle on the market, they last nearly forever, and are top notch kit. I learned a long time ago that if people are truly talking about a product, it most likely isn't hype. This bottle comes with a 100% no hype guarantee, it is what they say.

 

[oki]

I looked on the bottom of the awesome bottle I've been using for years and discovered it was a Nalgene. :B It's the squeezable kind. And yeah, it's great. The awesomely designed squirty cap is the reason I've been using it for so long. http://www.robbinsinternational.com/outdoorgearstore/images/nalgene-all-terrain-bottle.jpg (The purple one. The name wore off the side of mine long ago.) Opens easy, but never spills!

My mom has some of the hard ones, and they've lasted for years too. But I just got a steel bottle instead, for hiking. Actually I got it for Christmas, LOL, but I'd still take it over a plastic one. You can boil water in it if you need. And it doesn't cause cancer. D: Bit heavy though.

 

[TacomaJPP]

The great thing about Nalgenes are that they don't bust when cold etc. I backpack quite a bit and let me tell you, if you drop your water bottle and it breaks because of rocks/cold temps, etc. you are in for a tough hike.

 

[firehiker]

The great thing about Nalgenes are that they don't bust when cold etc. I backpack quite a bit and let me tell you, if you drop your water bottle and it breaks because of rocks/cold temps, etc. you are in for a tough hike.

Roger that.
the things can freeze solid and bounce off rocks when dropped offa cliffs. I have...6? 7? something like that but mainly use them as a daily water bottle...on the trail I use an MSR Cloudliner 3L hydration bladder. I will carry one though as my first aid/survival kit container, and have added sharpie-marker written "notes" on the things...like simple measurement conversions that I forget when fatigued, bleach drop amounts, iodine drop amounts, etc...I then use it as a measuring cup to boil water for my dehydrated food packs.
That is all. Over.
:thumb:

 

[oki]

Roger that.
the things can freeze solid and bounce off rocks when dropped offa cliffs. I have...6? 7? something like that but mainly use them as a daily water bottle...on the trail I use an MSR Cloudliner 3L hydration bladder. I will carry one though as my first aid/survival kit container, and have added sharpie-marker written "notes" on the things...like simple measurement conversions that I forget when fatigued, bleach drop amounts, iodine drop amounts, etc...I then use it as a measuring cup to boil water for my dehydrated food packs.
That is all. Over.
:thumb:

Writing measurements on them is a good idea, I can never remember that stuff. :3
Wait, do you boil IN the bottle?

 

[Guerrilla]

nalgenes are great. I have a couple that are at least 10 years old. I use them as weights for hanging bear bags, fill them with boiling water at night to use as a foot warmer, and by strapping your headlight to it inside out, so the light points inward, it makes a decent lantern for playing cards at night. I have never seen a broken nalgene.

 

[Uncas]

Nalgene started off manufacturing plastic containers for Lab use. I used them in all sorts of sizes at a previous job to store everything from water to sythetic lubricants to even acid. I have also used them for 15 years of hiking,hunting and backpacking with no issue. As already mentioned they are indestructable. I have only had one break on me and that was after I threw it at a tiled floor (don't ask) as hard as I could. The bottle itself did not even break but the cap shattered.

 

[firehiker]

Writing measurements on them is a good idea, I can never remember that stuff. :3
Wait, do you boil IN the bottle?

no, never boiled IN one...I am sure you could by hanging it over a fire, a la les stroud on survivorman...but as mentioned you can pour very hot water in it and use it as a bag/tent heater if you need to...also the headlamp idea is a good one, and they even make a really killer replacement lid called the Firefly that has a build in LED, turning the water bottle INTO a lantern...

 

[bansheeboy912]

I own 2 nalgene bottles one of the newer softer ones, and one of the old style harder ones. I still continue to use my old one when my new one is being used (i.e. when in the sink covered in dishes that i don't feel like washing.) And yes they are pretty darn tough.

 

[Duckman]

They are the only bottle I'd trust to use heated water in, and then placed at the foot of my bag in serious cold.

Tough strong trust worthy bottles.

Having said that, they take up lots of room in a given pack, so I don't use them for backpacking anymore. Only a 4ltr MSR Dormalite ultralite bladder, and a 2nd Camelbak bladder/bite valve setup or 22oz bicycle type water bottle(so I could use powders in, or when its too cold for bladders since the line/bite valve is prone to freezing, even when insulated) that uses an external(on the pack) holster/pocket.

 

[oki]

no, never boiled IN one...I am sure you could by hanging it over a fire, a la les stroud on survivorman...but as mentioned you can pour very hot water in it and use it as a bag/tent heater if you need to...also the headlamp idea is a good one, and they even make a really killer replacement lid called the Firefly that has a build in LED, turning the water bottle INTO a lantern...

Oooh, nifty.
Hmm, so how about the softer ones, can you put hot water in them as well?

 

[almac]

Polycarbonate products can be identified by the symbol "#7 PC" on their recycling logos.
these are poisonous if used to hold food or drink.

heres a link.
http://media.barometer.orst.edu/med.../Nalgene.Plastic.May.Be.Harmful-2298859.shtml

peace
al

 

[Prof. Cecil Feio]

BPA Free Bottles

http://www.rei.com/search?origin=Google&search=bpa+free+bottles&seq=1&hist=search,bpa+free+bottles

 

[HammerHand]

Are these just trendy? Is there a reason everyone mentions these? They just seem brittle and breakable to me. Are they? Then you read around and lo and behold the cause cancer (in the state of CA as we say around here)....what's up with them?

Trendy means it'll go away after a while, when the new trendy thing comes along.

Nalgene is not trendy. And if you're worried about BPA, they make BPA-free stuff now.

Had a favourite Nalgene (until some ******** ******** ****** piece of ****** ****** stole it) - and that thing took a serious beating, and lived to tell about it. Used it at work where it got knocked around quite a bit. Took it hiking in the Rocky Mountains and dropped it, sending it tumbling down over the side a switchback. It was still in working condition when I got back down to it.

 

[silentmaster101]

Trendy means it'll go away after a while, when the new trendy thing comes along.

Nalgene is not trendy. And if you're worried about BPA, they make BPA-free stuff now.

Had a favourite Nalgene (until some ******** ******** ****** piece of ****** ****** stole it) - and that thing took a serious beating, and lived to tell about it. Used it at work where it got knocked around quite a bit. Took it hiking in the Rocky Mountains and dropped it, sending it tumbling down over the side a switchback. It was still in working condition when I got back down to it.

i dropped mine down about 300 feet of mountain, of that probably 150 foot was a straight drop, and it worked great, but had a really big dent in the side. but they gave me a new one when i talked to their customer support about it.
apparently thats covered in the warranty.

 

[Duckman]

They are not bear proof. That I know first hand.

 

[Swamp Shuck]

Nalgene was orignally used in labs because unlike most plastics it didn't absorb oils or odors. That became a great thing for storing food too. You can store juice in a nalgene, rinse it out, put milk into it and your milk will taste like milk. They are rugged and don't break because of expansion which was needed in labs and so don't break if you freeze liquid in it and then put it in a cooler to keep your food cold.

BLT

 

[tennesseetrouter]

I've got some of the heavier Nalgene bottles I've been using for 25-30 years. Mine have taken a real beating, but other than some slight discoloration they are as good as they were the day I got them. In the early years I disliked the odor they seemed to have, but for years now I've been storing them between outings with a few teaspoons of baking soda inside, which helps.

That said, I've learned that serious Appalachian Trail hikers (thru-hikers) are now largely using gatorade and other similar bottles. They have opted for them due to weight (they are an ounce-conscious bunch), but also because of Nalgene's supposed brittleness. Nothing like a 2,500 mile hike to give your gear a thorough workout.

You can learn a lot by reading some of the entries on trailjournal.com or on one of the Appalachian Trail message boards. If you want to know the potential problems with a particular type of stove at higher elevations, or how to stay warm in a hammock during the winter, or which boots can take a pounding, or how to get sufficient protein on the cheap, check out those boards.