Nalgene Cantenes and Caving

[icave]

I just got a narrow mouth 20 oz Nalgene Cantene (see IMO website under containers if you don't know what a Nalgene Cantene is). I'm very intrigued by the idea of having liquids only take up as much space as you have liquid. I could see this as a great space saving, especially for pee bottles.

That brings me to my big concern, just exactly how durable are these things for caving. I know Nalgene guarantees that they are leak proof, except for punctures, but caves tend to a bit harsh on gear. I did a small scale test on the durability of the cantene by filling it to various levels, tossing it about 9 ft into the air and letting it crash on the floor.

Does anybody have any real in-cave experience with these bottles? I don't want to use one as a pee bottle only to have it break, but they could be a great space saving on longer trips.

[Andy Shoun]

No experience with the Nalgene product, but after having 2 platapus bladders fail at less than 6 uses I decided to go back to the hard plastic bottles. I think the benifit would be that the bladder better fits the shape of my pack (Swago). Having it grow or shrink as I consume or fill the bladders is not much of a big deal since I still need a pack that fits my maximum volume.

[icave]

I agree, I was mainly interested in changing the profile of my pact. I find it's usually the nalgene bottle that increases my pack's profile, and I hate using the extra space when it's not needed. For me, small pack = more fun caving trip. I've gone packless on a few short trips (just stuff spare batteries, etc into my coveralls) and now I'm pushing to reduce my gear load/space requirements.

[Scott McCrea]

This topic surfaced for a while in this thread: LINK

I have tried the collapsable bottles and have gone back to regular Nalgene bottles. I just couldn't trust the collapsable ones. Although, I have a small Platypus in the bottom of my pack for an emergency pee bottle--a Platypiss, if you will.

There are other water bottles out there that are lower profile than standard Nalgene bottles. Flask and rectangular shape are possible.

Glad to hear of more people trying to reduce the size of their pack. Low weight is great. But, low volume/profile is the key to moving effciently through a cave.

[Scott Shaw]

I've not had a Platypus fail despite years of use, but did have a Nalgene Cantene fail in less than 6 months.

I like the roll-down fetaure and getting back a little pack space which makes repacking easier during trips.

[jmo]

I have used my Nalgenes for years and have taken them caving in every trip. Some trips the bottle was getting scraped and smashed and I’ve never ever had a problem with them.

They are built like tanks and they are virtually leak proof. I’ve even seen someone run over it with their Jeep and it didn’t even break. That’s unbelievable.

Just make sure if you wash them in the dishwasher make sure you take the lid off and put it on the top shelf or it will melt.

[reece]

i pretty exclusively use collapsible water containers. specifically, the "cubie" or collapsible water cube. these are made by the hedwin container corp, from a thick polyethylene, and while over time they do have a tendency to develop leaks, they are quite rugged and reliable.

these are the types of containers almost exclusively in use by cavers in the black hills, where extremely long trips, and lots of crawling is the standard. the ability to reduce pack size, and to make the pack smaller as you use more of the liquid is a wonderful thing.

you might also look into the MSR dromedary and drom-lite bags, which are similar to the platypus, nalgene cantene, etc, but have a nylon coating on the outside.

[Cindy Heazlit]

I've never had my platypus totally blow, but it did get old and leaky, as any water bottle does with time. The first platypus lasted 6 years, so I'm not complaining.

I usually fill the platypus and then wrap duct tape around the bottom of it (as I would a water bottle). This seems to help the durability, and is a good place to "store" my duct tape.

Matt's recommendation of using a dromedary is good too. The extra protection of the cover cloth can't hurt.

[NZcaver]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned those military 2-quart collapsible canteens, with the little padded cover that goes over them. I used to hike with one a lot, and I'm thinking they should work OK for caving too.

Personally I'm a regular Nalgene bottle guy. My 1-liter gets the most use, but last year I also got a 1.5-liter for those warmer-climate caves where I should be drinking more. Like Cindy, my Nalgenes also hold my duct tape.

I like Scott's suggestion of a "Platypiss". I might have to try that.

[Bil Davis]

I've used platypus's a lot, but they all eventually developed small holes where the hard plastic top is attatched to the main part of the bottle. They tend to always get folded at this particular spot, and get weakend. Now I just use 20 oz. gatorade bottles. They are tuff and free, sort of.

[Nico]

I use both normal nalgene bottles and "waterbags" and both have worked pretty good, however a friend of mine who uses a platypus has had the zip bottom to unzip somehow several times without much pressure at all

[RescueMan]

I have used my Nalgenes for years ...Just make sure if you wash them in the dishwasher make sure you take the lid off and put it on the top shelf or it will melt.

Sounds like you're talking about the hard Nalgenes, probably the polycarbonate variety.

If that's so, then DON'T wash them in a dishwasher. One study has demonstrated possible harmful breakdown products of polycarbonate, but only under conditions of high temperature and harsh chemicals - e.g. a dishwasher.

Rinse of wash gently by hand and they're likely fine. I've used some of mine for more than 15 years.

- Robert

[Wayne Harrison]

I've used a collapsable Nalgene for a pee bottle for five years, with no leaks.

[cavewine]

I have used a collapsable Platypus brand 1-Litre for about 2 years now. It still is in use, which I am surprised about.
I haven't used the Nalgene's kind of collapsable, so no comment.

[Cindy Heazlit]

I've used platypus's a lot, but they all eventually developed small holes where the hard plastic top is attatched to the main part of the bottle.

Hmmm. That's where mine started to leak too. It kind of delaminated, and after that started leaking.