Hydration

February 28, 2014 By Chas Bruce

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter

The retired SEAL next door told me that filter straws were all they carried on missions through the desert. Good enough for me. I thought I would give the LifeStraw a try. My only hesitation is virus elimination. Apparently, not such an issue for us in North America. I would be more cautious if I were in the Afghan desert. The Lifestraw is rated to remove virtually all bacteria and protozoa parasites (more than 99.9 percent) that can contaminate water. The units also do a fine job of reducing any particulate matter in the water.

First stop was an open pothole in the Utah desert. Clear water, lots of moving organisms. Looked good. I was confident the filter would keep the fauna and silt out of my teeth. I pulled the 2 ounce, 1 inch diameter by 9 inch tube from a side pocket of the pack. Dipped in the edge of the water and sucked. It took a moment and a bit of effort, but once it started I got a fairly good flow of water. A refreshing gulp of neutral tasting water. Then the procedure is to step back and blow air throw the unit to clear it after drinking.

Next stop: water flowing from a seep near Mr. Grandstaff’s Canyon. This time the LifeStraw was hanging around my neck by the lanyard. Easy to tip into the water once you crouch down. Another intense draw, but once the first flow started I could enjoy the really cool water. The only grumble being without a hose you have to lie down in the rocks at water’s edge to use the LifeStraw. So quit complaining and get a cup.

Good for 1000 liters (264 gallons) of filtered water. They also make a Family LifeStraw with a bucket to draw water and hose to filter 16,000 liters of water, enough to last a family of 5 for three years. In celebration of the U.S. retail launch, both Eartheasy and Green Beetle will donate one LifeStraw® for every ten sold.

$20

February 7, 2014 By Chas Bruce

Liquid Hardware Outrigger Stainless Steel Water Bottle

We thought we’d seen it all in Stainless Steel water bottles. But here’s a new one, fresh from Kickstarter: a water bottle with a magnetic tether. A convenient way to keep the lid at hand while drinking, filling, cleaning, or whatever. Keeps it out of your pocket or forgotten on some horizontal surface somewhere.

The Quick Stick Lid uses a strong rare-earth Neodymium magnet that attaches to a a magnetic ring at the neck. So strong they advise you to keep it away from memory chips and magnetic credit card strips. But, as we found, not strong enough to say stow it against a metal part of your car to keep it from rolling around. And not really strong enough to stick to other parts of the stainless bottle. Stainless is notoriously not magnet friendly. They tell us a Super Stick Lid is the way to facilitate locking a full bottle to something ferrous.

Liquid Hardware also has plans for a vacuum version and perhaps a growler down the road. Crafted from food grade 304 stainless steel with a BPA free plastic lid. The boys from Idaho promised one-handed operation, but the one-fisted jujitsu was beyond me.

27 oz./800ml.

$24

February 7, 2014 By Chas Bruce

Bear Grylls Canteen Water Bottle with Cooking Cup

Gerber, as part of their Bear Grylls Survival line, has come up with this update on the classic military plastic canteen.

Made now of BPA-free plastic with a textured grip enhancing and a securely locking leakproof cap. Fitted to the base is another classic military item: a fitted cup/cooking pot. Made of food grade aluminum, it holds about 8oz. The whole outfit comes fitted in a nylon belt-riding pouch. Also in the box is a Bear Grylls’ “Priorities of Survival” pocket guide.

Your testers have become leery of any plastic water vessels or aluminum cooking pots, and are not convinced that a stainless steel water bottle wouldn’t do both jobs better. Unless you’re going for the space-age military look.

$37

May 23, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Hydro Flask Widemouth Insulated Stainless Water Bottle

Now Hydro Flask is talking some serious hydration and sustenance with this Widemouth 40 ouncer. Not only can you keep your liquids hot and cold (as needed), you can top this up with soup or any other hot meal.

Hydro Flasks are made from 18/8 stainless steel and feature double-wall vacuum insulation. We tried this on a spring day hike. After a 3-hour slog, lunch brought on a still steaming soup. Your hots will stay hot for 12 hours, and your colds will stay cold for 24.

Hydro Flasks are cast from double wall vacuum insulated food grade 18/8 stainless steel, and are BPA-Free as well as resistant to bacteria and odors. For smaller tasks the 18oz Wide Mouth Bottle is a more convenient size. Hydro Flask also makes shorter, stouter flasks really for foods only. On a 90 degree day we filled the 18 with ice water and still had cubes at the end of the day!

$35

April 30, 2013 By Chas Bruce

KRU82 Stainless Water Bottle w/ Vodka

The KRU 82 Stainless Water Bottle, complete with 750ml of KRU82 Dutch grain-distilled Vodka.

It features a fairly typical stainless water bottle that comes loaded with Vodka. For you Vodka fans, it means you can peel the label off, and have a trail-stash ready bottle of vodka ready to go. And once you do finish off the alcohol, you can refill it with any liquid — water, for example. You can probably fire up a alcohol stove with KRU82.

Fastened to the top is KRU’s signature black strap and metal carabiner, making it easy to tote KRU to the party or to an alpine trek. KRU claims it is equally at home on the rocks at a club, or on the rocks of the nearest beach.

You’ll find KRU in a variety of sizes from 1.75L down to a handy 200ml.

$22/750ml

March 1, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter System

Sawyer Point One Squeeze Water Filter System. Easy to use, simply fill up an included water pouch at a lake or stream, screw the hollow-fiber filter onto the pouch and squeeze the pouch to push water through the filter.

Filter has a built-in push/pull cap so spray water straight into your mouth or use it to fill up a water bottle. Squeeze filter fills most water bottles in only 20 sec. Hollow-fiber membrane filter removes 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera and E.coli; removes 99.9999% of all protozoa, such as Giardia and cryptosporidium. Includes a 16 fl. oz. pouch, a 32 fl. oz. pouch and a 64 fl. oz. pouch. Collapsible pouches are made from durable Mylar foil and can be reused hundreds of times. Use the included syringe to backflush the filter to maintain a high-flow rate.

Filter will also fit the threads on most bottles of water that you buy at a grocery store. Sawyer Squeeze water filter comes with cleaning and maintenance instructions. Available at Amazon, REI and other online retailers.

$47

February 14, 2013 By Chas Bruce

Stanley Adventure eCycle Flask

Our trekkers have found the Stanley Classic Flask to be handy beverage of choice container. Now Stanley has added a recycled plastic version, the Adventure eCycle Flask.

This eight-ounce container has a slim squared-off profile in odor-free, durable recycled plastic. A screw top accesses the contents, but a latch allows the entire top to flip open. Stanley says for easy cleaning. Open it up and toss it in the dishwasher. We were thinking, flip the top and guzzle the contents in one go. Or perhaps the wide-open top would make for easy filling, or for adding ice or fruit or something. Or make this a mini-meal container. Or a dry container for that matter. Coming out this fall.

$20

February 6, 2013 By Chas Bruce

The Square Clean Bottle

Have you been a victim of rolling water bottles? The new stainless Square water bottle will solve that one.

The Clean Bottle system allows you to remove both the top and bottom of your water bottles for better cleaning. Originally in BPA-free plastic, it is now available in food grade 304 stainless and in this unique square shape.

Detail of Square Clean Bottle — Detail of the Square Clean Bottle

The Square has a large handle fitted diagonally into the locking top. The locking bottom comes off for that better cleaning action. Plastic parts made of 100% BPA black plastic. Clean Bottle also donates 10% of profits to eco-friendly charities. Guaranteed not to roll away–and for life.

$40

August 1, 2012 By Chas Bruce

Stanley Classic 8-ox Flask in Black

This has been around awhile, but I hadn’t noticed it in black. Mostly you see it in Classic Stanley Green.

Made of odorless and tasteless stainless steel, this slim flask slips easily into any pocket. Wider mouth than most flasks for easier fills and cleaning. Rustproof black finish. This retro-styled flask will carry your favorite beverage.

Keep it in an inside pocket for double warmth.

$20

July 28, 2012 By Chas Bruce

Grand Trunk Aluminum Water Flask

This handy water flask from Grand Trunk stashes easily inside your coat. Where else to keep it from freezing on those sub zero days. And it doesn’t look like you’re suspiciously carrying booze.

It comes with a fitted neoprene koozy that provides extra insulation. Made of single wall aluminum, totally BPA free. Capacity: 400ml. or about 15 ounces. Measures 6 1/2″ tall, x 3 3/4 wide x 2 1/8″ (165 x 95 x 55mm).

$15