It's called a Discussion.Originally Posted by garlic08
After about a year, I'm still learning how to filter the responses of the major WhiteBlaze contributors using my growing understanding of what I'm seeing as their personalities become clearer to me.
It helps me put these (unnecessary …) spats in perspective.
I've learned so much here — and am learning to put these nasty bits off to the sidelines.
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Yikes! This thread got a bit heated. Not unusual for forums (fora?), I think most of us are guilty of the "my way or the highway" online syndrome...
Anyway, my way, just another AT water data point: I carry 2 sports-drink bottles, 1-liter and 3/4 liter (skinnier) bottles, sometimes the skinnier bottle comes in handy for scooping from puddles or what not. And I just keep an eye on upcoming sources, usually hike most of day with one liter or less. Plus I carry a 2.5 liter platypus bottle for camp water, so basically 4 total liters capacity, but rarely carrying more than 1 or 1.5 of actual water.
I do like higher camps, some of which are dry and hence usually empty of hikers, so it's nice to have that 4 liters capacity to schlep up to camp (from last water source to camp); 3.5-4 liters is just enough for dinner and tea (2 cups), then breakfast and coffee (2 cups) the next morning, plus starting water for the next day's hike.
I have been "burned" exactly once in 45 years of backpacking with having essentially zero water at camp. really, not much of an issue, you go thirsty for a night/next morning, uncomfortable, but you won't die from 16 hours without water in AT type terrain.
My total water carrying vessel weight for 4 liters is about 6 ounces. One silly 1-L Nalgene bottle is about 6.5 ounces. Not sure why anyone would choose to carry stupid-heavy Nalgenes vs. much lighter drink bottles that work just as well. (<- my contribution to this threads snarkiness!)
Just my typical AT long-hike Modus Operandi.
My usual habit on the AT is to reach a shelter and get water at the spring if it's not dry and then find a campsite a half mile or a mile beyond the shelter for a dry camp which you're right, is usually empty of hikers. It's a good system and I can avoid the rat box shelters.
On your second quote: Sometimes you have to make a dry camp and the weird thought comes "Will I even find water tomorrow??". Without water a backpacking trip ends. Thing is, water is never an issue on the AT in normal times, but these are not normal times. We're in an extreme drought in the TN/NC mountains around Fontana and conceivably if we, say, get no more rain for the next 12 months, well, we become a scrub desert where even the bigger creeks go dry. What will a desert-like environment do to AT backpackers? Will they dry camp for 3 days and carry 4 days worth of water?
Regarding your snarkiness, you expressed your opinion of stupid-heavy nalgenes so I suppose crazed Nalgene freaks will be highly offended and try to figure out a way to get you shut down and off the forum. But I like your opinion and your words---without strong opinions and experiences expressed these threads become bland and read like classified ads selling gear. Some people probably would love that---No opinions whatsoever.
I would trust a used soda bottle to replace a nalgene filled with hot water in the foot of my sleeping bag for some added toasty warmth on a butt cold night...just sayin'
WOULDN'T trust...would not trust, auto correct blows, I'd rather just be a bad schpeller.
I use them (Gatorade bottles) ALL THE TIME, for precisely this purpose (hot water bottles in my sleeping bag). I even carry and use only them (g-ade bottles) on high, dangerous mountaineering expeditions, where temps get down to -25F, never, ever had any problem with leakage or breakage.I wouldn't trust a used soda bottle to replace a nalgene filled with hot water in the foot of my sleeping bag for some added toasty warmth on a butt cold night...just sayin'
You carry your fears. this is not one of mine. It is a fear of many others. Experience teaches.
Just for fun, here's an exhibit from the Matterhorn Museum (Zermatt SW), showing the evolution of the water vessel used for hiking/mountaineering... (this is not me, by the way, I took the pic)...
Note the lack of Nalgene bottles? This is in Europe, perhaps they don't use Nalgenes over there. The bottle being held is a G-ade bottle....
We have Nalgene in Europe, maybe not so common than in US. Schoolkids all have Nalgene (or generic stuff the like).
I've been using PET 1.5lt Cola bottles of the massive type (the one that they refill several times) for some years, but finally found the round shape too room-eating in my bag, and after a long search finally found a swiss company producing 1.5lt PE bottles in square shape, who sent me 10pcs as a free sample. They fit much better in my bag, and I carry between 1 and 6 of this bottles on my trips.
What I'm missing in all your discussions about water is how to get water from a shallow/hidden spring/well?
I carry two small plastic hoses (one smaller, one bigger) just for that purpose, and I use them quite sometimes.
Regarding your foto, CR:
I've owned and used four of the five bottle types in the 1960-2006 timeline. Stopped buying new ones with the stainless steel vacuum insulated one, which I still use to carry hot drinks for short trips.
I talked about this here---
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthre...=1#post2095643
Exactly this!
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