Make your Nalgene bottle more durable and unique

Hey guys. A friend showed me a great idea for your Nalgene water bottle. How many times have you grabbed the bottle by the plastic cap strap and eventually over time the plastic breaks and then your bottle cap gets lost? Buy a few inches of 1 inch tube webbing (color of choice) and slide the ring part of the bottle cap unit that goes around the lid of the bottle through the tube webbing so that it protects the strap part of the bottle cap unit (sorry sounds confusing). Now your bottle strap is protected from breaking and you have a way to ID your bottle. I uploaded a picture so I hope it works.

Bottle cap strap protector

How does this protect it? I am assuming if it breaks it is just wear on the plastic being open and closed. This will still happen even if you have something around it.

Empty Nalgene: 6.3oz ; holds 1000ml water ; $8
And now you are adding on more weight to make it last longer

or...

Buy a disposable SmartWater bottle from the gas station: 1.2oz empty ; holds 750ml water ; only costs $1

When it smells bad throw it away. Tie a thin cord to it which adds another 0.1 oz. and it can hang from your harness.

Plus the threads allow you to screw on a 1.9oz sawyer squeeze mini water filter and then you have unlimited water refills on the walk home for about half of the weight of an empty Nalgene.

I know what I pick.

That looks fine to do if you're in a sorority, otherwise why bother.

DrApnea wrote:Empty Nalgene: 6.3oz ; holds 1000ml water ; $8 And now you are adding on more weight to make it last longer or... Buy a disposable SmartWater bottle from the gas station: 1.2oz empty ; holds 750ml water ; only costs $1 When it smells bad throw it away. Tie a thin cord to it which adds another 0.1 oz. and it can hang from your harness. Plus the threads allow you to screw on a 1.9oz sawyer squeeze mini water filter and then you have unlimited water refills on the walk home for about half of the weight of an empty Nalgene. I know what I pick.

^^this^^ you can even use a piece of webbing and some duct tape to make a handle, then you always have a lil bit of the tape with you for other things(we all know duct tape rulez).

How about "when it smells bad" wash it. Throwing away is BS.

New replacement caps from REI 2 bucks, on sale even less.

Or replace the nalgene cap with one of those, now you can even drink (water) while driving without dumping water all over yourself!

cdec wrote:How about "when it smells bad" wash it. Throwing away is BS. New replacement caps from REI 2 bucks, on sale even less.

You realize I was talking about a disposable water bottle that already would have been reused for over a month and only costs $1 right? I guess I should have said recycle it.

that's not the weak point in the system, the ring arond the mouth is. Also if other people did this it would no longer be unique. :)-

The most slick solution I've seen is to loop thin cord around the bottle, running under the bottom and up the sides and over the top. Duct tape in place. Viola, you have a stash of duct tape and a durable clip loop.

Another option is to get a 16oz nalgene, which holds half as much water, greatly reducing the strain on the strap.

Your nylon runner idea will probably HELP though, because I suspect any failure in the strap (rather than in the ring around the neck or cap) will be caused by the sharp bend around your carabiner. (To that end using a fat bar stock carabiner might also help)

aikibujin wrote:Or replace the nalgene cap with one of those, now you can even drink (water) while driving without dumping water all over yourself!

So far I like the little mouth inserts a little better:

store.nalgene.com/Easy-Sipp…

rei.com/product/729119/guyo…

Patrick Shyvers wrote:So far I like the little mouth inserts a little better: store.nalgene.com/Easy-Sipp… rei.com/product/729119/guyo…

I've used one for years. It was great in the beginning, but if you take it in and out of the bottle a lot (to wash the bottle for example), eventually it will wear/deform to the point that it falls inside the bottle with the lightest touch.

Nalgenes are heavy ...

Use a plastic water (or pop) bottle ... Tie it off with a thin bungee (knots stay better and self tighten) with a slip knot ... Finish off with overhands

This particular one has lasted for a year or so ... Wash it every now and then

Watah bohtal

Basically you save the weight of a small cam

Some bottles last longer than others ... I use a ~700 ml dasani personally

;)

aikibujin wrote: I've used one for years. It was great in the beginning, but if you take it in and out of the bottle a lot (to wash the bottle for example), eventually it will wear/deform to the point that it falls inside the bottle with the lightest touch.

I decided to try both because they are cheap, but that might be an argument for the rubber ones like the Hydrapak or Guyot.

bearbreeder wrote:Nalgenes are heavy ...

Also durable! I don't mind; the wide mouth makes them a bit more flexible too.

Plus I believe a 20oz soda bottle weights 1-2oz, while the opaque 32oz Nalgene weights 4oz... really not that bad.

Patrick Shyvers wrote:Also durable! I don't mind; the wide mouth makes them a bit more flexible too.

+1
Like anything else, the intended use should determine the tools. A day climb or lightweight overnight bivi, sure soda or water bottles are fine. A week-long backpack I'd probably opt for the more durable item, especially if I have to use it with a water filter.

cdec wrote:How about "when it smells bad" wash it. Throwing away is BS. New replacement caps from REI 2 bucks, on sale even less.

/lisp
but it needs to match my new outfit silly.

nalgene bottles are crap.I just recycle PET bottles until they smell bad then rinse until that stops working and trow them away. Plus they are space savers on packout.

bottles

8mm cord with the core poked out works and looks better imo

I use the nalgene for looking cool around town, and the 1L powerade bottle on the right for climbing (going strong for at least a year).

We did this when I was a raft guide. Webbing and duct tape so we could attach the nalgene to the inside of the raft. This isn't new or different. It's been done for abt a decade. Cheers

I always use platybottles or similar. Same advantages as the "disposable" water bottles- light, takes no space in your bag when empty- but much more durable. Sure it's a bit more expensive, but mine are going on 3yrs with out any problems

Edit to say: I have NOT had the same luck with the nalgene copies of platybottles. I had two, not broke within the month... Never again...

Better than a slip knot,
boyscouttroop829.org/jugkno…

(at least for the folks climbing under you)

I've found the strap between the lid and bottle on a nalgene is the weak link, and have broken several jumping from boulder to boulder.
Instead, I use a bottle sling made with either paracord or 3mm pmi cord. haven't managed to break that yet. It also hasn't come loose, even after running the nalgene through the dischwasher a few times. Works on just about any bottle with a lip. The hardest part is figuring out the best way to tie the sling that works for you. See the boyscout link (Jug Knot) in benkraft's post above . ^^^

bottle sling nalgene

bottle sling