Choosing to Reuse: Safer Water Bottle Options

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The push for reusable bottles over bottled water must be making headway. Over the past...

Interesting article. When out walking I take my Sigg of course, but when on trails am using my Smartube (URL removed) with an existing water bottle - so I can keep sipping while on the move. One danger when walking is putting off the moment when you'll have a drink because of the hassle of taking the bottle out of the sack, and this 'hydration system' tackles that - and you reuse your bottle too.
Sigg bottles are brilliant, but when you're in a city and likely to be going through security checks (going into galleries in London for a start) they can become a bit of a pain.

Thanks for mentioning the SmartTube, Baz (http://www.trailspace.com/gear/smartube/the-smartube/).

It's also an affordable way to supply large groups (like Scouts) with hydration systems, using current water bottles, and can be easier to clean.

Due to the FAA's no-liquids rule, I'm always disappointed that I can't just bring a full Sigg or something similar along when flying, instead of having to buy bottled water after going through security.

So are my older Camelbak bladders unsafe or releasing this chemical?

Bisphenol-A (BPA), which has come the most under fire, is found in polycarbonate (#7) plastic. That’s the super hard, clear plastic (think of those bright, hard, colored Nalgenes), so not hydration reservoirs.

Phthlates are found in some softer plastics (think rubber duckies), but don’t seem to be in any hydration reservoirs (I’ve found no reference to them being used in water bladder materials).

Camelbak’s reservoirs are made of polyurethane, which doesn’t include any of the above.

Platypus says their hydration systems are made of BPA-free materials.

I *believe* Nalgene’s reservoirs of CXC polymer are also made from polyurethane, like Camelbak (but am checking into this).

So, hydration reservoirs are safer from leaching BPA than polycarbonate water bottles.

If anyone hasn’t already, check out “Building a Better Water Bottle: Aluminum, Steel, and No BPA” in our Gear Guide:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/guide/building-a-better-water-bottle.html