Everything you need to know: Nalgene bottles, uses and tips
Water is an essential element. Whether hiking, playing sports, or simply at work, carrying something to drink should not be a burden. On the contrary, it should be synonymous with reliability, safety, and good health... Doubt it? Nalgene meets all these criteria.
|
What is a Nalgene Water Bottle?
Before getting into the details, a bit of history. Besides being the benchmark for water bottles, Nalgene is an American brand specialized in the manufacturing of products and containers for laboratories. Their catalog is very extensive, including items such as jars, bottles, test tubes, and Petri dishes. They have made a name for themselves with the quality of their plastic which was neutral (we will come back to this) very resistant, and lighter than glass. Without going into too much detail, the properties of plastic products make them more suitable than glass for all experiments using numerous substances at various temperatures. Nalgene products are manufactured by Nalge Nunc International. The name Nalgene is a registered trademark and almost a household name!
It is the outdoor branch that interests us. The offer is very vast with options and specificities for each model. Nalge Nunc International Corporation Outdoor Products Division offers a series of water bottles ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 liters. There are variants depending on the origin (US-Eur.), you can find models in oz (14, 16, 32, 38, 48 oz) The main models available in France, those that interest us here, are the 0.5 liter, 1 liter, and 1.5 liters with a wide mouth (opening diameter of 4.5 cm for the small one and 5.3 cm for the two larger ones).
Why Choose a Nalgene Water Bottle?
For once, it's not marketing that has persuaded us to buy. It's indeed for its technical and practical characteristics that one chooses a Nalgene. Here are the main arguments that should convince you.
For Health:
Hydrating is essential. In adulthood, it is recommended to drink about 2 liters of water per day. The graduations on the side of the bottle allow you to check your daily intake. Nalgene is made of Tritan, guaranteed BPA-free. You drink without the risk of water contamination by harmful substances (this is the case for some types of mineral water bottles made of type 1 plastic (PET or PETE) that contain polyethylene terephthalate, a chemical that may release antimony trioxide.). Good to know, in addition to being almost indestructible, Tritan does not impart any taste or odor to the contents of the bottle.
For Design:
With a simple, cylindrical shape and a wide opening, the water bottle slips into any bag or backpack pocket. It has become a reference, and many brands have developed pouches and carrying systems. Thanks to its diameter, each bottle will find a mug in which to fit. The 20oz size (diameter 7.6 cm) is perfect for the MSR Titan Cup while the Optimus Terra Solo cooking set can accommodate the 1 and 1.5-liter versions (diameter 8.9 cm) without any problem.
For the Wide Opening:
This is where it gets serious. Nalgene has bet everything on the wide mouth. The screw cap, attached to the bottle, guarantees 100% leak-proof. The opening is ultra-simple, even under harsh conditions, one-handed, with gloves, in the rain, snow...
The wide mouth is ideal for water capture and transfer, crucial in nature when it comes to collecting water before filtering it (be careful, always collect running water but never downstream! Otherwise, you might easily capture particles on which dirt can nest!).
The wide mouth allows storing materials, food (flour, grains, meal leftovers...) a care or fire kit, electronic equipment...
The wide mouth allows better cleaning. The transparent and smooth Tritan lets you see all the corners and risks of mold.
For Various Technical Characteristics:
It withstands very high temperatures (boiling water) without deforming or deteriorating. However, avoid direct contact with flames. As a result, it can act as a hot water bottle in a sleeping bag during a cold night or in a stopped car during bad weather. There are reports that in some delicate situations, urinating at night in a Nalgene, without leaving your sleeping bag, allows maintaining a vital minimum temperature.
It's a classic, and many brands use it as a reference for essential accessories such as transport pouches or MSR filters Miniworks and Guardian for example. There is even an LED system to screw on to create a waterproof lantern with a diffuse glow!
It is almost indestructible. It would take a bad fall from several meters to potentially see it crack. The cap and its attachment are robust. There are many videos where you can see a 4x4 of several tons running over a Nalgene without it breaking, a bulletproof bottle, you will be exhausted before it is!
Tips and Tricks
Nalgene "For Your Everyday Adventures" will become your daily ally. You will see in use that there are many ways to use it.
Here are some tips in no particular order:
- If you use a water bottle in very cold weather, the wide mouth of the Nalgene will be more suitable. Indeed, it will be easier to break the ice or capture snow.
- Leave your water bottle open for a few hours after cleaning and rinsing it with clear water, make sure it is completely dry before storing it (but believe me, you will use it every day...).
- Use a detachable reducer to drink from the mouth without spilling. This system is compatible with Nalgene large opening bottles 1 and 1.5 liters.
- Use your bottle in addition to your cookware when cooking in a water bath.
- Don't forget to use the graduations on the bottle to measure the water for your rehydratable meals or the amount of flour for your bannick bread, for example.
- Avoid more complex models (such as the multi-drink). Although attractive, they are more likely to break or become non-waterproof due to the number of parts in the cap mechanisms.
- Avoid counterfeits, the plastics are often of lower quality and do not always guarantee "BPA-free," the cap may break. It may also be that the dimensions are slightly different, and you will lose compatibility with all optional elements.
Here are some tricks:
- Heat stones directly in a fire then plunge them into the filled water bottle, you can easily bring the water to a boil.
- A bandana or cotton handkerchief makes a very good makeshift pre-filter. Position it over the wide mouth of your water bottle and capture running water (always upstream) you can then filter the water and perform chemical treatment (with Micropur for example).
- Use the handle attachment of the cap to fix a carabiner. You can easily attach your water bottle to your bag or a branch. - A Nalgene is 100% waterproof, it can be used to carry your money (even liquid, haha) or your papers during outings at sea or on the beach.
- The mouth is wide enough to let an egg pass through, then fill your bottle with flour, rice, or semolina and you will transport your eggs without the risk of breaking them!
- The wide mouth of the bottle (definitely!) is also ideal if you need to fill your Nalgene in a narrow sink with a small faucet.
Conclusion
Nalgene is a reference in the field. They have made their mark by focusing on quality, simplicity, robustness, and the wide mouth. In addition to being practical and versatile, Nalgene respects your health by offering materials that do not risk contaminating the water. If you want to see more hiking water bottles to compare with Nalgene, we have different brands to look at.
If today you are looking for an affordable container that will be your daily ally then you can count on this brand.
Discover the Nalgene range, with bottles in sizes 0.5, 1, and 1.5 liters (10.90 to 17.90 €) and the detachable reducer cap (3.50 €).
See more water bottles, water carriers, and hydration bladders.