Water is life in the backcountry. As an avid desert hunter, I’d like to consider myself an expert in that subject. I’ve had to bail out on hunts early because I was out of water and none was available to me. I’ve packed more than my share of extra water weight into the backcountry simply because it’s really hard to count on a water source once you get back in there.
But, this article is not about how water is essential to survival (that would be a pretty short piece). This is about the best method for storing, transporting, and drinking water on your backcountry adventures. There are basically two camps out there: the hydration bladder guys, and the water bottle guys. Having now spent some time in the field with both, I’m surprised at how my thoughts on the subject are changing.
The issue of water isn’t JUST finding and filtering it…what’s the best way to transport and use the stuff?
Water Bladders
I remember being a Boy Scout and seeing my first hydration-compatible backpack…I was blown away at the technology. You mean I could have a constant source of water accessible by simply grabbing the end of a straw on my shoulder strap and putting it in my mouth??? The future is now! I wasn’t able to purchase one at the time (you know, being 11 and all), but when I bought my first pack as an adult, you can bet that “hydration compatible” was on my must-have list. That was about 10 years ago now, and I’ve been rocking a water bladder as my primary method of hydration since then.
The pros are obvious: easy access, and minimal space/weight added to the pack. To be able to stop anywhere along the trail and grab a drink from the straw that dangles mere inches from your mouth is by far the quickest and easiest way to stay hydrated. Plus, the plastic bag of water can take whatever shape it needs to, so it adds very little bulk to what is probably an already pretty crowded pack.
However, the cons are not easy to brush off: potential for leakage/failure, straws that can freeze, crack, and render the bladder useless in the field, and the inability to easily assess how much water you still have. I’ve had my run-ins with the first two, but not frequently enough to write-off the bladder altogether. But that third one…it has bitten me more times than I can possibly count. As easy as it is to drink from the bladder, checking its water level is a pain in the butt. Stop, drop pack, open up the main compartment, shift enough of the contents out of the way so as to at least give it a “feel test”…or even more difficult, unstrap and slide the bladder out to visually inspect it. It’s a massive pain in the middle of a backcountry adventure, and to me is the biggest argument against the hydration bladder.
This is how I’d prefer to drink while sitting at a glassing point…and I find I drink a lot more water when drinking is more convenient.
Water Bottles
Obviously, bottles or canteens have been hydrating outdoorsmen for centuries, but just because the technology is old doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant. The pros: generally more durable than the bladder, easy to assess exactly how much water you have left, and ease of drinking when pack is not on. I already talked about my issues with a couple of those, but that third pro for the bottles is nothing to sneeze at. If you do a lot of spot and stalk hunting like I do, one of the most annoying things about the bladder is trying to get a drink when your pack is lying on the ground next to you. There’s getting up from your glass, squatting or bending in some awkward fashion, trying to drink while you’re almost upside down…excuse the pun, but it sucks! Being able to sit comfortably behind the glass and simply reach over and take a normal drink from a bottle like a civilized human being is a luxury after years of fighting with the bladder.
The cons of the bottle are the exact reason the bladder was invented in the first place: more cumbersome in the pack, and difficulty accessing water with the pack on. While I don’t want to brush off those cons as nothing to worry about, I’ve recently found them to be not as big of an issue as I originally thought. The weight and bulk can be minimized by making smart choices in water receptacles (a Nalgene instead of a HydroFlask, for instance). As for extra water, something as simple as a few of the 16oz. bottles from the grocery store work fine. I’m also partial to the higher capacity, more durable, and still very packable LifeWater bottles. You could also invest in a 2 or 3 liter storage bladder that doesn’t utilize the straw, but has the packable advantages of a hydration bladder.
Needing to refill your primary drinking bottle is the only time you’ll have to dig through your pack like this…but at least I can know for sure how much water I still have left in the pack.
So, Which One is Best?
Well, if you’ve been around this site for any length of time, you know I rarely try to tell you exactly what YOU should do. Something as low cost as a hydration system is definitely worth experimenting with and seeing what works best for you. But, I’ll at least tell you what I’m rocking after giving both a good try…
As I said, I’ve run the hydration bladder for a decade. I’ve heard of hard-core hunters I deeply respect that are devoted bottle guys, and always thought they were kind of crazy. While I intended to try a hunt with bottles just for the sake of trying it, I never mustered the courage to do it…what’s familiar feels safe. Then I was throwing the last of my gear together in a rush before work (I was leaving from the office for my hunt). Somehow, in refilling my bladder, the O-ring for my straw flew off and got lost in the carpet. I had zero time to find it or fix it, so I decided at the last minute that this hunt was going to be the time I tried bottles. My Nalgene holds a liter of water and fits easily in the side pocket of my pack. Then, I found I can stack 16oz bottles of water quite easily in the hydration sleeve inside my pack. I loaded it up, and set out on the hunt.
I’ve battled hydration issues on nearly every hunt I’ve been on. I’m a big guy, I sweat a lot, and somehow my sweat is saltier than the average dude, so cramping and dehydration are regular issues for me. On this hunt (which was an early August hunt with highs still in the 90s, by the way), I stayed more hydrated than I can remember on any other adventure. I did a ton of glassing, and I flat-out drank a ton more water simply because I didn’t have to climb out from behind my binos and squat awkwardly over my pack. I also found while hiking that it is not difficult at all to reach back to that side pocket to access my bottle and to put it back. Since I always seem to stop hiking to drink even from a bladder, there’s essentially no change to my hydration habits while on the move either.
I’m not the most flexible guy in the world, but I have no problem getting to my water in this side pocket.
All that to say, I’m gearing up for a week-long backcountry adventure chasing elk with my bow in Colorado as we speak, and I’ll be rocking the bottle-only system back there. It still feels a little crazy after using a bladder for so long, but I fully believe after my recent experience that it will actually be better for me back there. I’ll always know how much water I have left, and I’ll flat-out drink more by having ease of access whether I’m actively hiking or sitting by a wallow. If you’ve been rocking one system for years without trying the other, I’d highly encourage you to find a short trip and just experiment with something new. You never know…you might just find a system you like a million times better and you’ll wonder why you didn’t switch years ago.