HikeArizona.COM

In preparing my pack list for my summer trip:
http://hikearizona.com/mypack.php?ver=3&PID=254
I discovered that those plain white food grade plastic Nalgene bottles weigh FAR LESS than the comparable clear plastic versions.
Clear smoked "designer" color plastic 32oz = 6.38 oz
Plain white food grade plastic 32oz = 4.13 oz
2.25 oz or more than 50% more weight for the "designer" plastic version. Who cares if stuff stains the white food grade plastic version. That's a big difference!

joe bartels wrote:

big_load wrote:My tolerance for people that expect somebody else to provide a filter varies quite a bit, but the default setting is low.

true to your kokopelli

I guess so.

In retrospect, I'm amazed by all the gear surprises that have popped up over the years. Here's one of my favorites. Mrs. big_load and I once went camping with another couple at the start of November in northern Maine. After the tents were up, we learned they forgot their sleeping bags. We got through the sub-freezing night with each couple sharing one sleeping bag. It didn't seem so awful to me, but the other couple was my cousin and his wife (newlywed), who had never been camping in her life. That was 22 years ago and she never let him go camping again.

My thoughts exactly. I dont mind if someone forgot something simple. But the MUST NEED stuff bugs me. Hence my previous post, ill charge 'em. Those filter elements are not cheap. With my luck, the element will go out right when its my turn to fill up!

skatchkins wrote:I use the Nalg too because of my filter. Sucks when you're in a larger group and you're the only one with a Nalg style and they all want to use my filter to fill their plastic disposables.

That's because they haven't done this.


igallery/image.php?pic_id=4276

BTW, I did 8 trips in the last year with the same gatorade bottle.. and it's in my kitchen at the moment, still ready to use.

I use the 32oz Nalgene bottle to attach to the filter. It gives a good support when pumping. The main water carrier I have is a 100oz Camelback bladder. A fine weight-to-usefulness ratio. The Gatorade bottle is useful for relieving yourself in the tent in the middle of the night.

Obvious, you trust it won't leak ;)

After not going backpacking for over a year , I am back at it! This past weekend, for the first time in many years, I left my Nalgenes at home. I'm listening to the ultralighters, and I am trying out new ways of doing things. I took my 100 oz Camelbak, a small collapsible platypus storage bag (which I didn't use) and a 1.5 L Arrowhead water bottle from the grocery store that happens to fit nicely in a side pocket. I might not trust that Arrowhead bottle on a weeklong trip, though.

On the other hand, as the old backpackers used to say, "If you take care of the ounces, the pounds will take care of themselves."

big_load wrote:My tolerance for people that expect somebody else to provide

... fill in item here

I guess I learned to take the "Be Prepared" motto seriously... That's probably why I don't do groups very often (EVER!?) Does that make me an Anti-Social-Pelli?

I do groups all the time, but everyone is expected to be self-sufficient, and people are expected to communicate if they don't own a water filter, etc., and want to share. Often at the trailhead this is discussed, and several filters or stoves are left behind to save weight.

On that note, I bought a solo tent several years ago, after I noticed that very often other women wanted to know if I wanted to share a tent. I don't share well, sorry! I hate sharing tents with random people. My kids, ok. Other people, not ok.

@azbackpackr
I agree, I'll split things up all the time.. no reason for multiple filters, stoves, etc

Since I own the brutal MSR mini grunt pump everybody volunteers to bring their modern easy pump filters

Sounds like you and I are in the same club, Joe... Will keep that in mind if I ever hike with some of you folks...

We'll definitely need a third "equipped" party