Water Bottles - Recommendations for Nalgene Replacement?

[Kay]

Hey guys,

I have always been a die-hard Nalgene enthusiast, especially at the rink: they didn't leak when you put them in your bag, they sat nicely on the side of the boards, and they weren't damaged by the occasional bounce off the ice. In light of the recent BPA discovery, I, like many others, am now searching for a reuseable water bottle that can take the place of my Nalgene... Easier said that done!

Apart from being sold out of anything and everything, sports stores don't seem to offer a whole lot of selection. The two frontrunners that I have heard of have been the Sigg water bottle and the Kleen Canteen, although I have been told that both of these are crushable when some force is applied. I would be a sport except for the price - Sigg water bottles are $25/each for a 1.0L bottle!!!! Dear lord, Nalgenes were like $9 for the same size.

So my question is, has anyone found a good alternative to a Nalgene that is a reasonable price and a sturdy product (no leaks, no smells, etc...)????

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help on my search!

[Skittl1321]

I haven't used them, but since Nalgene is a brand you trust why not a polyetheylene Nalgene bottle? They don't have BPAs.

Edit: (It appears Nalgene makes quite a few different types of BPA free bottles- not just polyetheylene)
http://www.rei.com/search?vcat=REI_SEARCH&query=nalgene specifies which are BPA free (that they carry). Nalgene's website also has great information.


For now I'm sticking to my old Nalgene bottles. The studies don't seem conclusive enough that this particular product is causing any danger.

[wasabi]

Camelback has also removed the BPA from many (if not all) of their bottles.

[mikawendy]

I recently e-mailed the Thermos company because I bought one of their Thermos King 16-ounce stainless beverage containers. They told me that the plastic components (lid, etc.) are BPA free.

Thermos's "Funtainers" (stainless steel beverage containers with leakproof straw) are also BPA free (brochure attached to them says so).

[FallDownGoBoom]

Sigg bottles. Kind of pricey at 20 bucks or so, but they last forever, they don't absorb odors and they look sharp!

[patatty]

I use a Sigg, and it's great. Much more durable than plastic bottles.

[kander]

Are we talking about plain ol' water bottles? I use an old 20 oz gatorade bottle that has lasted for half a year.

BTW, just curious as to how much fluid you drink during a workout. I sweat a lot when I skate and work out and will drink anywhere from 40 to 80 ozs.

[Mrs Redboots]

I often go to a cycling sports shop and buy one of those bottles designed to go into the holder on a bike. They don't live forever, but they mostly last a year or so. My most recent one was remaindered in the supermarket and cost less than £1 so I stocked up. I make sure I soak them in baby-bottle fluid once a month, to prevent build-up of algae, and make sure they are emptied and rinsed after use.

Kander, the Gatorade bottles, etc, are great but not designed to be refilled, so replace them monthly or fortnightly. I do that with my "big" water bottle; I buy a 2-litre bottle once a month and refill it daily, then at the end of the month I discard it and buy a fresh bottle. More often if the bottle gets tatty, or if I want an empty bottle or two to make soap in (the perfect moulds!).

I don't understand American water measurements; I drink a big (500 ml, I think) travel mug of coffee while skating, and my present water bottle is 500 ml; I usually drink at least part of that, as well! If I skate in the evenings, I tend to finish the entire 500 ml bottle of water, but then I don't take coffee. So I drink a bare minimum of 500 ml per session, and often more.

[rlichtefeld]

I don't understand American water measurements.

Your pint at the pub is about 20 of our ounces.

However, our pint is 16 ozs. And, then half or our pint is called a cup. 2 of our pints is a quart (quarter of a gallon). And, our quart is relatively close to your liter.

Rob

[flo]

Kander - in one of the recent studies it was found that there was more leaching of contaminants with re-use of the drink bottles, than the initial use.

This is another fact to consider when purchasing bottled water. The main problem is that the majority of these bottles are not recycled, and now there's this problem with re-use. I did a project several years ago on the environmental impact of tourism on the Red Sea for their government, and a significant problem was the volume of used water bottles and their disposal. One thing we were working on was to recycle the bottles into a substrate for growth (fake soil).

[Isk8NYC]

Mrs Redboots' mention of "baby bottle fluid" (cleanser?) made me think about plastic liners for baby bottles. (Playtex)

I took a thin plastic bag (non-zipper) and lined my 500ml water bottle before filling. The bottle top holds the bag in place and I can drink out of it fine.

If you use a gallon-sized bags, you could rinse/wash the bags to reuse them and save resources.

Just an idea.

ETA: Here is an article about plastics and alternatives. (I loved the snarky side-box comment about tampon applicators, lol.)
http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2007/09/practical-values.html

[Skittl1321]

Kander - in one of the recent studies it was found that there was more leaching of contaminants with re-use of the drink bottles, than the initial use.



Really? Do you have a link to that? Not that I don't believe you, it's just all the ones I've read have said that the BPA isn't the problem with reusing bottles, at least anymore than just using it- the problem is the bacterial build up- because most people who reuse bottles don't clean them properly. (/says the girl with month old plastic bottles I refill a few times a day on my desk. At least I replace them every month...)

[flo]

I'll find it. It was a recent article - within the last two weeks.
Also - suggestions for bottles:
http://walking.about.com/od/prpack/tp/bpafreebottles.htm

[kander]

Kander - in one of the recent studies it was found that there was more leaching of contaminants with re-use of the drink bottles, than the initial use.



My PT has hinted that I should replace the bottle. I don't even wash it because I figure putting water in it all the time keeps it clean 8O

Speaking of such things, I just realized that I've never washed the cloth in my skate bag I use for wiping off my blades. 15 years and going!

[flippet]

I don't even wash it because I figure putting water in it all the time keeps it clean 8O


Wouldn't it be nice if it worked that way!

Bacteria from your mouth makes its way into the bottle, even if you don't think you 'backwash' at all. Yuck.

I've noticed that when I re-use water bottles, they're only good for a week, tops. After that, they start to develop an odor, which is the bacteria going hog-wild. I'm not fond of replacing water bottles, but I'm even less fond of drinking water from a bottle that's starting to smell like broccoli, so.....:P


That said, I think the BPA thing is way overblown. I don't worry about it.

(And as an aside, I just can't bring myself to use a bottle branded with a name like Nalgene...it sounds like nail-polish remover, ew....)

[ice_godess]

Lululemon makes a great metal water bottle with a funky design on the outside - plus a loop in the screw on top so you can attach it to your bag, etc or just slip your finger through it. If you can find them in stock - they are $15 cdn. The water stays nice and cold as well. The bottles are coated inside to prevent the metal taste that can occur in metal bottles but it takes a few washing outs to get rid of that taste.

[GordonSk8erBoi]

I do agree that the studies seem to be all over the place on BPA, and in particular I've seen some articles that suggested it was more a problem with bottles that had hot liquids in them. Since mine only ever has cold water in it I've not been worried.

Also the studies have mostly suggested a possible risk to infants or small children (or fetuses, so pregnant women might have a concern), not adults.

[kander]

Wouldn't it be nice if it worked that way!

Bacteria from your mouth makes its way into the bottle, even if you don't think you 'backwash' at all. Yuck.

I've noticed that when I re-use water bottles, they're only good for a week, tops. After that, they start to develop an odor, which is the bacteria going hog-wild.

Hmmm, I've never detected an odor. But then I don't smell too good....that didn't come out quite right. My ofactory senses are limited.

[jazzpants]

My PT has hinted that I should replace the bottle. I don't even wash it because I figure putting water in it all the time keeps it clean 8O

Speaking of such things, I just realized that I've never washed the cloth in my skate bag I use for wiping off my blades. 15 years and going!
EWWWWW!!!

Trust me, you need to go thru a rinse cycle in the dishwasher with those bottles. And in the case of the SIGG metal bottles, you need to drop in these tablet cleaners (sorta like soaking your dentures. Hmmm? I wonder if I could just drop in the cheaper denture cleaners rather than those specialize tablets... :??) After a while the bacteria collects around the mouthpiece of the bottle and it does eventually start to smell REALLY bad. You don't want those type of bacteria in your body, trust me...

And remind me NEVER... EVER to borrow your skate cloth!!! :x :evil:

[kander]

And remind me NEVER... EVER to borrow your skate cloth!!! :x :evil:


Heh, I think I just found the perfect motivation tool. I'll chase you around the rink with it to get you to skate faster :twisted:

BTW, I have a cloth I use to wipe off my bowling bowl that has never been cleaned either, and that it goes back to the 1970s!! Microscopic civilizations have evolved and died out on it during that time.

[jazzpants]

Heh, I think I just found the perfect motivation tool. I'll chase you around the rink with it to get you to skate faster :twisted:What makes you think that I don't skate fast enough for you NOT to catch me!?!?! The last time you skated with me was just before Berkeley Iceland closed down!!! :twisted:

BTW, I have a cloth I use to wipe off my bowling bowl that has never been cleaned either, and that it goes back to the 1970s!! Microscopic civilizations have evolved and died out on it during that time.Never mind that Twinkie that is probably STILL sitting at your work desk and it's probably about the same age as how long you haven't cleaned your skate cloth too... :x :roll:

[kander]

Never mind that Twinkie that is probably STILL sitting at your work desk and it's probably about the same age as how long you haven't cleaned your skate cloth too... :x :roll:

I'm pissed off about the twinkie. Some $#@! threw it away while it was sitting on my desk. It got up to about 10 years old. I'll have to start another one.

Anyone care to guess what a 10 year old twinkie looks like? Yum!

[Isk8NYC]

Anyone care to guess what a 10 year old twinkie looks like? Yum!I would expect it to look like a slightly shriveled new twinkie. Don't twinkies have a 'half-life,' not a 'shelf life?'

[flo]

eeeek! 8O
I can imagine the science projects that live in our skate bags.

[Mrs Redboots]

Hmmm? I wonder if I could just drop in the cheaper denture cleaners rather than those specialize tablets... :??)
I use baby-bottle-sterilising tablets; brand name here is Milton (it also comes in liquid form) or the supermarket own brand, which are cheaper. Also good for bleaching coffee and tea stains off of one's china, and for sterilising kitchen cloths - they all go into the same bowl once a month!

Plus I wash my skating towel about once a fortnight, and usually throw Husband's in too, when I think about it. And the towel I use to protect my feet from the rink floor. They are in the dirty-clothes bag as I write, waiting for tomorrow! Also Husband's practice-trousers (he only has one pair) which he asked me to remind him to wash before the camp....

[kander]

I would expect it to look like a slightly shriveled new twinkie. Don't twinkies have a 'half-life,' not a 'shelf life?'

That's a pretty good guess. It shrinks a bit and the cream turns the same color as the twinkie. The most obvious trait is that it becomes hard like a rock.

[kander]

eeeek! 8O
I can imagine the science projects that live in our skate bags.

I'm sure there are all sorts of little nasties in my bunga pads. They get pretty gross after use.

[Isk8NYC]

That's a pretty good guess. It shrinks a bit and the cream turns the same color as the twinkie. The most obvious trait is that it becomes hard like a rock.I wouldn't have expected that it would go stale. I figured on sticky and mushy.

I used to work for a convenience store chain HQ and we had a folder full of "C-Store" jokes. Example: Hot dogs are the perfect c-store item. Put them on the rollers in the morning, sell them throughout the day, by the evening any left become slim jims for the next day.

[Query]

Here is a set of discussions on the Lexan bottle scare, from a sea kayak site.

http://cpakayaker.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2687&sid=86b286f22d8b1b3d206ad5b9a8e00600

As mentioned there, if you aren't putting super-hot water inside, Lexan isn't really a problem. All plastic food containers have the same theoretical issues - replacing one plasticizer with another, which is what you probably do if you pick a BPA-free plastic, may not help.

Virtually all food and beverage containers have some low level risks, also mentioned in that discussion, because all substances react chemically with other substances. Skating and driving to skating is probably a lot bigger risk than water bottles.

If you like Nalgene, see their comparison chart.

http://www.nalgenechoice.com/compare.html

Maybe you'll decide you want their (heavy) stainless steel bottles, which probably are BPA free, though steel reacts with some drinks too.

I like Nalgene bottles. They don't leak much.