Carrying Water . . . . . what's your prefered method?

I was reading a thread about bladders and thought it would be interesting to see what methods others use for lugging that much needed supply of water when they're in the hills. I personally hate bladders. I have tried a few different types, but they all seem to give the water a horrible taste. I also disliked the water getting warm on my back. I tried freezing the bladder before hunts, but it all started to seem a bit too labour intensive for my liking.

I have been using a 800ml stainless bottle for years now and it's my favourite way taking this precious resource with me. I have the bottle in a carry pouch that I sling over my head and secure to my hip/side with the waist belt of my day pack. There's no bottle bouncing around, it's readily accessible, the water is always cool and taint free. I refill from streams and/or DOC huts as the need arise. I carry water purifier tablets if I think the water might be dodgy. This suits my hunting/tramping needs well. I'd be interested in what other people do to keep themselves refreshed.

By the way, these are the bottles I really like.


EcoTanka Sports Stainless Steel Drink Bottle 800ml | Trade Me

That is exactly what I use.

I use a bladder in my day pack and have also carried an old army water bottle on my belt

I just use a plastic bottle. As i empty it i just squeeze it so the water is right at the rim then put the cap on. That stops the sloshing sounds as i move. to inflate when i need to refill just give it a good blow. No bad taste and dont cost much. But if you do use a bladder and want to get rid of the rubber taste then juice lots of lemons and leave the juice in the bladder for 24 hours. Then give a good rinse. Sorted.

i carry a small cup in daypack, and drink out of creeks and puddles

I use the bladder out of cask wine boxes. They fit over 3 litres in them but i only fill them as much as required to cut down on weight.
They squash down to bugger all when empty and they are suprisingly durable. and they dont slosh round in the pack and can take any shape required when there is limited room in the pack!

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Originally Posted by sakokid

i carry a small cup in daypack, and drink out of creeks and puddles

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Wild man wild!. . . . lol . . . . can't beat travelin' light . . .

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Originally Posted by Twoshotkill

I use the bladder out of cask wine boxes. They fit over 3 litres in them but i only fill them as much as required to cut down on weight.
They squash down to bugger all when empty and they are suprisingly durable. and they dont slosh round in the pack and can take any shape required when there is limited room in the pack!

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I'm gonna give that one a crack the next time I walk in for a overnight or two. Cheers!

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Originally Posted by Twoshotkill

I use the bladder out of cask wine boxes. They fit over 3 litres in them but i only fill them as much as required to cut down on weight.
They squash down to bugger all when empty and they are suprisingly durable. and they dont slosh round in the pack and can take any shape required when there is limited room in the pack!

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Surely it would be a far more exciting hunt if you just drank the bladder of wine????

While hunting I use a hydro bladder.
If I can I will leave the bladder empty and drink from rivers etc to reduce carrying the excess weight. When leaving the last water supply I will then fill the bladder and drink from that.

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Originally Posted by Twoshotkill

I use the bladder out of cask wine boxes. They fit over 3 litres in them but i only fill them as much as required to cut down on weight.
They squash down to bugger all when empty and they are suprisingly durable. and they dont slosh round in the pack and can take any shape required when there is limited room in the pack!

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Forgot to mention They also make a good pillow if you blow one up with air

what's the easy way to fill wine bladders with water then? - that's the issue that's stopped me in the past.

I have a bladded in the pack if I'm going up on short distances on tops because there is so little water available. But if I'm going light I got a filter bottle from Kiwideals online with a carbon filter in it. fill it up at camp and can top up with any water sourch available then.

I mainly just use a small (300ml) plastic soft drink bottle, refill as required, though at the end of the day there is normally bugger all of it gone. I have used a 2l bladder on the last wallaby hunt which was good and did pretty much empty it one long day. I just find the bottle easier to use.

I always take a packet of de-hydrated water with me, and just activate it from a creek.

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Originally Posted by Pengy

I always take a packet of de-hydrated water with me, and just activate it from a creek.

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I too am full of hot air!!!!

Usually use a 1.5l coke bottle. It squashes as flat as is required and reinflates when filled. The current one has done about 5 hunts without a leak and weighs almost nothing and cost nothing.

Same here
I went and bought one of those roll flat water bottles but a coke/lemonade bottle does the same thing

The water storage thing that I do like is the 10L water bladder for camp. It cost about $20 but I take it in empty, set up camp usually on a terrace above the river then fill the 10l cube at the river and haul it up to the camp. No constant refilling a litre at a time.

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Originally Posted by rupert

Usually use a 1.5l coke bottle. It squashes as flat as is required and reinflates when filled. The current one has done about 5 hunts without a leak and weighs almost nothing and cost nothing.

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Originally Posted by 308

The water storage thing that I do like is the 10L water bladder for camp.

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Yep they are bloody useful when you are there for a while

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Originally Posted by SiB

what's the easy way to fill wine bladders with water then? - that's the issue that's stopped me in the past.

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It takes a while to get the knack of it but i rip the top off and hold it under a small waterfall or face the hole into the flow and it fills op pretty quickly.

Camelbak with some rehydration drink for the long hot days

Squeeze flat 1 litre water bottle for general hunting, they dont make noise like a water bottle

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Originally Posted by POME

I just use a plastic bottle. As i empty it i just squeeze it so the water is right at the rim then put the cap on. That stops the sloshing sounds as i move. to inflate when i need to refill just give it a good blow. No bad taste and dont cost much. But if you do use a bladder and want to get rid of the rubber taste then juice lots of lemons and leave the juice in the bladder for 24 hours. Then give a good rinse. Sorted.

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I do the exact same, works a treat.

1l milk bottle with my belt threaded thru the handle sits sweet behind my back/arse

price is right too

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Originally Posted by Bill999

sits sweet behind my back/arse

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I am worried now. Do you have a front/arse?

Yup there's one just above my chin that all the shit I talk comes out of

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Originally Posted by Bill999

Yup there's one just above my chin that all the shit I talk comes out of

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Classic ha ha ha ha

I just drink my own urine no need for bladders/bottles .... :D



Seriously I carry a water bladder, I give it a good clean out so no funny taste. The only part of the water I find that is warm is in the water tube, the rest is cool as in my pack. I don't like carry a bottle makes to much noise (sloshing) when bush stalking. A good thing with a good bottle apart from carrying water is at least you can boil water (as long as material will not melt). But I do like the bladder.