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Backpacker Magazine – June 2008
Lighten your planetary load, water bottle style, with these BPA-free water bottle alternatives.
| Material | Who's Using It | Comments |
|---|---|---|
HDPE, LDPE (labeled: #2 or #4) |
Most companies that make squishy bike-style bottles |
Usually opaque, usually imparts a bit of plastic taste |
Tritan |
CamelBak and Nalgene, among others |
Same performance as polycarbonate; slightly more expensive |
Stainless Steel |
Guyot Designs, Klean Kanteen, and others |
Durable and taste-free; heavier and more expensive than plastic |
Aluminum |
Sigg, Laken, and other brands |
Lightweight, taste-free with food-safe lining; pricier than plastic |
PET (PETE) (labeled: #1) |
Plastic used in most soda and convenience-store water bottles |
Cheap and light, but not durable |

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READERS COMMENTS
From what I have seen, the tritan nalgene bottles are not as durable as the original, polycarbonate version. The site states that the original is still the best.
The new bottles, though more durable than PETE or HDPE will shatter if filled and thrown or run over by a car. I just don't think that the plastic is as flexible as polycarbonate. It is also not as heat resistance.
The nalgene and sigg water bottles are beautiful though.
I use both SIGG and Klean Kanteens, bother are great. The Klean Kanteen is a little more durable and the mouth is wider and easier to add ice to it. I still like the SIGG as well, the top seals better and mine has a nice carry case to hook on a pack. Can't say anything bad about either.
Just started using one of the new Tritan bottles by Nalgene and it seems to work exactly the same great way as the older Nalgenes--no plastic taste, seems to be durable so far. Had a friend who had problems like already described with the Camelback bottles with a spout. Others have done better with the spoutless top.
I was Sigg before Sigg was cool. I've carried them for twenty years and they are fantastic. They dent but are durable beyond belief and tend not to acquire tastes, although it did take a few fillings to for one bottle to forget the JD it had carried. Now I have one smaller bottled dedicated to such indulgences--so no problem.
Dick's Sporting Goods just picked up Sigg bottles. I've used them for years and love them! However, was very sadden by this news, and having to give up my beloved Nalgene bottle...we'd been through so much together!
The Klean Kanteen is great, but also watch out for the sports bottle version. We found them to leak. I was able to get a free replacement top ( a cheaper version of the one you can buy) from the website. I recommend the bottle with the heavy duty loop top that screws off.
I'll vouch for the Sigg bottles, they're awesome. Just make sure that you opt for the liter bottle (as opposed to the 20oz), and make sure it comes with the screw top - the sport top is useless.
Camelbak makes some bottles without the spout, they hold up better.
I just spent a month out in the northern talkeetnas, AK and this camel back bottle did not live up to the terrain. With in the first week the top of this bottle was broken. Good bottle, just get a new top if you plan on putting any real use on it.
Yeah, but how much do they weigh?
Check out this bottle made out of the same Tritan material as Camelbak and Nalgene: the Titan water bottle.
www.titanwaterbottle.cmo
http://best.waterbottle.ever.com/
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