Water containers are such a trivial item but there many opinions about it, mainly since there are always the ultimate cheap and light options: empty soda bottles. I’m not against soda bottles (or any disposable bottle) in any way, but I hate the disposable aspect of them. For years I have been a Nalgene user: they are sturdy, robust and easy to use, but when empty they are just inefficient. Here is where we find the Platypus bottles: simple, strong, reusable collapsible containers that carry the right amount of water and pack down to nothing when empty: the perfect solution.
Just choose your container – disposable or not?
Though not as cheap as plastic bottles and not as robust as Nalgene bottles, the Platypus containers offer an excellent mix of lightness, robustness and low volume. After 3 years of use, I have had only one out of 4 containers leak, 3 lost lids (the main problem with the bottles) and they probably have carried several tens of thousands of litres by now; and I still think my Platypus bottles are the best water containers.
A Nalgene hiding in the side pocket of the backpack under the ominous Matterhorn
There is one more alternative that I haven’t mentioned and is a very, very popular one: hydration bladders. Hydration bladders are a great way for fast and constant movers to stay hydrated using a collapsible container (the bladder) and a hose that allows for drinking while moving using a one way mouth piece. As great as hydration bladders are, I have two personal problems with them:
- You can’t see your water level unless you take your bladder out, which means taking the pack off etc, taking too much time and “faff” to deal with
- Most mouth pieces on hydration bladders require some level of suction to get the water from the bladder to your mouth; this is the one thing that gives me the chills and I just can’t use them. Note: Geigerrig hydration bladders have a unique pressurised system but they are heavy and expensive
Hydration bladder and Nalgenes in Dartmoor
Platypus have a few containes options but I use only two: the PlusBottle (one litre) and the Platy Bottle (two litres) with the PlusBottles with me at all times (really all the time) and the Platy Bottle only used when camping or as an extra water container.
Some details
Platypus is one of the brands owned by Cascade Designs, a Seattle (Washington, USA) based company that owns some of the more exciting brands in the world of outdoor gear: Thermarest and MSR. Platypus is dedicated to collapsible containers, hydration bladders and water filtration systems, so very much a focused company.
The Platypus containers and bladders are USA made or assembled, and are all taste and BPA free. The Platypus bottles are made from layers of poly based materials, resulting in a soft and durable material that can endure much abuse and refolding without splitting or breaking.
Rain or shine, solo or with kids, the Platypus PlusBottle is there
In the containers category, Platypus offer 6 products in a range of colours:
- Meta bottles (750 ml/1 litre) – flexible and packable bottle with a hard top
- SoftBottle (0.5/1 litre) – Platypus’s most popular bottle, fully collapsible with a narrow opening at the top centre and an hour glass shape for easy holding
- PlusBottle (1 litre) – fully collapsible with a corner opening and a handle on the other side, straight walls and a wide bottom
- Platy Bottle (2 litres) – the simplest, most classic Platypus bottle: big, straight walls and a narrow opening at the top
- Platy water tank (2/4/6 litres) – wide open top with a side cap opening and big carry handles. Looks like a water duffle bag, the water tank is known to have problems with the wide opening BigZip
- PlatyPerserve (800 ml) – dedicated wine container with n angled narrow side opening and straight walls
Use with water or wine, even the PlusBottle can look like the PlatyPerserve
All the Platypus containers use a standard cap (like any soda bottle) but slightly longer, but if you need a cap quickly you can use any soda bottle cap. The idea is that the containers use a combination of Polyurethane and Nylon or Polyethylene, this gives the containers a strong and taste free inside while using a more flexible exterior.
Platypus offer a range of accessories for the bottles, from caps to tube kits (to make them into hydration bladders) to various filters and cleaning tools.
PlatyPlus drowning in the rain, just like me
One of my favourite things about Cascade Designs is the quality of customer service and after care. I had issues with my Thermarest in the past and that was solved wonderfully, and though I had no issue with any of my MSR stoves, I have heard first hand praises from people who enjoyed their customer service and support.
Specifications
PlusBottle (one litre):
Specs from Platypus:
| Capacity | 34 fl. oz / 1 liters |
| Weight | 1.3 oz / 38 g |
| Width | 6 in / 15.5 cm |
| Length | 11.5 in / 30 cm |
| Film | Polyurethane / Polyethylene |
| Spout material | Polypropylene |
| Cap material | Polypropylene |
Specs measured by me:
| Weight | 1.3 oz / 37 g |
| Width | 6 in / 15.5 cm |
| Length | 11 in / 28 cm |
In the side pocket of the Gram Comp 25L backpack
Platy Bottle (2 litres):
Specs from Platypus:
| Capacity | 70 fl. oz / 2 liters |
| Weight | 1.3 oz / 36 g |
| Width | 7.5 in / 19 cm |
| Length | 13.8 in / 35 cm |
| Film | Nylon / Polyethylene |
| Spout material | Polyethylene |
| Cap material | Polypropylene |
Specs measured by me:
| Weight | 1.25 oz / 35 g |
| Width | 7.5 in / 19 cm |
| Length | 13.4 in / 34 cm |
Platypus Platy Bottle 2L in the morning of a camp away from a water source
How I use it
The 1L PlusBottle is with me almost all the time when leaving the house: it starts full and use over the time I’m out, taking up no room by the time it is empty.
When hiking I have at least one of the PlusBottles full, usually both, depending on water options along the route, placed in the side pockets of my backpack (Gram Comp or Kalais). The two PlusBottles always hold clean water, always, never unfiltered or not from a tap water; I doubt I’m much at risk most of the time but I would rather keep them clean and safe.
In the side pocket of the Kalais backpack
The Platy Bottle is empty most of the time when I’m hiking, full only when I know water levels on a trip are going to be very low (like my last Yam le Yam trip) or when I’m camping away from water. Even when I camp closer to water, the Platy Bottle will be my in tent/shelter water reservoir, allowing me to avoid several trips to the water source. The Platy Bottle started as a clean water container only but over time I started using it for non filtered or treated water; the idea is that I just fill this container from the stream and either boil the water for meals when camping or filter water from the Platy Bottle to the PlusBottles.
I use a Sawyer Mini for filtering water outdoors and it fits great on the Platy Bottle, though I usually use the Sawyer container as it is cheaper and easier to squeeze.
Using the Platy Bottle with the Swayer mini to move filtered water into the PlusBottle
Over the years the Platypus bottles have been with me all over, from the USA, UK and Israel on trips to various European countries for work or leisure. I have only needed to retire one leaky bottle and one lost bottle (on the train back from Scotland: I was too sleepy), but have bought new caps a couple of times – it is worth getting the Platypus ones to avoid leaking from the opening.
Platypus in its homeland: Desolation Wilderness, California, USA
The good
- Robust
- Lightweight
- Very small size when stored away
- Relatively cheap ($10-20 in most stores)
- Convenient volumes
- Handle carry on the PlusBottle is very robust and useful for carrying
PlusBottle sporting a very useful carry handle
The bad
- Not as cheap as soda bottles
- Not as robust as Nalgene
- Cap can leak
- Holding the bottles with the straight walls can be tricky when wet or cold
Platypus with alternative containers
Bottom Line
Though not a necessity, the Platypus collapsible bottles are a great item in the hiker’s arsenal, allowing for enough water carrying capacity without being disposable or too cumbersome. After so many years of use I can’t imagine hiking without my Platypus bottles, they are useful and can always be there when needed.