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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Platypus Hydration SoftBottle > Owner Review by Ray Estrella
Platypus Hydration SoftBottle
July 01, 2012
TESTER INFORMATION
I've been backpacking for over 30 years, all over California, Minnesota, and many western states. I hike year-round in all weather, and average 500+ miles (800+ km) per year. I make a point of using lightweight gear, and smaller volume packs. Doubting I can ever be truly ultralight, I try to be as light as I can yet still be comfortable. I start early and hike hard so as to enjoy the afternoons exploring/chilling. I usually take a freestanding tent and enjoy hot evening meals. If not hiking solo I am usually with my brother-in-law Dave or my twin children. The Product
Manufacturer: Cascade Designs Inc Quick & Dirty, Nitty Gritty The Platypus Hydration SoftBottles are a colorful addition to my Platypus collection. They have the most stable base of any Platy bottles I have used to date and fit the hand better than any others too. While they don't really work that well in a pack's side pockets my kids like them better than anything else so we use them a lot. ;-) Please read on for the details. Product Description
The Platypus Hydration SoftBottles (hereafter referred to as the SoftBottle) are light-weight collapsible bottles made for carrying liquids. It is the first major redesign of their products that I can remember and they say that this one "fits in a drink holder, a round pocket, a flat pocket, or any hand." (I am going to assume they are talking about the 0.5 L, but it is not clear.) Field Data
All use of the Platypus SoftBottles has occurred in Minnesota. They have been used in the following State Parks, Maplewood, Itasca, Lake Bronson, Old Mill, Judge C.R. Magney, Temperance River, and Tettagouche (where the break-time picture above was taken). They have also been used in the Chippewa and the Superior National Forests, along with Paul Bunyan, Mississippi Headwaters, and Welsh Lake State forests. Temperatures have been between 34 and 90 F (1 to 32 C). Elevations very low, from 800 to 1400 ft (240-400 m), and conditions are usually raining, getting ready to rain, or sunny. Here is a shot of one at a remote fisherman's camp site on Halverson Lake. Observations
I bought my first three Platypus SoftBottles in December of 2009 as I used the kids' as stocking stuffers. Up to that point I had been carrying 0.5 L waters from the store for them to use in camp as they like having the little drink mix tubes that are made for that size of container. When I saw the new shape I was sure the kids would like them, and sure enough they did. They also wanted the HyperFlow Caps for theirs after I showed it to them. I picked myself up the 1 L as even when I use drink mixes I dilute them to half strength to cut the sweet factor down. I really think I would use them more often if not for the fact that most of my packs have pockets like that above. I have sat in camp and stared at my 1 L wondering if it would be feasible to make a version with a smooth bottom, doing away with the freestanding aspect, just for use while hiking. Maybe I will sacrifice my only 1 L (we have four of the 0.5 L size) to try it out. Where'd I put those scissors? When the kids are on a longer hike they take water in their hydration systems (kind of custom ones I made from 1 L Platypus plusBottles and shortened Hoser tubes). On those trips they carry their SoftBottles in their packs and fill them as soon as I get the filter set up so that they can make their flavor of the moment. Here is a picture taken on the Superior Hiking Trail on the Beaver River of the kids doing so. Raymond is filling his and Emma is back by the Water Tank as she dropped her SoftBottle in the dirt right after filling it so needed to wash it off. One thing that pleasantly surprised me about the SoftBottles was how well they stand up. I am pretty sure that I have owned every kind/size of Platypus bottle they have made since I "discovered" them in 2005. None have been as stable when filled as the SoftBottles. That's a big deal to me. Having my limited electrolyte drink mix wasted when my bottle falls over is bad. Having it fall when it is mixed with my only 3 fl oz (89 ml) of rum can be catastrophic. ;-) Here is a shot of my alcohol-free dinner drink standing nicely at camp on the South Branch of the Two Rivers. (Man, they give rivers long names here.) The shape of the SoftBottles is another plus as it makes them the easiest to hold and drink from of all my other Platy bottles. While I don't have all that much use with these (compared to the thousands of trail miles/km with the older styles) the durability has been good and since they are made of the same film as the Platy Bottle I have tons of use with I have to expect that they will last a long time. Probably the only negative thing I can say about them is that they take a loooong time to dry after getting home from a trip. But other than that the SoftBottles are winners in our book, and are a great addition to our drinking repertoire. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Read more reviews of Platypus Hydration gear Read more gear reviews by Ray Estrella Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Platypus Hydration SoftBottle > Owner Review by Ray Estrella |