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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Nalgene 32 oz Wide Mouth bottle > Test Report by Larry Kirschner

Nalgene Everyday 32 Oz Wide Mouth Bottle

TEST SERIES BY LARRY KIRSCHNER
Nalgene Everyday - Other side


INITIAL REPORT - November 9, 2008
LONG TERM REPORT - February 15, 2009



TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Larry Kirschner
EMAIL: asklarry98 at hotmail dot com
AGE: 43
LOCATION: Columbus, OH
GENDER: M
HEIGHT: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
WEIGHT: 200 lb (90.70 kg)

I've been an intermittent camper/paddler since my teens, but now that my kids are avid Boy Scouts, I've caught the backpacking bug. I typically do 8-10 weekend hikes per year, and have spent time backpacking at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico and canoeing the Atikaki wilderness in Manitoba. I like to travel "in comfort", but I've progressed down to mid-weight, and continue to work toward going lighter and longer. With all of my investment into these ventures, I expect my wife and I will continue to trek long after the kids are gone…


INITIAL REPORT
November 9, 2008

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Nalgene
Year of Manufacture: 2008
Country of Manufacture: USA
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/
MSRP: USD $11.50
Color: Red (Other colors available: spring green, blue)
Dimensions: 8.5 in height x 3.5 in diameter (21.6 x 9 cm)
Listed weight: Not provided
Measured weight: 6.2 oz/176 g


ITEM DESCRIPTION

The Nalgene 32 oz Wide Mouth Everyday bottle is part of Nalgene's new line of products made with plastics that do not contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical breakdown product that is potentially carcinogenic. Unlike prior versions, which were made from polycarbonate, this bottle is made from Tritan plastic from Eastman, a novel type of copolymer that results in BPA-free products. In case I start to forget that these new bottles are made to be BPA-free, there is a large, irremovable label trumpeting this fact stuck onto the bottle. Other than this, this bottle appears pretty much the same as prior iterations of the Nalgene wide mouth bottle. The version being tested is the 32 oz/1 L version, which is the size that fits comfortably into the outside pockets on many backpacks/daypacks. The bottle is made out of a clear plastic, with a black plastic screw-on top which attaches via a loop around the bottle's top. The materials are reported to be "extremely" durable, as well as being stain and odor resistant. According to the manufacturer, the current version of the wide mouth bottle can withstand temperatures from -40 to 212 F (-40 to 100 C), and can be safely washed in a dishwasher, as long as it doesn't touch the heating element.
Nalgene Everyday - Side and Top

The bottle has a set of graduations along one side that provide volume markings, which I have found useful in other water bottles for measuring out water when I am cooking.

Nalgene Everyday Markings


INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

Other than the absence of bumps and scratches, there are no significant difference between this bottle and my older Nalgene bottles of the same style. I do find the presence of the large eyesore of a sticker trumpeting the lack of BPA to be mildly annoying, but I assume that either I will get over this in time, or the sticker will eventually fall off.

TRYING IT OUT

After taking my measurement, I filled the Nalgene with water and shook it, just to check for leaks. There were none. Next, I filled the bottle to the 1 liter mark on its side. Using standard kitchen measuring cups, I determined that the amount of water in the bottle at the point was …1 liter (33.8 oz), at least within the error of a measuring cup. Finally, I filled the bottle all the way to the top, and then measured how much was there. The total came to 1100 ml (37.2 oz). I also tasted the water. It seemed normal, meaning I was not able to notice any unusual smells or tastes associated with drinking from this bottle.

While I was doing this simple testing, I accidentally (no, really) knocked the bottle off the counter, once while it was empty, and once when it was partially full. On inspection, I was not able to notice any dents or dings in the plastic of the Nalgene.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE NALGENE EVERYDAY 32 OZ WIDE MOUTH BOTTLE

Having used Nalgene bottles before, I was expecting a nearly-unbreakable plastic bottle that I will rarely notice, because it does its job simply and without problems. So far, so good.


TEST PLAN

For this 3-month test, I will be taking the Nalgene Everyday bottle with me on all day hikes and weekends out over the next few months, as well as any other activity for which I will be taking a water bottle. I will try it out with cold drinks and hot drinks, and wash it a couple of times in the dishwasher to boot.

THE STORY SO FAR:

Impressive:

  • Meet the new boss, same as the old boss?
Concerns:
  • Will I find a way to get the annoying sticker off?

This concludes my Initial Report on the Nalgene Everyday 32 oz Wide Mouth Bottle. Please check back in about 3 months for my Final Report on this item.

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LONG-TERM REPORT
February 15, 2009

FIELD EXPERIENCE

I have carried the Nalgene Everyday with me on all of my trips during the past three months. These have included weekend trips to various locations in Ohio, including the Clifton Gorge, Dayton, and the Hocking Hills area. It has been a cold and snowy winter, with temperatures as low as 1 F (-17 C) when I have been out.

frozen Nalgene Over the course of the test period, I have not really thought that much about using the Nalgene Everyday. I just fill it up, throw it in my bag, and drink from it. I have not made any special accommodations, but none have been needed. Despite being thrown around in my car or my pack, dropped on the trail, and suffering general trail abuse, this Nalgene has held up without any problems. Other than some superficial scratching of the outer surface and the markings, I can barely tell that it has been out on the trail. I haven't put anything but water into my Nalgene bottles (or other water carriers) and I haven't noticed any appreciable taste, which I always feel is a good thing.

To verify the temperature resistance of this bottle, I filled it to the 800 ml mark (27 oz) and let it sit outside on one of the nights where the temperature was below 20 F (-7 C). Needless to say, the water was quite frozen in the morning, as shown at right. Despite this, I had no trouble opening up the top in the morning. The bottle tolerated the freeze with no issues. I also tested its resistance to hot water by pouring in about 700 ml (24 oz) of boiling water. Again, there were no problems with the plastic. A small amount of pressure built up inside the bottle, but there was no leakage and no trouble with the cap. The plastic provides some insulation so that even with boiling water inside, I was able to handle the bottle. However, it was a little hot for me to hold it for more than a few seconds, at least until the water had cooled for 10-20 minutes. The Nalgene also had no trouble tolerating the hot water in my dishwasher. The only good effect of these manipulations is that the large sticker trumpeting the fact that this bottle is BPA-free was easily removable.


SUMMARY

Perhaps the highest praise I can give to the Nalgene Everyday Wide Mouth bottle is the fact it is exactly like the old plastic Nalgenes, just without the toxins. It is a no-frills, essential piece of gear that I will carry with me on the trail for the foreseeable future.

Things I liked about the Nalgene Everyday 32 Oz Wide Mouth Bottle
  • Sturdy
  • Resists hot and cold temperatures
  • Easily read volume markings
Things I disliked about the
  • More color selection would be nice

This concludes my report on the Nalgene Everyday 32 oz wide mouth Bottle. My thanks once again to Nalgene for providing this equipment for testing, and to BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to participate in the evaluation process.

-larry kirschner

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