I’ve been using these for 10 years, so we can call this a real gear review, based on extensive field use.
Over the past 10 years I’ve taken them on almost every backpacking trip I’ve done. On some trips they are the only bottles I use, especially when I need the absolutely lightest pack possible, as in the picture above.
Other times I bring them as extra water storage for my night camp, when I use Gatorade bottles for drinking water as I hike during the day. I recently wrote about this in this post where I will just roll up the Platypus soft bottles and store them in my pack where they take up little space. They Platypus bottles are light and durable, but they are far from perfect.
When I bought my Platypus bottles, I bought four one-liter bottles and a couple 2-liter bottles, because I didn’t think they would last long. I was wrong. I have been using the same two smaller bottles and one of the larger bottles all these years. The other three are still new and have never been used at all. Platypus also sells large bottles and hydration systems with tubing and bite valves.
My one-liter bottles weigh .846 ounces (24 grams) and the two-liter 1.23 ounces (35 grams) as shown in the comparison table above. Another benefit is the bottles come with either a “sport drink” cap or just a plain cap. Also, extra caps can be purchased, which might be a good idea, since they can get lost (I never lost one).
Over the years I have read that regular water bottle caps can fit the Platypus soft bottles. I tried a couple, and the ones I used “kinda” fit. They are much shorter and don’t seem to grab the threads of the bottle as well as the original caps. I wouldn’t trust the regular caps, like the green one below, if my bottle was stored inside my pack. However, I haven’t done any testing to confirm this.
The Platypus bottles, although being soft-sided, can stand up on the ground as shown in the picture below, although it is a little hard to see to see the Platypus bottles. Also, in the picture, there is a red-colored soft bottle next the normal Platypus. This is a Platypus soft-sided wine bottle. Once in a while I bring a little wine if I’m hiking with others.
Some Not-So Good Things About Platypus Bottles
Taste
The Platypus water bottles are made from polyethylene, which is BPA free, and Platypus states that their bottles are taste free. I can’t say this is true. Unless I fill my bottles at home before a trip, I always treat my water with chlorine dioxide (the same stuff some municipalities use to treat city water) tablets. They always have a hint of chlorine smell to them, even after I wash them and dry them out. When I fill the bottles with tap water, there is still a bit of chlorine taste. I don’t mind the taste at all, but it is there. Part of this might be due to the small opening at the top. It is pretty hard to get a brush in there to clean it out, although Platypus does sell a special brush.
Opening Size
It’s small and you really need to squeeze the bottle a bit to drink water. This isn’t a big deal, especially using the “sport cap”). But when retrieving water, it can be difficult to fill it up due to the small size. If I have a Gatorade bottle with me, I fill up the Gatorade bottle and use it to fill the Platypuses. Some people bring a small scoop with them to fill these soft battles.
They’re Flat and can be Rolled Up
This is good thing for storage and saving space, but it makes them a little harder to be filled up. I blow into them to expand the sides if I am filling directly from a river, stream or lake.
To overcome this, I tried a couple of soft-sided Nalgene Cantenes. Very similar Platypus but a huge opening and the cap is attached to the bottle, so it can’t be lost.
These are super-easy to fill. But I find the cap to be too big. Easy to spill water when drinking or doing cooking at camp. Much in life is a trade-off at times.
They Might not fit in Your Backpack
Below is an ancient Gossamer Gear Murmur UL backpack. Notice how nicely the bottle fits into the side pockets of the pack. It’s a good design and takes into consideration the shape of a Platypus water bottle.
In 2009 I bought a Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA) Conduit backpack. On the first trip the Platypus bottle kept falling out while I was hiking. You can see in the picture below that the pocket is slanted to it is easy to reach back and grab the bottle while moving, so the hiker doesn’t have to stop and grab the bottle. This pack would carry some 1-liter bottles without them falling out. ULA has a great reputation. But the water bottle issue and a couple other things made me decide this pack wasn’t for me. I never used the pack again and gave it away to a Boy Scout Troop.
So, to summarize:
Pros
- Light
- Durable
- Easy to store
Cons
- Hard to fill
- Small opening
- Hard to clean
- Difficult to fill at times
- May not fit the side pockets of your backpack
The perfect water bottle for me is a Gatorade bottle with extra Platypus soft-bottles in my pack for night camps.
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Platypus SoftBottle Flexible Water Bottle with Push-Pull Cap, Apex, 1.0-Liter, Clear White
$15.52 (as of September 15, 2024 15:16 GMT -07:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Platypus SoftBottle Flexible Water Bottle with Closure Cap, Apex, 1.0-Liter
$12.95 (as of September 15, 2024 18:48 GMT -07:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Platypus Platy 2-Liter Flexible Water Bottle
$18.95 (as of September 15, 2024 14:40 GMT -07:00 – More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)