[at-l] water purification

[stephensadams at hotmail.com (Steve Adams)]

Beth,

Reference your post, dated 10-28-04, asking, ?And now a question about 
hydration bladders: Nalgene, Platypus, other?  Pros/cons of each??

What do you want?

If all you want is the ability to carry and drink water, you don?t need 
much.

Recall ?KISS.?

Simplicity has benefits.  There is less to break or malfunction.  There is 
usually less expense.  Often it is simpler to fill.  Often it is simpler to 
keep clean.  Most often it is lighter in weight.

What?s wrong with recycling a Mayonnaise jar?

Too heavy?  Every alternative is lighter in weight.

Too brittle?  Every alternative is more flexible.

Just looks too tacky?  Don?t worry, you?ll become a hiking star of the 
trail.  Book and movie deals await you.

Platypus are light weight.

Nalgene are usually more durable, but you may not need that much durability. 
  I suspect, you could carry two Platypus and still not exceed the weight of 
one Nalgene of comparable volume.

I see one significant Nalgene advantage over a Platypus; the wider mouth on 
many Nalgene bottles allows you to pour hot water over the mouth of a bottle 
of ice, then into the concave ice depression you have formed, until you 
finally empty the contents and can begin anew.

If you like (need?) bells and whistles, there are plenty of alternatives out 
there.

Steve

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