Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

I really like this bottle because I can carry it with me everywhere in my backpack, briefcase, or coat pocket and it does not take up any space until I fill it up. Good to have for when I need a water container and don't want to spend $3 for bottled water out of a vending machine. Just unfold it, blow inside it to open it up all the way up and start filling at the sink, water fountain, or from your water filter if you are out camping. It is well constructed and a good concept. I also have an aluminum Sigg bottle but it can be hard to fill if it can't fit under the faucet so I don't use it anymore because this bottle always fits and when it is empty it folds up small and light until I find another source of water. Plus I have never lost it when it was empty because I just stick it back in my pack or pocket since it just rolls up afterwards. Water in it tastes natural and clean, no after taste, even when kept in the bottle for several days.It is very light weight for hiking and will connect with the regular platypus hydration hose system too but I just drink out of the bottle. Was great for winter camping. I had three, one I carried with me in my coat pocket, another I kept buried in the snow near my shelter (so it would not freeze), and the other, a two litter version, I filled with hot water and kept it at the bottom of my sleeping bag to keep my feet warm all through the night.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

I've owned this flexible water bottle for a couple of years and really enjoy using it especially for travel. It's only as big as the amount of water in it. You can roll up the empty bottle and put it in your bag, go through airport security, and the fill it up at a water fountain later; even half full with water it will fit just about anywhere like the seat pocket. Because of its flexible nature, it also fits into the miniscule freezer compartment found in most hotel refrigerators. It has never leaked on me even frozen unlike most rigid water bottles.

Cleaning it is not too bad, remember that it's flexible so you can scrunch it up and rub the insides together.

Two drawbacks from the same design issue, the small opening:
1) It doesn't work with the Katadyn hiker water filters.
2) It is very hard to dry out completely.

I think having an intermediate sized opening can easily solve both of these problems. For now, I've switched to the flexible Nalgene bottle, which has its own issues.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

I have carried two one-liter and two half-liter Platypus bottles (of the previous non-BPA-free variety) for a year, on about 30 days worth of trips. No sign of leakage or breakage.

The half-liter bottles fit in the thin side pockets of my Osprey backpack and daypack. In both cases I can reach them while hiking, and put them away again without removing my pack. This is very nice for sipping water to avoid dry mouth.

Obviously I am an old-fashioned hiker who has not converted to the new water reservoirs with tube and bite valve. Among other things, I like the reduced risk associated with redundant water containers.

I use the one-liter bottles for temporary storage. I'll fill a total of 4 liters and hike to a dry camp, giving me a much better choice of sites. I carry a single wide-mouth Nalgene bottle, purify water in that, and then fill the Platypus bottles from the Nalgene bottle. The Platypus bottles use very little space when not in use, which makes packing easier.

The bottles _are_ difficult to clean. I only put clean water in them, so I usually just rinse them out. If you pucker the shape a bit, you can get them to open up when empty so they can air dry.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

I have used these for over a decade, from the Rocky Mountains to deserts to the jungles of Guatemala. I use them backpacking when I need to carry extra water capacity, and light weight and zero bulk are essential. Failure (aka leakage, holes, seam splitting) is not an option where I travel and when I use these. They have never failed. I am amazed at how the seams don't split and how they can take a significant amount of abuse (never deliberate) without getting a hole in them. I have all sorts of water bottles, camelbacks, nalgene equivalents, and these platypus products remain my go-to way of carrying water. I have used all sizes, including the ones with sipper hoses. All are excellent products. My favorite size is 1 liter or 1.5 liter. In some trips, I have needed to take 8 or 9 of these to have sufficient water capacity, and I have never regretted the extra weight.

I am surprised at how the caps don't leak, but they really don't.

Regarding the small opening, and filling them with water filters...Yes, it does take a bit of management and care. To manage the water filter issue, what I eventually did was take the cap from an old platypus hoser (go look at the picture of the hoser, magnify the picture, and look at the cap) and just attached that to the output hose of my filter. Total time for fix was 2 minutes. You screw that on to the platypus bottle, keep it a little loose so air can escape when filling the bottle, and voila, a perfect system to fill the platypus. Just pump away without worry.

One downside is that they don't stand upright as easily as other alternatives, and that can be inconvenient at times (they fall over). You learn quickly to keep the lid on when you are not using them lest you lose the precious water by a bottle fall-over.

Regarding cleaning... yep, the small opening makes it a bit irritating, and you need to puff a bit of air in them to open them up so the air ciculates and they can dry faster.

If you use iodine tablets, it can stain the plastic darkly, but it doesn't impact the functionality.

Take a couple extra caps with you in case you lose one in the lake, or you step on one. In a pinch, I have found that some soda bottle caps will serve adequately, but experiment at home to see if your threads are the same.

I also had a platypus patch kit to patch holes in the units, but I never used it... they never got holes.

I only put water or gatorade in mine. No problem with aftertaste, but I haven't tried other beverages.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

For the most part I like this bottle, but feel 34 oz. is just a bit too big. When drinking out of it I feel a bit clumsy due to the size. I have 2 of the 17 oz. bottles and love them, but find them to be a might too small sometimes. I wish Platypus would come out with a 24 oz. version - I think it would be the biggest hit of all the bottle sizes they have. I also wish the bottles had a more reinforced area toward the top so a carabiner could be inserted.

That being said, I find myself using this more as an ice pack for my cooler and put water from my Brita in it. Makes for a dandy ice pack and as it melts I still have nice cold water to use. Also good for sporting events, esp. professional ones, where water costs $3.50 or more per bottle. I don't roll mine up unless it has to be for some reason, as I've read from a variety of sites that doing so shortens the life span.

Depending on your preferences and uses, this could be an OK bottle (as in my case) or the ideal bottle. Overall - recommended.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

I've taken my Playtpus Softbottles backpacking several times and I really like how they collapse to the size of their closure + whatever water's inside. I've never noticed a taste of anything. These are light, tough and handy. The only way I can think of to improve this is to make the closure out of soft material so the bottle can potentially be compacted even more.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

So far so good. I have had this bottle for a few months now and I use it for everyday going around, hiking and camping. You cannot beat the compressibility or the weight. I hooked it up to my platypus drinking tube and it worked with little to no trouble. I was a little worried about durability but after it survived my friends two year old boxer running around with it in his mouth I am feeling better. The one issue I have with it is that the bottom sides come to a sharp point and that makes it difficult to just toss in a mesh pocket. The price is easy to justify and I may just pick up another one because of that. If you are looking for a good alternative to bulky heavy water bottles I'd say you have found it. I would give it five stars but I would like to own it a bit longer and try putting hot water in it.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

As a Scouter I have been trying to trade out my camping stuff for light gear to camp and hike with. I thought this was ingenious way of holding water and then not having to find space for an empty water container. Roll up small and tuck away anywhere. Wasn't sure it was going to stand on its own when full but it sure does! I have used it at work too and use it with ease.

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

This collapsible Platypus is awesome! It's super convenient and easy to use. I purchased it specifically for a trip to Disney World this Spring. It was easy to fill from a water fountain, and when it was empty, I could roll it up and put it in my pocket or backpack until we found another fountain. I haven't tried it backpacking yet, as I use a bladder, and I'm not sure if this fits our water filter. I would double check that the mouth would fit as it is pretty small and you might have to have someone hold it while you pump if it doesn't properly fit the pump. Additionally, it might be hard to get into tight side pockets of stuffed backpacks and would probably prefer my Nalgene to this on the trail. I was, however, so impressed with the convenience of this bottle, that I purchased the collapsible wine bottle as well and retired our old backcountry wine bladder. I have also used it on airplane trips, as it rolls nicely to get through security, then you can easily grab it and fill from a fountain on the other side. I can also see its convenience in car trips. I highly recommend this product for ease of use in filling and convenience of storage and portability

Comments about Platypus SoftBottle with Closure Cap - 34 fl. oz.:

i bought this for water storage while backpacking on weeklong treks. it works great and it was a challenge to dry but i learned that just standing it up and letting the leftover water evaporate out. once it was empty you can just roll it up and put it in your pack

im worried that it may be so worn down (the plastic that is) from a 2 week treks usage. thats my only con