Nalgene

Blue Force Gear Water Bottle Pouch

Hydrate or die. It’s a phrase that is ingrained in the military. In fact it’s so ingrained it’s become a marketing slogan. Of course, pushing hydration isn’t just for the military. Anyone who lives a life of rare boredom and raw burden knows the importance water plays in day to day adventuring. Carrying some form of hydration is a must for any extensive outdoor activity. When playing sports it is pretty easy to leave a water bottle on the sidelines. However, when you’re patrolling Afghanland, searching for an armed suspect, climbing a mountain, or chasing a trophy buck, anything left on the sidelines is useless. Having an easy method to carry water is critical to overall mission success. The Blue Force Gear water bottle pouch hasn’t reinvented the wheel with this pouch. What they did was turn a tire into a run flat.

At first glance, there isn’t anything special about the Blue Force Gear water bottle pouch. Upon further inspection, you get an overall excellent product. The BFG water bottle pouch is designed to fit the modern Nalgene style bottle. If you served in the last decade or so you’ve probably seen the Nalgene bottle replace the canteen. While canteens are still issued, Nalgene bottles are the choice of troops willing to spend their own money.

The Modern Style

Having a modern pouch to fit a modern bottle is a blessing. This pouch is small, lightweight, and tough as nails. Of course like any modern tactical pouch, it is designed to work with MOLLE or PALS webbing. The MOLLE straps are unique. The system has a layer of hook and loop at the end of the strap. Once the pouch is weaved into place the strap’s buckle is attached to a layer of hook and loop present on the last MOLLE slot. This keeps the pouch secured. In the event, the hook and loop fails there is an additional layer of security.

The end of the straps have two catches. These catches are in place to catch the pouch should the hook and loop fail. This prevents the pouch from being lost in a rush. The straps and MOLLE webbing are quite strong. The material remains superbly thin as well. This thin material and lack of buttons make it extremely simple to web the pouch in and out of any standard MOLLE webbing.

Have to ever seen a strip of MOLLE webbing on a bag, or a plate carrier and noticed it was too small and out of spec? Typically you find this at the end of a bag or plate carrier. A lot of times this end piece is useless. However, the thin, and malleable strips on the water bottle pouch make it possible to actually use this webbing. All in all, installation is easy on bags, belts, and everything else.

On a Pack

I’ve carried this bottle most on a pack. This pack is work issued and comes back and forth with me daily. If it was personally owned and not issued I would probably treat it better. I actually routinely toss it around and treat the bag like crap. So the Blue Force Gear Water bottle pouch has been treated pretty badly. It’s been rained on, tossed onto the wet ground, sat on countless floors, bumped around in the back of a truck on a dirt road, and generally been dropped, kicked and bumped daily.

The pouch has not worn, ripped, or torn in any way. There isn’t even a loose string on the sewn in threads. Nothing is frayed, nothing is really affected by my mistreatment. The only effect I have seen is a few stains on the bottom of the pouch.

Mold Free!

It’s also been mold free. Mold free is typically not something people add in reviews. But, when reviewing the Blue Force Gear Water Bottle Pouch could you believe it got wet a time or two? It actually got wet almost daily. Let’s face it, bottle sweat, and I live in Florida, so they sweat a lot. When I refilled my bottle it was often wet on the outside. The point I’m trying to make is that water was sealed into the pouch, in a humid environment. It was also rained on, and regularly exposed to the environments. I never attempted to dry it out, and it never molded. That’s Ultracomp for you.

In all, the Blue Force Gear water bottle pouch is well built and perfect for the modern adventurer. Blue Force Gear’s reputation for quality hasn’t faltered with this pouch. Its modern proportions allow it to fit a variety of modern bottles, which I personally love. It’s great that someone has finally answered the call for modernization.

Blue Force Gear Water Bottle Pouch | First Look

Blue Force Gear Water Bottle Pouch | First Impressions

If there is one thing common among all four branches of the military it is hydration. The military’s absurd love of hydration does make sense. Dehydrated people are more likely to become dead people. Getting hit by the enemy is a tragedy. Becoming hospitalized for not drinking water is negligence. This obsession with water drinking had led to some awesome pieces of gear. Hydration packs are great. That being said the majority of us probably prefer water bottles and canteens over a hydration pack for numerous reasons. A good water bottle pouch of some kind is a necessary evil.

Blue Force Gear has produced an entirely modern piece of gear to address the needs of thirsty war fighters. The water bottle pouch can fit a variety of containers. A small outlet in the bottom allows water and condensation to bleed out. Blue Force Gear makes the pouch from Ultracomp. Ultracomp is a strong, lightweight, water resistant material. Ultacomp is stronger than nylon, and derived from rubber based materials.

Blue Force Gear claims this water bottle pouch can fit a variety of different bottles. The pouch’s lid is easy to adjust for a variety of bottles. I haven’t tested this claim yet, but plan to. In addition to the ability to hold a water bottle, this pouch has small bits of MOLLE on the outside. This MOLLE will allow the mounting of small pieces of gear. With this in mind a pistol magazine pouch would be the perfect size for this. In this case that mag pouch would be perfect for a bottle of water purification drops.

This water bottle pouch is a bit big. Mounting it to a plate carrier would take up a lot of space. My canteen pouches typically stay on my pack. The MOLLE attachment straps make this thing easy to mount anywhere. Definitely perfect for the EDC pack, or on a daypack for a short hike.

A Love Story of Liquid Proportions - Hydro Flask

Hydro Flask | A Love Story of Liquid Proportions

The day is seared into my memory on scale of a youthful euphoric Christmas morning. It was such a momentous and life changing event that l still remember exactly where I was when it happened. It was ten years ago, I was serving as a medic in 3rd Ranger Battalion. I saw an open box in the back corner of the supply room, an angelic light seemingly beaming from within. “Go ahead, Doc, help yourself.” The supply Sergeant said to me, obviously seeing my excitement over the new shipment.

Adorn with a trim fitting blue top and a certain curve that caught the eye, it was apparent from the first embrace that this one was different. A few friends were already experienced with this one and claimed an amazing indestructible quality. If you know me, then you know that such a statement doesn’t register in my mind as a warranty, rather a personal challenge. I had it, it was mine… my first Nalgene bottle. I couldn’t wait to cover it with stickers in support of my favorite bands and to post pictures of us together on social media.

Over the years we had so many great adventures together. For years we never left each others side. We made so many lasting memories, in good times and in bad. We endured the whole “BPA” scandal and pressed on. I didn’t heed the recall warnings, we had gone through too much together to worry about cancer now, not to mention, there was no way I was going to be able to replace all those stickers!

Like pretty much every one of my relationships, this one could not transcend the test of time. It’s not that I didn’t love that bottle, it’s just, well she began to sag a bit. The constant sweating had left the once beautiful taunt stickers wrinkled, and frankly, haggard looking. I began to think to myself about how much ice I had been putting into the relationship and only ever got back condensation. It weighed on me. I’m not proud of it, but I started drinking around. I would go to seedy convent stores and buy disposable bottles behind Nalgene’s back. I know, I know, it’s a filthy industry, but I was always safe, I always recycled.

It isn’t that I don’t still appreciate Nalgene, it’s just, well, it’s just I’ve found someone new. Someone who contributes more to the relationship than just being a void container of empty promises and lukewarm intentions. If I am being completely honest I have to say that the slim figure of my new bottle was immediately appealing. Unlike the frumpy waist line on Nalgene, the sleek sexy metallic essence of that Hydro Flask just made me want to grab ahold and press immediately to my lips.

After just a short time together I have noticed a plethora of attractive attributes beneath the beautiful exterior. While rock climbing last week, my parched tongue cried desperately for hydration. At first I hesitated. I had just applied the PERFECT amount of chalk. If I grab ahold now it’s over. That’s what I thought anyway. But no…no true love doesn’t judge how filthy or chalky you are, and Hydro Flask doesn’t make you feel bad by sweating all over your perfect chalk job.

I started thinking back to the three years I competed in the CrossFit Games Regionals and how much effort we CrossFitters take to keep ourselves covered in gratuitous triple coatings of the coveted white substance. Eleven years of CrossFit with my ex and I was never able to take a cold drink mid workout without jeopardizing my elite level of fitness. It could have been me up there, the fittest man alive, instead of Rich Froning. Alas, it must have been my hand moisture that kept me from such prestige and glory.

Seeing her grace under fire is something to hold in awe. It was a hundred and seventeen degrees outside in Phoenix the other day and I left her in the car. I know, I know, how could I do that to a loved one? I was just running in to REI really quick. I didn’t mean to be in there so long. Well, you’ve been there, I’m sure. You can not possibly just walk in and out of that place! Three hours later I emerged confident that I had just added more to my annual dividend than the GDP of a small country. Opening the door of my 2000 Dodge Van released a heat wave analogous to that of opening the oven to check on your muffins. Eyebrows singed from the heat blast, my face turned to terror thinking of her roasting insides and the ice I had left inside. There was no judgement of my terrible decision-making. Just a loyal bottle sitting, still full of ice, waiting for me to return. My ride or die, my Hydro Flask.

Look, there will always be a place in my heart for Nalgene, she’s a great bottle, we’ve just grown apart. To be honest, it’s for the best.

Lightning Review: PACE Lid

(originally published on All Outdoor)

At least once a month I have the “Why didn’t I think of that?” question when I encounter a product. One I had back in February was around a Kickstarter (that I eventually backed) for a modification to a very common item, one that most of us have: a Nalgene bottle.

Construction

The PACE Lid is basically a simple replacement cap for wide-mouthed Nalgene bottles that has a sealable chamber. It is watertight, which is important so you don’t spill your beverage. The PACE Lid functions as a replacement for the existing lid.

The PACE lid will contain up to ten ounces of whatever you want to put into it. Keys, snacks, bandaids, or whatever small items you may want to carry. It also has a small loop on the main body so you can dummy cord it to something.

Sorry for those of you that have narrow mouthed bottles–there is not a PACE Lid model for you.

The designer of the PACE Lid put together a short video about it (originally for the Kickstarter):

Continue reading on All Outdoor

(images courtesy of alloutdoor.com)