I did a forum search on this product but didn't get any hits; I apologize if it's already been posted.

I came across this water container while surfing around today. The thing that makes it a potential contender is that it folds flat, as opposed to a Platypus water carrier. I may try an Aqua Pouch to see how it works out. A key issue will be how secure that zip closure is.

This quote from the manufacturer makes me think they have a good perspective on the product:

"A little history is in order. I'm John McCann and the Founder and Managing Director of Survival Resources™. When I was in the US Marine Corps, we used non-lubricated condoms in our survival kits for carrying water. They were small and fit in even the smallest kit, but they had to be supported in a shirt sleeve or pants leg when full of water, or they would burst. I was always looking for something better and eventually found the Reynolds™ Oven Bag, which I featured in my book "Build the Perfect Survival Kit." It packed small, was robust, but had to be marked with a 1 liter line, and it didn't stand up by itself and was difficult to transport. I had many ideas and prerequisites for the ideal survival kit water container, but finally decided that I would just have to develop one myself. After many rejections, the AQUA-POUCH™ is the result of that endeavor. It is everything I have been looking for and hopefully you will think so also."

looks good, I like the fact that it has the 1 liter line, and can hold boiling water, and to help hold the super hot water they have grommets that fit 550 cord... Looks good!

Good idea. I'll have to consider adding it to my stuff. I put 5 gallon mylar bags into the BOBs I have for DW and myself. I know I cannot carry 5 gallons if I need to bug out, but I like the idea of being able to store 5 gallons when I get to someplace to stay. Adding some more capacity and capability would be nice.

I was in the new Bass Pro Shop today (just opened up in here in Toledo) and saw these bags or ones very similar to them. They looked to be made out of a good plastic that would hold up well.

Yeah, I'll certainly order a few to try. I have McCann's book, and having since developed some trust/respect for his opinion, I feel pretty comfortable that the closure is robust enough to serve its purpose. If these hold up, it is well worth $5.00 a piece to me to replace the half dozen or so Platypus' I have scattered around in different kits, and not have to make room for the screw top.

I do like the fact that they can go from freezing to boiling, and are FDA food grade. My prediction is these will net McCann more income than his book ever did, and I suspect that Nalgene and Platypus with both have similar products within a year.

Jim

Got any idea where these are made? And do they have one of those little numbers in a triangle on them anywhere? If made in China I would be a little wary of them. Bad things seems to be coming out of China in "plastic" form. If all is OK, they look pretty neat...

you mean recyclable?

That's probably it. The number in the triangle indicates how often you should reuse the container. Lots of high dollar water jugs have really lousy numbers. Which it probably the reason that Nalgene has dropped their line of polycarb bottles, they had a bad number. Bad number equals more of the methalethalbadstuff you get if you use them too much...

In the UK the symbol and number indicates the type of plastic the item is made from. See the chart below:

Plastic Recycling Symbols

I suspect it is the same in the US.

I've been toying with the idea of getting some collapseable water containers for a small kit and was leaning towards platypus bags when I stumbled across these too.....
If you get one/some please post how well they work, I'd be interested to know. Thnx

-Bill Liptak

Not true. The number is a Resin Identification Code...basically what type of plastic it is so that recycling centers know how to sort it. Different polymers need to be recycled in different ways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

Ironically the infamous '7' is the 'other' category and contains many plastics which don't contain the controversial Bisphenol A...which has yet to be proven as harmful.

Changing the subject slightly back on course these look almost exactly like the Source liquitainers I like only the Source ones have a bottle top like a bottle of water instead of a zipper.

Brrr, no credit. The number is supposedly a code for recycling with some numbers good and some not-so-good for recycling. High Density Polyethylene "2" is supposedly food grade plastic (Tupperware, et al). These can be reused many more times than the number indicates.

Polycarbonate gets a "7" (All other resins and multi-materials). I'm not sure there is a problem with polycarbonate bottles (such as the now retired Nalgene bottles) as long as you only fill them with cold water. I still use mine, but all I ever used them for was cold water. Because of that I never use anything stronger than mild dish soap to clean them. One issue in some of the tests was the use of sodium hypochlorite bleach to clean polycarbonate which allowed the release of bisphenol-A. Cold water, no chemicals, no problem IMO.

That said, the only material commonly found in camping bottles/cookware I fully trust is titanium -- non-reactive with just about anything. Even some stainless steel is known to leach into liquid (that metallic taste you're familiar with).

I am just going on what we saw one night on one of the network news shows (Dateline NBC or something), they said that you should never re-use any plastics with a number 1,6 or 7...

Oooo... I like... I do have my Platy bags, but they are a pain to deal with the closure when I want to pack something flat.

This may be a very good alternative!

There was your mistake.

I was blown away by the Nalgene brand polycarbonate GI canteen. I was on the verge of giving up my old beloved canteens in exchange for classic Nalgene bottles because they can accept boiling water. How long have they been around?

No mention of shipping charges on the site - has anybody ordered from them?

I went ahead and placed an order for some of the bags and a few other items. I don't remember where I read it on the site (maybe it was their store link/shopping cart page) but their shipping policy is to charge the actual USPS rate plus a $1.50 handling fee. Not too bad.

I'll test out the bags and post my findings & pics.

Tupperware is also #7. Do you throw those out after each use?

It's all hype people. Until there's real science, don't trust the media!

There is some science behind some of the risks of using plastic. Wikipedia references a couple:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastics#Negative_health_effects

I thought Tupperware was a "2". Yep, falls under high density polyethylene.

The site seems to be a decent one-stop-shopping place for many of our favorite survival items. The also carry the survival speedhooks and a few other nice items.

Damn! Now I have to figure out which it really is so I can log in and correct it!

You're right...the number indicates the type of plastic.

I went ahead and just ordered three of these to try, one being an Aqua-Pouch Plus - Water Purification Kit.

The filter support sheath with five coffee filters worked out to about $3.00 when taking into account the cost of the Aqua-Pouch and ten MP1 tablets -- well worth it to me to have one stashed away in the BoB.

Jim

"...There was your mistake..."

What, you doubt our wonderful news media?

You are probably right...

I just looked at the only real Tupperware we have, it has no number. Some "disposable" food containers from Glad are a 5. Same type stuff from Rubbermade has a 1 in a box, no triangle. The plot thickens...

Our Tupperware has a 1in something of an oval. This stuff pre-dates recycling codes by a a bit. I have no clue what the "1" means.

I believe those “numbers in a box/circle” were Tupperware’s method of matching bowls, etc. to their respective lids. You will probably find the lids that fit them to have the same number in a box/circle.

Nalgene bottles of all types no longer have the plastisizer, even
the polycarb ones.

I received my order from Survival Resources late last week and carried two Aqua Pouches (AP) on a strenuous 8.5 mile dayhike on Saturday. The APs seem sturdy: the grommets are backed up by thicker plastic rings and the zip closure seems stout. The 1-liter fill line is well marked and there is a couple inches of free space above the line. The AP is very flat and is easily the most compact water carrier I can imagine. I stored them flat in the water reservoir pouch area of my daypack. I didn't weigh the AP but I can't imagine it weighing more than an ounce or so.

On the hike I filled the APs from a beautiful mountain stream and treated the water with Katadyn Micropur tablets. Once the tablet in each AP was dissolved I shook the AP well to mix the water treatment thoroughly; the extra slack space in the AP above the 1-liter fill line made this easy. I also took care to slosh the now-treated water onto the (opened) zipper closure and beyond. The APs were freestanding once filled. I set my watch's timer and let the APs ride in the exterior side pockets of my daypack.

I found the APs to work as advertised. They are easy to deal with while kneeling on the rocks next to a stream. I took a 6 inch piece of 550 cord and made small grab handles using the grommetted holes. This makes it easy to tote multiple APs without them slipping out of my hands. Carrying the APs in the external pack pockets would make them vulnerable to getting pinholes from briars or crashing through deadfall, but that goes for any collapsible water carrier.

I believe the AP to be as well made and durable as the related products by Platypus. I favor the AP though because 1) it stores truly flat, without Platy's bulky cap and 2) it is a little cheaper. The Platy designs would work just fine when bulk & space are not big issues, but few products would challenge the AP when every cubic centimeter counts.

Good review!!! Just waiting for it so that I can place my order!

Thanks,
Kris

This looks like a great little pouch, thanks for the info!!!

What do people think of the new style Frosts-Mora knives on that site? Which would you chose?
The Sock

Excellent review. I fear I must order a few to replace the ziplock baggies I had in my PSK.

Those Frosts are a great choice as a light knife - not necessarily a 'tree-beater' but I think they are very often issued on survival courses in the UK

Thanks for the great review Glock-a-Roo!
Poet and I didn't even know it, natch. Well it seems my inner debate has been settled, as soon as I have a few spare dollars I'm gonna order a few. Just finished paying on DW's anneversary gift and got a fenix aaa light with what I had left over. Figured it was a better buy, seeing as how it will be an EDC item.
Me and the misses are now proud owners of a beautiful male ecletus parrot and I get to blow the next 1500 bucks on whatever I want without her being able to say a thing ........now if I only had 1500 bucks

-Bill Liptak

I hear they taste like really, really good chicken but they're a little more chatty.

Well, actually it was 1450....but that included food, the cage (a 3' diameter octagon that's 6' high), and a bunch of toys. While it may seem like a damn expensive bird, and it is....its not at all bad when you consider the lifespan of the parrot, 50 to 80 YEARS! So ya see Jace, I bought her a companion for life and fufilled one of her deepest desires-to own a parrot of her own. Really, you can not put a price on that my man. Seeing her smile and bouncing around, squeeling like a fat kid in a candy store (no offence meant to my fellow fat kids, in a candy store or not) made it all worth it.
Besides, we all know of breeders who charge, and people who will buy a "pure bred" pedigree'd dog for twice that. For a 12 to 14 year median life span. The parrot, who's name is Morgan btw, is an investment well worth the money.

-Bill Liptak

Most plastic containers are marked (usually on the bottom) with a number within a triangle with arrows - commonly known as a recycling symbol. These numbers (ACC resin identification coding system) were created in 1988 to facilitate recycling programs across the country. These recycling numbers can range from #1 to #7, depending on the type of plastic. The #7 recycling label is a catchall indicator for plastics made with a resin other than those in the #1 to #6 designations, or made of more than one resin. The #7 category not only includes polycarbonate, but also includes compostable plastics made of organic material.

American Chemistry Council Resin Identification Coding System

Jim

Interesting sidenote: The plastics markered with a recycle number "6" are the same plastic as "Shrinkydinks". Look for the stiff, clear plastic like what covers store-bought cakes and roasted chickens.

-Blast

so the parot has a longer life expectancy then an american?

Thanks blast, i had no idea that shrinky-dinks are also used in real applications!!!!

Any thoughts as to their application as a PSK container?

It's been a while since anyone has posted on this thread. How are those aqua pouches working out?

I've continued to use them on hikes to treat & store water. They are still doing well.

Thanks to Glock-A-Roo for the update - and to Hikin_Jim who thought to ask.

Cool. I've been thinking about getting some. I've got a Nalgene 3L self standing water bag in several of my kits, but the Nalgenes with there 2 or 3 inch hard capped openings don't pack at all well for PSK use. The Aqua Pouch appears to be vastly superior to a condom.

Interesting to see how the topic twists and turns throughout a thread; Thanks for all the info guys, I will see if I can source this or a similar product in Oz.