My Lexan Nalgeen's have never leaked, and they have taken some abuse for sure, including some rather impressive enounters with boulder fields that were at a significantly lower altitude than where I was climbing. Sometimes you are reaching back to clip the biner on the cap loop onto something on your pack, and miss, and then get to see just how strong Lexan is as it bounces down the mountain... It's also a test to see how good your memory is as you try to remember which area of rocks your bottle settled into so you can pick it up when you are on your way back down...

I really like the Camelbak bottles for the house and commuting. I find I drink more because it's easier to use the bite valve than it is to open a bottle, less spillage too. I clip a bottle to my work bags (use Griploks on a bag with MOLLE webbing). On the trail I use a Camelbak type plastic resevoir in my pack for drinking water and a 1 qt. plastic GI-type canteen on my belt for cooking, washing, etc. My only complaint with the hydration bags is re-filling them. Blackhawk makes a filler tube that has faucet connection with a quick disconect valve so you don't have to open the pack to re-fill.

Let us know what you decide!

Andy

I haven't tried this yet, but what about a Nalgene Oasis?

Here is one I love, and it is hard to find. A sigg flask nested into a stainless steel cup. It is oval shaped (more flat than round) so it fits in a pocket fairly well. It is much easier to carry than the round ones if you are not carrying a backpack.

Sigg Black Oval Flask with Cup

http://www.gearforadventure.com/Sigg_Black_Oval_Flask_with_Cup_p/1557.htm

It always seems that I like the things that don't sell well and they always stop making my favorite items.

I bookmarked that oasis. Very nice for a future buy.

I think it was a casualty of the BPA scare.

Call me cheap...or practical. For water storage, I simply re-use 710 ML Powerade bottles. They are free from work, have a wide enough lid to get most ice-cubes into and can be easily carried (multiple) in backpacks, jacket pockets etc. If we drop and break one...no worries there, lots more where they came from.

For longer trips, the 1.5L corner /grocery store water bottles that consumers waste their money on also work great.

Definitely check out the Platypus bottles. I have 1L and 2L bottles, and a hydration hose plus the spout caps, and they're great. They are durable, they weigh next to nothing, and they're relatively inexpensive. When they're not full of water you can fold or roll them up and pack them away.

I've used mine for all manner of hiking, backpacking, snow camping, and backcountry adventures, and never had a problem.

Yeah I have one of those Platypus 1L in my EDC pack. They are good.

What about a British or Nato style canteen like the Crusader Integral Survival Unit from BCB?