Anyone tested these? How sturdy are they against breaking open? I ordered a case and will be testing a few to see how tough these things are but curious to know if anyone has any field experience with these things in terms of product reliability.

I haven't really tested them, per se, but, I have kept some in my trunk kits for a few years, thru freezing winters and probably 100 degrees inside the car summers. No leakage. I rotated them 1 year ago, when they had been in the kit for 2+ years. I drank some of them on a hike, no ill effects. I was so parched that I can't recall any taste issues, I would have taken a drink from something a lot worse at that point. I have some on the boat due to rotate soon too. I have the ones that have a white outer coating. I had foil ones at some point, but, these new ones are white. They feel like the pouches from MRE's, just colored white.

Edit: I checked, and the ones I have now are made by Datrex, as were the last batch. I think the first ones I had were in foil packs from Mainstay.

I got the packets today, and I am doing some stress testing on a few of them. I am freezing one, I tried squeezing it in different directions etc.. and they do not leak. They are not puncture resistant in any way. The package is tear resistant and difficult to open.

I drank the contents of one and amazingly there was zero flavoring not a trace of plastic etc..

they will be part of my emergency kit which will include 6 liters of water, 2 3600 units of mainstay rations. I have the confidence that they will do fine inside a kit.

My kids use to like the 'Capri sun" drink pouches....They look like the individual water pouches. The difference is that they have different flavors...they seem to have lost appeal with my boys but I still grab a box or two for hurricane season....after a few days of 'water' they'll be happy to have a change.