Upgrading everything to Kleen Kanteen or similar water bottles _ easier to heat/ purify water in. Has anyone attached a wire bail for holding over a fire? Even better; one that stays out of the way during everyday use?

I wonder if it might make sense to have most of your water bottles be plastic and have one that is metal. Save you a lot of weight and some cash.

The wire bail is a good idea. How it would fold and be out of the way, I'm not so sure. Unless your bottle has a metal lid, you'll need to remove the lid for heating. What if you just brought an ordinary pot gripper of the type used for backpacking? You'd lift the metal bottle out of the fire just as you would a pot used for cooking. Might be less hassle than a wire bail although a wire bail has the obvious advantage of being able to be suspended over a fire from a stick.

HJ

I use metal water bottles as well, both Kleen Kanteens and Guyot Designs bottles. Most of the time I don't really see a need for dedicated bail. My multi-tool or gloved hands work just fine for placing and removing the bottle from a heat source.

With that said, there are bail designs out there and even a few that are being sold:

http://jerkingthetrigger.com/blog/2010/10/09/review-marion-outdoors-flexible-bail-for-guyot-bottles/

My preference is a light, cheap (typically free) plastic bottle with a nested metal cup/pot. Metal bottles are heavy...

What's the best source of those Kleen Kanteens?

I've been mulling those on occasion but my decade-old 32oz Nalgenes (Polyethylene) are going strong and weigh just 3.5oz. They get a lot of use, including being frozen for use in the cooler on camping trips.

http://www.rei.com/product/402049


I recently decided to be more prepared, even on local walks (C&O Canal, Great Falls NP) and to that end purchased a titanium Snow Peak Trek 700 mug (has a lid and weighs 4oz) and titanium Vargo wood stove. The Vargo folds down incredibly small and weighs just 4oz.

Another approach to the same goal.

Speaking of titanium..... there are a few companies out there that make titanium water bottles.

They can basically do everything a steel bottle can, while only weighing about as much as a plastic bottle. Unfortunately, they're still quite expensive ($60-70 vs ~$10 for a Nalgene and ~$25 for steel).

I presently hike with an 18oz kleen kanteen and a camelback, which works pretty well for me. However, if I could find an ~18 ounce titanium bottle I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I don't consider myself an ultralight hiker, but if I can save an ounce here and there without sacrificing anything...it can definitely start to add up.

Titanium water bottle. Only $70...

http://www.vargooutdoors.com/Titanium-Water-Bottle

750ml (25oz?)

That Vargo bottle seems nice. Exotac also makes another titanium bottle that is about the same price (650 ml IIRC).

Since TeacherRO mentions getting a metal water bottle for heating/purifying water, I was wondering, do stainless or titanium bottle require noticeably more fuel to boil water in compared to aluminum since they don't conduct heat as well? Practically speaking, that is.

I'm sure the ultralight crowd has figured this one out already, but I don't really read those forums. Thanks.

I am not a fan of using a SS water bottle as a cooking vessel or for just heating water as they are not versatile enough for my needs.

On every hike,I always carry at least one Nalgene bottle and the SS cup on the right along with my MSR Pocket Rocket Stove, matches, lighter and fuel cannister as I really enjoy a cup of tea with lunch or dinner on the trail.

If it is an overnight or multi-day hike, the Primus LITECH Trek Kettle Pot is taken. The pot holds ~32 oz and can be used to cook/warm small meals, double as a teapot and as a cup if needed. I find it much easier this way then using a SS water bottle...Ever try cleaning a SS water bottle after you attempted to cook something and it sticks to the inside of the bottle?

Either the cup or pot also works great for just boiling water for purification purposes

The material makes no practical difference in fuel consumption for the usual backpacking cooking gear, which are typically quite thin. This is especially true if you are boiling water, the usual task.

I regard titanium water bottles as hideously extravagant. There are many places where ti is the right kind of material but water bottles is not one of them.