CNOC Vesica Collapsible Water Bottle

Like many who put on a good amount of trail miles, my go-to water bottle is a Smart Water bottle that one can pick up at just about any grocery or convenience store in the U.S. The common practice is to re-use the bottle until it starts having too many “floaties” or gets too worn out. We could say this is ‘responsible use' because we might re-use one bottle hundreds of times over a good part of a year before tossing it. Although these bottles are BPA-free, they are disposable plastic and there's little/no information about if they are BPS or BPF free. And so I’ve been looking to be better about decreasing my plastic use by seeking out alternatives to my hiking water bottle. 

My eye caught the CNOC Vesica Collapsible water bottle. It is BPA-free and also free from BPS and BPF. It’s washable, and theoretically could be used for much longer than disposable plastic water bottles. Another good thing is that is can save space in your pack when it’s empty. It also fits my water filter. And it can withstand boiling water (not that I would often... or ever... need to put boiling water in my water bottle). So, these are all great reasons to take one of these along on your next hike. 

I thought I had found the perfect hiking water bottle. Then I used it and discovered some shortcomings. 

When it’s not completely full, because of it’s soft (collapsible) outer shell, it doesn’t have a rigid structure to stand very well on it’s own. This can get a little frustrating when, for instance, trying to prepare a meal. When it inevitably lays on the ground, because it can’t stand up, it gets dirty and some of that dirt landed in my food or water pot. So, I’m nearly always brushing off the dirt from the bottle before use. That is, unless I’m taking it directly from a pocket in my backpack or I’m fortunate enough to have placed it on a clean(er) rock, log, or mat surface. 

Also due to it’s non-rigid construction I need two hands to poor water from the bottle into my cooking pot or even if I’m drinking directly from the bottle. CNOC demonstrates that we can drink from this one-handed by balancing the bottle on our wrist. Sure, that can work. But this spoiled hiker gets a “what?!” look on his face when asked to learn a new drinking move. Like all new things, maybe in time it will become second nature. Let’s hope. 

So, yes, there are several great things to like about the CNOC Vesica Collapsible Water Bottle. But, just be aware that we’re not quite at the perfect water bottle just yet.