Previous entries have addressed the so-called “Big Three” — pack, shelter, sleeping bag — and clothing taken during last month’s trip to Yosemite. This entry will examine hydration, water treatment, and cooking gear. In general, these are great areas to reduce pack weight affordably. There are inexpensive, ultralight alternatives to most “traditional” gear supporting hydration and cooking. I was able to remove 20 ounces from my pack for a little over $60 in new gear, and I could have knocked out another 12 ounces with better choices (saving $99 in the process). That’s TWO POUNDS I could have eliminated just from these two areas.


HYDRATION

Before I first discovered the wonders of drinking tubes, I rarely sipped water on the trail because I couldn’t reach the hard-sided 32-oz Nalgene bottle, 3.8 oz / 108g ($6), in the webbed pocket of my pack. If I was hiking with someone else, he or she had to fish it out and put it back. If I was alone, I had to remove my pack just to drink. Then I got a CamelBak 100-oz UnBottle reservoir with insulated sleeve and integrated drinking tube. After one trip, I was hooked on hydration on demand. The reservoir was heavy, though, weighing in at 12.4 oz / 352g ($35). Its insulation works alright, although the water in the tube gets downright hot. I’ve never thought insulated tubes were worth the hassle.
So for a typical trek to Big Bend, I would carry the CamelBak 100-oz UnBottle reservoir in its sleeve, a hard-sided 32-oz Nalgene bottle, and 3 Platypus 2+ water bottles. Collectively, these would carry 342 ounces of water, contributing 1 lb 4.0 oz / 568g to the pack. For my last trip to Big Bend, I substituted a 1-gallon collapsible jug for the third Platypus 2+ bottle, increasing my capacity to 400 ounces at 1 lb 6.8 oz / 645g. Yosemite has plenty of water with only a few, fairly short dry stretches. Twice I would camp away from a water source, and only the Half Dome hike was truly dry. I wanted to be able to carry at least 1.5 gallons for Half Dome, although I usually would top out at 2+ liters on me at any one time.
The first substitution was the Platypus 2+ and drinking tube for the CamelBak 100-oz UnBottle. It held 30 fewer ounces, but it shaved 8.9 oz / 253g off the load. My pack, a GoLite Odyssey, had an integrated pocket against the frameset, into which the Platypus 2+ fit perfectly. The second substitution was the collapsible Nalgene canteen for the hard-sided Nalgene bottle, a weight savings of 1.7 oz / 47g. These worked very well, although the snap-on strap to hold the drinking tube in place was absolutely worthless.
Had I stopped here, I would’ve been set. I brought the CamelBak performance bottle primarily as a means of getting water from streams, thinking it would help keep my regular bottles uncontaminated. This was a pipe dream; this extra step, and thus the container, was not necessary. As for the last container, an empty bottled water container, it served a narrow purpose a couple of times. I used it as a bidet, helpful but again not necessary. I put it into a recycling bin at Tuolumne Meadows. These extra containers wiped out half the weight savings of the substitutions.
WATER TREATMENT

Let’s start with something positive. Repackaging the iodine tablets — intended to be an emergency method of treating water — from their bottle into a tiny plastic bag saves nearly an ounce. They also work well, although there is a half-hour waiting period. So, it’s best to refill before you run out, if you’re using them. And I used them a lot.
The SteriPEN is a fantastic idea. It’s lightweight. It’s fast (when it works). It’s effective (when it works). It’s simple to use. And it’s so damn fragile, testy, and unreliable that I’ll probably never use one again. It ended up being a carrying case for four spare AA batteries after it failed on the second day. It worked a couple more times, always in the morning, before ultimately dying. This was the second trip I’ve taken a SteriPEN, and it’s the second trip one has failed me on the second day of the trip. I did not abuse the device, so it either is unable to handle being packed and carried with other gear, or it is defective (and I’ve scored two defective units in a row).
Having lived off of iodine tablets for nearly 10 days, I will probably make them my primary means of treating water from now on. The taste isn’t too iodine-y, the stains in the bottles are liveable, and they are extremely lightweight.
COOKING
Well, okay, I merely heated water, but that still takes good gear.

Despite the relatively heavy per-meal fuel weight, the Esbit system weighed 8.6 oz / 244g less than its predecessor system, which relied on isobutane cartridges. I bought the Esbit in Sacramento — it, like most other camp fuel, cannot be carried on a plane — and took only what I would use. The remnants of tablets were used to start a campfire.
A windscreen is a must when using a fuel-tab stove. The one I carried with me had holes punched into the bottom to provide air to the fire. I cut slits into the ends and removed a small square-shaped section to fit the pot. It must be coiled and stored carefully. If it creases, it will not be possible to restore its original shape. Aluminum foil could also be used, but it is actually heavier and testier.
The spoon was a rockstar. I repackaged my Mountain House meals into zip-loc freezer bags, and the spoon reached the bottom without getting my hand gooey. It is slightly heavier than some other utensils I have, but its reach exceeds its burden.
Everything, including the Esbit tablets and a bandanna, packed into the pot, which was probably the first lightweight gear I ever purchased. The newer versions lack the integrated rubber handles, which fold around the pot for storage. I have long since abandoned cups, mugs, and other similar containers, as I don’t use them in the field.
WEIGHT SUMMARY
Water Containers and Treatment: 1 lb 3.2 oz / 545g ($148)
Cooking Gear: 6.9 oz / 197g ($99)
Total Weight Saved: 1 lb, 4.6 oz / 580g ($3.03 per ounce!)
Versus the CamelBak UnBottle, hard-sided Nalgene bottle, and iso-butane stove system
Weight that Could Have Been Saved: 12.1 oz / 342g (items cost $99)
That’s the SteriPEN, performance bottle, and empty bottled water bottle
Running Total, Items Worn or Carried: 4 lbs 12.9 oz / 2,180g
Running Total, Items Packed: 12 lbs 1.4 oz / 5,483g
Running Total, All Items: 16 lbs 14.3 oz / 7,663g ($1,542)
Continues in Part 4: Camera Gear and Electronics.
The complete analysis:
Part 1: The Big Three
Part 2: Clothing
Part 3: Hydration and Cooking
Part 4: Camera Gear and Electronics
Part 5: Everything Else
Part 6: Food
Part 7: Further Weight Adjustments

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