What portable drinking container do you use?
 

I've been reusing the same plastic water bottle day to day for quite some time but recently I have been hearing about the side-effects of BPA leeching from the plastics that make our disposable water bottles and also the ones that are not disposable like Nalgene.

When I'm at home and at work I drink out of a glass mug. But I need something portable. I saw some stainless steel water bottles at Costco for about $15 bucks that I'm considering. What do you use for portability?

I use reused water bottles, soda bottles, and travel mugs.

I haven't been to Dunkin Donuts in more than a month, but I have an old large Dunkin Donuts iced coffee cup that I've been using at work for more than a month now. I wash it out once a week, and I have a great cup for water at the office.

Yeah, I'm guilty of the reusing soft plastic bottles. I've been meaning to grab a nalgene bottle, but I haven't gotten around to it.

I for one am very glad I saw this thread; I've only recently started carrying water around with me on a regular basis and I've been reusing a soft plastic bottle. I did buy a flask though (for the magic of portable tea, oh my), which is great when my bag isn't stuffed to the brim with college work.

Do they make any sort of nalgene bottles which are as comfortable to drink out of as a normal soda or gatorade bottle?

Also, question about the chemicals leeching from the plastic into the reused water. Why is it alright to drink the water that's been sitting in the bottle for a few months, but not the water I put in there twenty minutes earlier?

That's how I figure it.

I drink the water I put into my bottles within less than 2 hours. I'm really not too concerned about it. I'd be more concerned about buying bottled water to begin with.

This is a good point, maybe some chemistry people can help clear this up if there is a valid reason.

Also, in the months I've been reusing soft plastic bottles, I have never left water in it for more than a few hours and after about a month I start to detect a bad taste.

In the long run, some stainless-steel bottle or a nalgene bottle is cheaper anyway.

Concerns over soft plastic bottle leeching chemicals are misplaced. Most soft plastic bottles are made of HDPE and LDPE, both of which are relatively safe, chemically, and should be reusable for quite a while. The recent concern is over PVC and polycarbonate bottles (i.e. Nalgene bottles). These are the plastics known to leech Bisphenol A. (I was also told by a friend that a good way to avoid BPA leeching into your water is to avoid getting it hot; the validity of this claim I can't be arsed to assess.)

That said, there is still the valid concern about reusing a standard water bottle too much because of germs. Due to the finer details used in the designs of commercial water bottles, they have a tendency to hold on to food particles easier, which fosters bacterial growth. Some paranoid people will say that you should hand wash your bottle every day, but I find a good washing once a week should suffice. Also, the washing should be done by hand, because a dishwasher is unlikely to be effective on something with such a small hole.
One of the reasons (I'm guessing the primary reason too) that they make reusable water bottles with such large openings is because washing them is much easier.

I have one of those military style canteens somewhere around here. I used to use that alot. For now though I've been using 2 liter bottles for water.

Tangentially on topic. Sort of. In a way.

YouTube Video

I think the foul taste that happens to normal water bottles is due to both bacteria and food that gets on the rim. I know there are certain meals I can eat and then the bottle will taste reminiscent of that until I give it a good washing.

The only reasoning I can come up with for the argument against reusing water bottles is that there's a very small solubility of that chemical in the water and it reaches its limit almost as soon as you fill the bottle up. So each time you refill the bottle you're getting another very small dose of whatever's bad for you. But if you leave the water in there for months, no more of the chemical will leech in since it's already at its limit. Of course, this means reusing a plastic bottle yourself is no worse than just drinking pre-bottled water since you're still getting the same dosage.

I can understand not wanting to heat the bottle since heat both increases solubility of most things as well as makes it easier for chemicals to leech out of the plastic. This could be a good argument against cleaning bottles in the dishwasher since they'll probably get fairly hot. You're best off using a little dish soap and swishing it around.

Also, the small hole problem is why I like gatorade bottles. I've also come to like the vitamin water bottles since it's something like 10 ounces and fits in normal cupholders way better (but still has the wide mouth).

I drink 2 liters of that shit called coke a day. I don't even remember when was the last time I have drinking some water. I keep saying that I'm gonna quit drinking starting from the first day of the next month. The only problem is that there is always a "first day of the next month".

http://www.toysnjoys.com/pokemon/09moviethermos.jpg

It really makes you look cool in front of the ladies, too.

It kinda looks like Pikachu is eagerly waiting for Pichu to nail him in the ass.

That must really impress chicks.

Chicks really like anal and cute imaginary animals, like unicorns and stuff.

military-issue canteen

For temporary usage, I reuse plastic water bottles until three or four times, then dispose it due to health issues. When I go somewhere where I can refill my water supply, I use my own acrylic water bottle. Easy to wash and clean.

So, should I be worried that when I first read this thread I instantly thought...


Flask, it's easy to hide...

I do, however, have a census 2010 water bottle that I recieved as an award at the Buffalo Musuem of Science. Noting says thank you like a free water bottle that they got already.

I use it daily.