There are many schools of thought when it comes to carrying your water out in the wild. Some like the convenience of hydration bladders others keep it old school with rugged Nalgene bottles. Others like to keep there H2O ice cold in vacuum-sealed steel. There really is no right or wrong method, it’s all personal preference. But if you prefer a water bottle that is lightweight and compact try the HydraPak Stash.
So Who is the HydraPak Stash for?
The HydraPak Stash is for travelers or campers that need a water bottle that takes up little space in their packs when empty.
The Good
Lightweight
If you’re into the ultralight lifestyle, you know the importance of weight. Well at just 2.9 oz, the HydraPak Stash is 50% lighter than most hard-sided water bottles.
Compactable
The HydraPak Stash has the ability to shrink to about the quarter of its size when its empty. It makes a great companion when traveling, barely taking up any room in your bag. Simply twist, squish and lock it. It helps to keep the cap off when you do this as it lets the air escape.
The Bad
Hard to open when collapsed
You have to squeeze the sides when you expand the bottle. Maybe I just have weak fingers, but I struggled to compress the sides to pop open the expandable portion of the HydraPak Stash.
Careful with the squeeze
As you quench your thirst and lower the water level in the HydraPak Stash be careful not to squeeze the flexible sides or you end up wearing most our your precious water.
The Unnecessary
I completely understand the positives of having a collapsible water bottle. But if I am flattening my water bottle it means I am out of the water, and this is not a good thing when you’re out on the trail. For storage reasons this feature is fantastic, for practical use while hiking it doesn’t factor in.
My Experience
I don’t use the HydraPak Stash to carry my water mainly because I prefer the large capacity of hydration bladders but I do trust it to carry my dog’s water. Its lightweight design doesn’t make me hate the idea of having to bring a sperate container of water. And if I know there are water sources for my dog to drink along the trail it’s nice to be able to collapse the bottle and keep it in my pocket.
If you would like to purchase the HydraPak Stash you can find it on Amazon by clicking here
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
