For Ultralight Hikers, Water Bladders Are Better Than Bottles. Here’s Why.

The Smartwater bottle and Sawyer Squeeze filter combo is a mainstay of the ultralight hiking kit. The bottles are cheap, replaceable, and lightweight. The screw-on filter means you can collect water and filter on the move. In comparison, my preferred water-carrying system, the once-ubiquitous water bladder and hose, is now considered tedious, fragile, and—worst of all—heavy. Let’s bust some myths to explain why I still carry it.

Myth #1: Bladders Are Heavy
First, the weight. I often hear ultralight hikers explain that water bladders are simply too heavy to consider as an option. And if you’re looking at something like a 1.5-liter Camelbak that weighs 7 ounces, that’s fair. But today’s lightweight bladder systems are nearly as weight-efficient as using disposable bottles. A one-liter Smartwater bottle weighs 1.2 ounces, while a three-liter Platypus bladder and hose hits the scale at 3.8 ounces.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Nathan Pipenberg.

DÈNYE MIZAJOU

March 20, 2025

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Nathan Pipenberg

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Nathan’s work focuses on travel, the outdoors, and environmental issues. His work has been featured in publications like Outside Online, Backpacker Magazine, Mountain Flyer, and REI.

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Medya Mansyone

The Sawyer Mini is super lightweight, fits in your pocket, and filters up to 100,000 gallons of water.

Menachem Kossowsky
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Medya Mansyone

Sawyer’s picaridin spray works up to 12 hours, and the company’s picaridin lotion is effective up to 14.

Bruce Ingram
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Medya Mansyone

The Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter earns our top pick for its unbeatable mix of weight, longevity and versatility.

Meg Carney
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