Kiss That Wineskin Goodbye – Vapur Element
I admit I never liked drinking from a tube. Images of old fogies and hospitals didn’t fuel me to hike just a little farther.
I switched to palm sized, 6 oz. containers that held gels and complex energy drinks and my visions shifted to Ironman athletes cruising through 100+ miles. But the elastic waist belt holding the bottles is cumbersome and expensive protein/carbo loaded drink mixes often freeze on chilly days.
And what’s the ticket for hauling plain old water or electrolyte drinks? A nifty solution is the Vapur bottle bag. On ski days, I slip this handy little water bottle in my pant pocket or inner jacket. Once it’s empty, simply fold it up, slide it into the attached carabiner, and it’s reduced to the size of two Slim Jim’s. Gone are frozen tubes, clunky slush bottles, and stomach-pain-inducing bottle holder corsets. And in summer I clip it on my pack or freeze it for a refreshing drink.
Best part: no black mold to clean out with pipe cleaners. Available in .7L and 1L, BPA free, constructed with durable 3 ply construction, easy-to-open flip cap, and made in the U.S.A.
This little bottle is sticking with me.
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4 Responses to “Kiss That Wineskin Goodbye – Vapur Element”
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Thanks for the review, Joe. I’ve been using the Vapur Element this summer and it’s quickly become my favorite. I like how compactible it becomes when it’s empty.
Will check it out! Anything collapsible & easy to keep clean is for me!!
So…. how is it easy to clean?
It isn’t clear from the photo or the Vapur website. It looks like there is just a small screw-on cap. So, no wide opening option for cleaning.
How is it different from using any normal bladder bag (Platypus or other companies) with a cap rather than a hose?
I’m not critical of the product – I actually I use this type of thing as an extra 2L water bottle. It’s great – super light and you just roll it up when not in use. I’m just a bit confused as to how this is any different than products that have been out there for many years. And since this type has a narrow opening – it has all the cleaning problems. Your only option is to rinse thoroughly and clean with soap and perhaps bleach if necessary. Slow drying…
@phil it is very similar to other bladder systems as far as being a pain in the you know what to clean. It is significantly smaller so easier there but unlike the bladder guys the inside water compartment ( there are 3 layers of plastic) has 90 degree corners instead of being rounded.
That being said I haven’t noticed any of the mold or smell issue we deal with on bladder systems.