Hydration:

Carrying water in the backcountry is tricky business. You might not think so but varying seasons and personal preference can lead you down many different roads. I started my backpacking experience toting around the ever so popular Camelback so many of us have come to adopt. I must say that for a while there, I was really liking the convenience of the hose right on my shoulder, felt I drank more often and liked the idea of an out of sight water contraption. My contentment, however, came into question as we began approaching warmer seasons. Suddenly that convenient hose began delivering an unpleasant stream of plastic tasting water. Not what you want when you have some of the best tasting water on the planet at your finger tips (thanks Sierra Nevada!) My faith in Camelbacks continued to decline when my husband busted through 3 bladders in one season! Needless to say, we opted to ditch our tender water bags and move on to buffer territories.

I'm sure Klean Kanteens are no stranger to you after the whole Nalgene plastic scare. People have been making the switch from plastic to stainless steel bottles in both urban and rural environments all over. I love the clean, flavorless water you get from a Klean Kanteen. No "funky" flavors there! Now, I know what you're thinking..."my Camelback is so convenient and easy to use! I'll never switch." I'll admit, using a metal bottle while backpacking took some getting used to. At first I clumsily struggled getting it in and out of my backpack during hikes or needed constant assistance from fellow hikers. "Hey...can you hand me my water bottle?" :) Now, I'm as quick as Clint Eastwood on the draw, effortlessly pulling my metal bottle out and in all on my own! In my opinion, it's definitely worth retraining your brain and getting the muscle memory for it. If you're afraid you won't drink as much water with a metal bottle, they just came up with a new "sport cap" that some of my friends are really digging. Whether you're in the backcountry a lot or a little, everyone needs a Klean Kanteen to help keep the planet green! They come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors. There's bound to be one for you.

http://www.kleankanteen.com/index.php