Slog - Comments on Hey, You, With the Nalgene Bottle

Comment by Patrick McGrath

Patrick McGrath — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:49:00 -0800

Get the #2 plastic Nalgene instead. They're $5, no BPA.

Comment by blank12357

blank12357 — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:56:12 -0800

Whatever. Get a Sigg.

Comment by Emily

Emily — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:56:32 -0800

Let the fear-mongering begin, huh? The chemical may be toxic, not the bottle. And the level of toxicity is unknown, so it may be about as toxic as eating a jalapeno.

Comment by Fifty-Two-Eighty

Fifty-Two-Eighty — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:59:50 -0800

Coincidentally (?), Nalgene announced today that it will stop using BPA in its bottles.

Comment by Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:02:26 -0800

It's about as bad as using a cellphone. Which isn't. You're about 100x more likely to get sick from what you fill the bottle with than what it's made out of.

Comment by Jake

Jake — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:06:46 -0800

I once ran over a Nalgene with a. Volvo 240. The bottle dented, but didn't break.

Comment by arduous

arduous — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:07:24 -0800

Eli, don't you know everyone who's everyone has moved on to the stainless steel water bottles. Sheesh! ;)

Comment by SIGG sour

SIGG sour — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:16:21 -0800

I've been using the natural color Nalgene bottles from REI since forever. I think they're polyethylene -- am I safe?

Beware of metal containers with plastic liners , by the way. And of course Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's.

Comment by genevieve

genevieve — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:16:40 -0800

Nalgene bottles are so 2006! Go Sigg....

Comment by SIGG sour

SIGG sour — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:29:28 -0800

Horse pucky alert!

What exactly is the SIGG liner made of?

SIGG has perfected the formula of its proprietary inner liner over decades of scientific research and Swiss engineering. The ingredients (like the formula for Coca-Cola) remain secret and unavailable to 3rd parties so as to ensure SIGG retains its competitive advantage. The key of course is that the SIGG liner is FDA approved and independently tested to be taste and scent inert � and resistant to any leaching (0.0%) so 100% safe.

http://www.mysigg.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=5

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:30:23 -0800

Thanks, @1.

Remember, the best advice is to buy a thermos bottle for kids. And then watch them play with the shards when they shatter it ...

(you do know I'm jesting half the time i post, right?)

Comment by jim

jim — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:46:43 -0800

At least polycarbonate bottles don't make the water taste funny, like I've always found HDPE to do...

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:52:31 -0800

I'm more worried about the microorganisms that seem to be growing in mine.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:57:03 -0800

Aluminum has not been linked with Alzheimer's. That's a myth.

Comment by Dawgson

Dawgson — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:13:51 -0800

"There is circumstantial evidence linking this metal with Alzheimer's disease but no causal relationship has yet been proved. As evidence for other causes continues to grow, a possible link with aluminium seems increasingly unlikely. This information sheet looks at the circumstantial evidence and current medical and scientific views.

Researchers believe that, in the majority of those affected, Alzheimer's disease results from a combination of different risk factors rather than a single cause. Such factors, which vary from person to person, may include age, genetic predisposition, other diseases or environmental agents."

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=99

Comment by skye

skye — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:26:22 -0800

@8 "And of course Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's."

not true!

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=0000FCD2-AA88-1C71-9EB7809EC588F2D7&catID=3

Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale

Lloyd Clydesdale — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:34:44 -0800

I still prefer the tin can I received as a child.

Comment by Julie

Julie — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:35:19 -0800

I use my Nalgene so rarely, that even if this were true, it wouldn't be an issue for me.

Now, if they find that re-using regular plastic water bottles is a problem, then I'm fucked, since I've been doing that for years at the gym. So far, I've never read any convincing research that says it's a problem (i.e., not funded by Dasani), though you are supposed to wash them thoroughly to avoid bacterial issues.

I can't be bothered about the whole stainless steel thing, though I suppose if I were pregnant I'd be paying more attention.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:01:04 -0800

@14 etc - it has more to do with cooking practices, actually. And diet. The biggest things are moderate exercise, abdominal fat in your 40s (oops), diet, sleep, and stress. Aspirin (81mg) is the best preventer, actually.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:03:16 -0800

oh and red wine if you're male. Other than the genetic thing you can't change.

Comment by SIGG sour

SIGG sour — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:13:58 -0800

So it's OK to worry about NPA but not OK to worry about aluminum? What about the mysterious secret liner material that SIGG puts in its bottles? Can I worry about the unknown?

You pick your paranoia and I'll pick mine.

Comment by beer is for breakfast

beer is for breakfast — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:16:14 -0800

not sure how my nalgene saves the world, and don't care to find out. but its great for drinking beer while rolling down the highway, especially with the vinyl sleeve. 3 beers fit in the narrow-neck 1 quart, no problem.

Comment by elswinger

elswinger — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:18:51 -0800

I prefer the lead cup I made in shop class.

I must have 6 Nalgene bottles at home and have one with me now.

Comment by Shilo Urban

Shilo Urban — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:18:55 -0800

I heard that the material inside the aluminum PBR can might lead to inane behavior including clothing removal and bad dancing- is this TRUE??? Can I start freaking out now?

Comment by elswinger

elswinger — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:29:58 -0800

If you are frightened of you old Nalgen bottle but don't want to throw it away. Get one of these:

http://www.guyotdesigns.com/firefly

Comment by treacle

treacle — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:44:09 -0800

I doubt the #2 Nalgene is really better. Sure, it's not polycarbonate, but it's more flexible. Flexible plastic is more likely to leach SOMETHING into your food/beverage -- or just shed plastic molecules into your digestive tract faster. Tasty, tasty plastic molecules.

Remember: polycarbonate releases 20-50x the BPAs once it's been HEATED... and keeps releasing at that rate ever more.

- To-go "paper" coffee cups: plastic lined.
- Styrofoam coffee cups at WA rest stops.
- Stirring your coffee with a plastic straw.
- Re-heating food in tupperware-type containers.
- ...
Yummy.

Go glass. Or metal. Or ceramic-lined metal (is that Sigg's secret liner?). Or just drink from your hands. Or do us all a favor and get yourself turned into soy food for lent.

Anyway, you're all white people poseurs.

Comment by ah

ah — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:50:25 -0800

Nalgene is saving the earth by manufacturing disposable plastic laboratory equipment and plastic animal cages, for research. They don't just make those water bottles you know.. thats like a fraction of there business. They are a HUGE lab supply company.