Compatible bottles smart tube

[Nanc]

I have been integrating your advice as I tweak my items. And I'm ready to set aside the hydration bottle.
BUT I ordered the Smart Tube with its 4 adapters AND HAVE YET TO FIND A BOTTLE THAT IS COMPATIBLE.
I am in the USA. Can anyone on this side tell me a brand they have found that works?
I have tried several bottled waters, flavored drinks etc
I'd like to avoid the heavier Nalgene.
Also a brand to hunt for in SJPdP?
Thanks Nanc

 

[Kuznitz]

I have been integrating your advice as I tweak my items. And I'm ready to set aside the hydration bottle.
BUT I ordered the Smart Tube with its 4 adapters AND HAVE YET TO FIND A BOTTLE THAT IS COMPATIBLE.
I am in the USA. Can anyone on this side tell me a brand they have found that works?
I have tried several bottled waters, flavored drinks etc
I'd like to avoid the heavier Nalgene.
Also a brand to hunt for in SJPdP?
Thanks Nanc

We have the smart tube and it works great with the 0.75 liter Camelback water bottles we use with our bikes. We did find some of the bike water bottles we had did not seal as well, but the Camelback one does not leak at all. I'll send a picture along when I'm home. We're also taking a collapsable platypus 1 liter bottle as a spare.

 

[Kuznitz]

I have been integrating your advice as I tweak my items. And I'm ready to set aside the hydration bottle.
BUT I ordered the Smart Tube with its 4 adapters AND HAVE YET TO FIND A BOTTLE THAT IS COMPATIBLE.
I am in the USA. Can anyone on this side tell me a brand they have found that works?
I have tried several bottled waters, flavored drinks etc
I'd like to avoid the heavier Nalgene.
Also a brand to hunt for in SJPdP?
Thanks Nanc

Here's a picture of the setup. The Camelback is actually the 24 oz size. It's on the small side, which is why we have the additional platypus. You may be able to find a larger Camelback that works as well. We love how the Smart Tube works.
Joe

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Hmmm, curious. At home (USA) I use regular 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles of water like Dasani or Aqua Fina just fine. Take a look at the set up. (Notice the two pieces).

Now, when I am in Spain, the bottom adapter comes off and the top fits their liter bottles just fine. Never had to hunt for a particular bottle, it just worked.

Do you have pieces that look like that?

 

[Latecomer]

I was actually very happy using my Smartube with Nalgene Bottles (my primary was a 48 Ounce Ultralite Wide Mouth, secondary was 32 Once version). Since the side webbed pockets on my Kestrel 38 were not very deep, I always secured the Nalgene's cap loop with the pack's quick release bungee tie-offs. I liked using the large cap which went on easy and never had any problems with the threads.

I was walking the VDLP and only once did I exhaust all of my water (and then only after sharing some). In the future, I think I would just take the 48 oz Nalgene plus a 500 ml (or 1 litre for long/hot conditions) water bottle from a mercado for back-up.

That said, I have seen posts saying the Smartube is compatible with Smart Water, Evernew, and Platypus bottles.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hmmm, curious. At home (USA) I use regular 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles of water like Dasani or Aqua Fina just fine. Take a look at the set up. (Notice the two pieces).

Now, when I am in Spain, the bottom adapter comes off and the top fits their liter bottles just fine. Never had to hunt for a particular bottle, it just worked.

Do you have pieces that look like that?View attachment 25651

That's odd. I could have sworn I used one peice in North Am. and two in Spain, on just about any random bottle.

 

[soozansings]

I have been integrating your advice as I tweak my items. And I'm ready to set aside the hydration bottle.
BUT I ordered the Smart Tube with its 4 adapters AND HAVE YET TO FIND A BOTTLE THAT IS COMPATIBLE.
I am in the USA. Can anyone on this side tell me a brand they have found that works?
I have tried several bottled waters, flavored drinks etc
I'd like to avoid the heavier Nalgene.
Also a brand to hunt for in SJPdP?
Thanks Nanc

You have to put two parts of it together and it fits any standard size water bottle from Walmart, convenience stores, whatever. I bought a large Voss water bottles from Walmart. There are no instructions, so youtube or google the instructions. Buen camino

 

[Damien Reynolds]

That's odd. I could have sworn I used one peice in North Am. and two in Spain, on just about any random bottle.

Odd indeed. OK I checked out the SmartTube site and for most standard water bottles its either 30mm or 28mm. The one piece is 30mm, the adapter is 28mm. Now, the one I show in the picture has the 30mm top piece mounted to the 28mm adapter. Here is a page that shows a mass distributor of the bottle caps... http://csiclosures.com/markets/beverages/bottled-water

Sure enough, most are 28mm. I looked at my Dasani cap and it is produced by the same CSI company... More info than I ever thought I would know about mass produced water bottle caps.

One more thing, I just assumed I used 1 piece in Spain because that is how I found it when I started to pack. Now, I also switched out the tube and the mouthpiece, so maybe, just maybe, this two piece setup is what works there too. I can tell you in about 11 days. : )

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Odd indeed. OK I checked out the SmartTube site and for most standard water bottles its either 30mm or 28mm. The one piece is 30mm, the adapter is 28mm. Now, the one I show in the picture has the 30mm top piece mounted to the 28mm adapter. Here is a page that shows a mass distributor of the bottle caps... http://csiclosures.com/markets/beverages/bottled-water

Sure enough, most are 28mm. I looked at my Dasani cap and it is produced by the same CSI company... More info than I ever thought I would know about mass produced water bottle caps.

One more thing, I just assumed I used 1 piece in Spain because that is how I found it when I started to pack. Now, I also switched out the tube and the mouthpiece, so maybe, just maybe, this two piece setup is what works there too. I can tell you in about 11 days. : )

I'll tell you first, I fly out next Sunday! The reason why I think I needed the 2 parts in Spain is because I think I recall being grateful I had brought both of them. Will being the, both again, after all the 2 grams the extra one weighs won't break my back.

 

[Damien Reynolds]

I'll tell you first, I fly out next Sunday! The reason why I think I needed the 2 parts in Spain is because I think I recall being grateful I had brought both of them. Will being the, both again, after all the 2 grams the extra one weighs won't break my back.

Darn it, beaten to the water bottle smart tube reality check! Doh! Buen camino.

We will all be awaiting your report.

Damien

 

[soozansings]

Odd indeed. OK I checked out the SmartTube site and for most standard water bottles its either 30mm or 28mm. The one piece is 30mm, the adapter is 28mm. Now, the one I show in the picture has the 30mm top piece mounted to the 28mm adapter. Here is a page that shows a mass distributor of the bottle caps... http://csiclosures.com/markets/beverages/bottled-water

Sure enough, most are 28mm. I looked at my Dasani cap and it is produced by the same CSI company... More info than I ever thought I would know about mass produced water bottle caps.

One more thing, I just assumed I used 1 piece in Spain because that is how I found it when I started to pack. Now, I also switched out the tube and the mouthpiece, so maybe, just maybe, this two piece setup is what works there too. I can tell you in about 11 days. : )

And I can in 27 days!

 

[Nanc]

Hmmm, curious. At home (USA) I use regular 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles of water like Dasani or Aqua Fina just fine. Take a look at the set up. (Notice the two pieces).

Now, when I am in Spain, the bottom adapter comes off and the top fits their liter bottles just fine. Never had to hunt for a particular bottle, it just worked.

Do you have pieces that look like that?View attachment 25651

I'll try that brand. Haven't yet. Thanx

 

[Nanc]

Great for all the info. Please let me know, if only for another smile

 

[soozansings]

I have been integrating your advice as I tweak my items. And I'm ready to set aside the hydration bottle.
BUT I ordered the Smart Tube with its 4 adapters AND HAVE YET TO FIND A BOTTLE THAT IS COMPATIBLE.
I am in the USA. Can anyone on this side tell me a brand they have found that works?
I have tried several bottled waters, flavored drinks etc
I'd like to avoid the heavier Nalgene.
Also a brand to hunt for in SJPdP?
Thanks Nanc

I'll try that brand. Haven't yet. Thanx

Nanc...the cool thing is that if you have ports for a water bladder in your backpack, you can run the smarttube through one water port, through your backpack, out the other water port and over your shoulder. To keep it from flopping around, just tuck it through a caribiner on the front of your pack. I'll take a pic how I set mine up tomorrow and post it. Easier to show you than to try to explain it like I do...

 

[soozansings]

Great for all the info. Please let me know, if only for another smile

Here you go:

 

[Latecomer]

...you can run the smarttube through one water port, through your backpack, out the other water port and over your shoulder. To keep it from flopping around, just tuck it through a caribiner on the front of your pack. ...

I kept my Nalgene bottle in my pack's right side webbed pocket, ran the tube between the shoulder straps over to the left side and then kept it in place as shown in the photo.

I really liked my custom made mouth piece cover which I did not always use while walking but did when I was leaning it against a wall, etc. The black cord is ~elastic shock cord~ and the plastic cap was the protective cover from something I found around the house. Not only did this keep the mouthpiece clean, it kept it in position when I took my pack off.

 

[soozansings]

I kept my Nalgene bottle in my pack's right side webbed pocket, ran the tube between the shoulder straps over to the left side and then kept it in place as shown in the photo.

I really liked my custom made mouth piece cover which I did not always use while walking but did when I was leaning it against a wall, etc. The black cord is ~elastic shock cord~ and the plastic cap was the protective cover from something I found around the house. Not only did this keep the mouthpiece clean, it kept it in position when I took my pack off.

I totally agree, sir, that is truly is a fine set up. On my end it's a financial decision. The Smart Tube with a run of the mill water bottle worked for me. IMHO.

 

[GreatDane]

I bought the Smart Tube systems and didn't end up packing it. I was using a small bum bag as my camera bag and just put two .5L grocery store water bottles in the water bottle pockets.