Review on Collapsible BPA & PVC Free Hiking Water Bottle: Hydrapak Stash For Backpacking Adventure! by Jason Caldwell

I received the 1 L Stash as a gift this Christmas and have been trying really hard to love it since I have been a diehard Nalgene fan forever. I have run into some drawbacks that are getting in the way so here is my take in case it helps anyone else out there.The pro’s: When its collapsed it saves space. However, for me, this was only in transit getting to/from the trail and not anywhere else. Second, you save weight. Again, however, you only save 3 ounces over a standard full 1-liter Nalgene. So that’s 38.3. oz vs. 41.2 oz , only 10% on a full bottle.Now for the cons: 1- The lid is easy to lose since it is not attached to the bottle. Total fail on the trail if you lose it – so pack an extra. 2- The handle is not bomb proof. I treated it just like my Nalgene strapping it to things with a carabiner and it has pulled off twice where the Nalgene rarely fails even when abused. 3- No one handed drinking. The bottle folds on itself as you drink so better have two hands free or give up the wide mouth version for the straw lid (do they have one?). 4 – Highly suggest using the HydraPak brand WaterGate version of a splash guard. The Nalgene brand and aftermarket brands are slightly too narrow and slide down into the water bottle. I have tried three different versions and only the HydraPak brand WaterGate works. 5 – Be VERY careful when setting a full bottle on a flat surface with the lid open. Three times I have bumped it or grabbed it forgetting the lid is off and drenched myself or the workspace. Think sitting on a tube of toothpaste with no lid, it all squeezes out, except it’s water.Final thoughts – Standard Nalgene roughly $12; HydraPak 1 L Stash $23 (cheaper on other websites). For me, saving a little space for an empty bottle in transit and 3 oz on a full bottle was not enough to overcome the drawbacks. Maybe it will be good enough for you, but at 2:1 cost I'm sticking to the classic Nalgene. Cool idea and good try HydraPak, I just couldn’t get there.P.s. – Dear HydraPak, please have a little integrity in posting reviews. I have trouble believing Eight 5-star ratings and one 4-star completely represents the user community. I have sent this review three times to the HydraPak website and still haven’t seen it posted. Oh well……