Nalgenes - Indestructable... well, almost.

[TechBrute]

Has anyone here ever REALLY tortured a Nalgene Lexan bottle? Anytime anyone asks what a Nalgene bottle is, we say that it's ALMOST indestructable. I want to know if anyone's ever broken one, or put one through hell and had it survive.

The most torture I've put one through is a little demo I do in my office when people ask where I got my nice water bottle. I take the bottle as high as I can over my head (I'm about 6') and slam it down on the ground. It usually bounces about 2' in the air and slams into the back of my oak office door. I can't tell you how many times I've done that. It's not the same bottle over and over (I have 4), but I know each of them has done it at least once.

[schadenfreude]

We have one that was ultra tough. It's one of the Eddie Bauer ones that hasa much thicker lid than the rest.

Anyways. our dog Abby, part shepard and possibly part Husky decided she wanted to eat it while we were gone. She tore the crap out of the lid but couldn't get it open. Honestly, if it were breakable she would have done it :D

This is her "I didn't do it pose"


http://www.lunitixx.com/temp/highroad/caught-in-the-actweb.jpg

[TechBrute]

That's funny you mention that...

http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/replacement.asp?skunumber=0021780032&showme=Show+me

[schadenfreude]

Abby could go through those caps like a hot knife through butter. I just realized that the one she chewed up is a fake nalgene bottle from starbucks not eddie bauer.
The lid is much tougher.

http://www.lunitixx.com/temp/highroad/chewtoyweb.jpg

[SapperLeader]

When I was in boy scouts, a scoutmaster tried freezing one of his bottles, and then throwing it into the fire. IT survived without a scratch.

[theCZ]

I usually carry one with me while I'm working in the summer. This summer I had one of my old ones fall out of the backhoe while I was using it and I actually ran over it with a rear tire. This is a Case 590, so we're not talking about a Kubota here! I saw it there after I was done working at that spot. I picked it up, the lid was intact, but the whole thing had a huge dent/crease right in the middle. Imagine laying one on it's side and putting a large, open V in the middle so that one side almost touches the other. People have also told me they are bullet-proof. I just HAD to try it out with some old ones I had lying around. A 30-'06 from a Garand at fifteen yards WILL go through, but a 12ga with target loads will NOT. It just scored the surface a little bit and went flying. I have also had full Nalgene bottles fall off a cliff 100ft down onto some rocks and survive with only scratches for damage.

[Skunkabilly]

I've been tempted to shoot mine with my Beretta, but afraid it'll bounce back and hit me in the melon :uhoh:

[cordex]

So, would several layers of nalgene bottles be a good thing to duct-tape to your back if you expected to take multiple .308 hits?

[theCZ]

I too have wondered what a handgun bullet would do to those bottles. I know for sure that a high-velocity (well, 30'06 anyway) bullet will go through both sides, but I am not sure about a slower blunt pistol bullet. Anybody want to give it a shot and report back here?

[Cal4D4]

Old bottles get brittle. A 20 year old quart (liter?) wide mouth cracked when I grabbed it off the shelf. It's still only plastic. Makes me worry about my Glock in another decade or two.

[45R]

Take it out to BLM land and see if it will take some handgun hits :)

[BrokenPaw]

So, would several layers of nalgene bottles be a good thing to duct-tape to your back if you expected to take multiple .308 hits? If you keep them filled with water, it'd sort of be a "Tactical Trauma Camelbak". So you can have a refreshing nip of water while you and your security team are mobilizing your golf carts. Or something.

Ah! It would need to be called the "Armor-dillo"![0]

-BP, who really needs caffeine.

[0] Lawdog, we promise it'll leave your boot alone. :D