Okay,

I can get 64 pouches (125mL) of emergency water pouches for about 30 bucks. Is it worth putting aside a few cases for the future, in case I'm equipping a small team who will have operations in the desert? I've opened one of the pouches, and it's just plain water. They're of the size that I could put several in my battledress pockets.

Or does it make more sense to use regular canteens? Canteens are cheaper, but these pouches are lighter and I like the knowledge that the water is 100% pure.

Any thoughts?

CK

I'd use canteens, or just plain store-bought water bottles. If you're planning on ops anywhere water is an issue, you will need lots of it. And $30 for less than a gallon of water is silly.

Those pouches are useful only for space-constrained survival kits (like those used in aircraft, or life rafts).

That's pretty much what I'd figured.

I'll stick with Naglene bottles and canteens.

CK

Good idea, although I mis-read the number of pouches: It comes out to 8 liters, or a bit over 2 gallons, for $30.

Still silly. How many 2.5 gallon (~10 liter) jugs can you get at the grocery store for $30? They store and travel fairly well (they travel very well if you get the cardboard case that 2 of them come in).

Speaking of water I noticed a lot of folks, at the Flea Market I have a store in, are buying old Camel Baks.
If I was not there to see what the original owner put in them Camel Baks I would be careful about them. Diarrhea is rough on the road march.
The other advantage of the canteen is you can use one to purify as you walk and the other to drink. Then at the next water point switch and walk.

You can always sanitize a camelback (or canteen) with water and bleach. If you buy them used, you should on principal.

Storing water is not only space consuming but can be quite heavy to transport also. Since a very steady supply of portable water is critical,(in any/all AOs), I would strongly recommend finding ways to replenish your water supply first and concern yourself with storing and carrying second.

Things like learning how to build a Solar Water Ground Still and being able to filter and purify other water sources is far better than having to collect and store and possibly carry the water that you'll need for whatever time you have to.

http://www.desertusa.com/mag98/dec/stories/water.html (Learn This! A couple sheets of plasic are far lighter and easier to carry than gallons and gallons of water, cheaper too.)
Adding/lining fresh vegatation,(such as catus and the like), in the bottom of this type of solar still at least doubles the water yield that can be obtained with it. This type of solar still also purifies your own urine and other, otherwise directly undrinkable water/moisture sources.

http://www.katadyn.com/usen/ (Look seriously into this or something like this, way handier than carrying all the water that you'll need.)
There are still exceptions to relying only on this type of filtration, many water sources may still need to be chemically treated or boiled to render the water truely "Safe" to drink for long periods.

.

I use a couple of 5gal water containers,(mostly kept in the vehicles), and I use canteens for carrying the daily water supply that I'll need. These are "Refillable" and "Reuseable". Nothing replaces the "Knowledge of Where and How to Find the Water" to refill them with!

IHTH

Michael

Also you may want to consider adding a stainless steel bottle to your first line survival kit. You can now have clean water anywhere you go by boiling it.

I've got a 38 oz one from nalgene that works well. If your up north make sure you get a widemouth one, it's much easier to break up ice. The narrow canteen pretty much leaves you screwed until a fire gets going.

I have a MSR Sweetwater and a good idea of where the local water can be found.

That's what makes us guerillas instead of just soldiers. We can operate in our backyards and survive in areas where the enemy can't. If we blow up a water tanker, that is one thing. But if we get our water from rivers and streams, seepages and wells, we're far ahead of an enemy which must ship in reliable water.

CK