Water Bottles in Afghanistan?

[Matt_Fisher]

Looking for information on the size of the water bottles that are used in Afghanistan.  By water bottles, I mean the 1L or 1.5L clear plastic narrow mouth bottles that come in the cardboard crates, not nalgenes, canteens, Camelbak unbottles, etc.

Are guys carrying these on their gear much anymore?  Or are they transferring the contents of the bottle into their hydration bladder, 2qt canteens, nalgenes, etc?

I've got a couple ideas kicking around for a modular water bottle pouch sized specifically for the civilian type water bottles that don't seem to want to fit into most mil-standard (including aftermarket) pouches.

So, if anybody has any info on the bottles and their usage, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

 

[MikeL]

I always carried one on me(chest rig) when I went on patrol that had gatorade powder mixed in an just had plain water in my camelbak bladder in my backpack.


All the bottled water we got(atleast where I was) was 500ml sized ones.

 

[Sig_Des]

Yup, crates still come in .5 liter bottles. Usually have one with gatorade or juice, and empty a couple of plain water in my camelback.

 

[GDawg]

I reckon having handy access to one or two would be great, so you don't drain the camelbak too soon. I'd keep one in my pocket and get a buddy to dig one out of my pack on halts...which was pain because they were always buried under rats or batteries or C4.

The KPRT should build a bottle depot, if the locals could bring in empties for deposit that would certainly bring a bunch of folks out of poverty.

 

[Jungle]

Matt, Keep in mind that even though the bottles are 500ml, they are shaped differently according to the water company; most are the "standard" 500ml we see in Canada, but I remember some water companies had narrower, longer bottles.

 

[catalyst]

If you'd like, I could take some pics of them.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

If you'd like, I could take some pics of them.

I'd appreciate that greatly.  If you could also get the rough dimensions in terms of diameter and height, I'd appreciate that as well.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

Yeah those skinny darker blue "rocket" bottles... I remember them.  Mark, another thing that is commonly done over there is to freeze the bottles (if you can).  That might be a factor to consider when conceptualizing your product as frozen bottles "sweat' and sometimes even leak.  I found two bottles can fit in a old style canteen cup in the square poches on the sides of the issue TV. 

I have never used my canteen pouch, I just put my canteen cup in my side pouch and work from there.  Water was in a bladder or just loose bottles all over/in the turret.

 

[Recon 3690]

this is off topic but congrats on the new Mk 3 '64 ruck Matt looks like some good upgrades.
how about some simple LC dressing type pouches that the 4" & 6" trauma dressings will fit into.

Cal