Admittedly I was reluctant to give up my water bladder, but when my bladder popped on a rock during a Wyoming elk hunt, I was forced to convert to the Mountainscape Nalgene (gift from a friend). I spent 5 days in the backcountry with this hydration system and another 1 liter Nalgene I used for my afternoon drink mix. This combo provides the perfect amount of water for a full day hunt in the mountains, including packing an elk out of rough terrain. The bottle fits well in my backpack hydration pouch and the hose is of sufficient length. Filling it is much easier than filling a bladder if you are pumping water from a stream. Also, the durability over a soft bladder cannot be overstated. My friend kept his in is backpack side pocket and it never came out of the pocket or was in his way. Great product!