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Cnoc water bottle, water container, and versa flow water filtration set up

Cnoc water containers and collapsible water bottles have been a mini-revolution in the outdoor world, since they were first brought to the market. Strong, durable, lightweight, and innovative, it’s easy to see why they have been adopted by so many hikers.

The Vesica 1L Collapsible Bottle comes in 2 main options, a 28mm mouth, and a 42mm mouth, this is to suit your preferred filter system. The Cnoc Vecto Water Container, also has the option of either a 28mm or 42mm opening but is also available in a choice of 2 or 3 litres, all are available in a variety of colours.

The bottle is made from 2 main materials. Hard rigid plastic makes up the top and bottom, giving it more of a traditional bottle feel, yet the sides are made from tough flexible plastic, so even when half full the bottle compresses and moulds to fit a more compact space, taking up less room in your pack. The water container also features a hard plastic mouth, to better secure your water filter, but also a large zip-lock mouth at the rear, for a very simple, quick way to fill the container from a water source.

Since the mouths of the bottles come in 2 different sizes, 28mm and 42mm, you can attach the filtration system of your choice. The 28mm mouth fits the  Versa Flow Lightweight Water Filter and the Sawyer International Mini Filter. The 42mm opening fits the Katadyn BeFree SS17954.

I was off on a 2-week trip and needed a new filtration system, so, combined the; CNOC Vesica 1L Collapsible Bottle, The Vecto 2L Water Container, and the  HydroBlu Versa Flow Lightweight Water Filter into an all-encompassing system.

The beauty of this particular combination is that the versa flow is capable of attaching to both the “dirty” water Container, and clean bottle at the same time. Simply fill the container with “dirty water” from the source, connect the filter and Cnoc bottle, and squeeze the water threw the filter. As there is no chance of spilling any water, it can also be used as a gravity filtration system. The water container can be attached to a tree branch or, a make-shift trekking pole tripod, and left to filter.

Both bottle and container are made from an incredibly tough BPA-free TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) plastic, this gives them a more of a rubbery feel with a slight stretch. The container has an impressive “brake weight” of 100kgs, so it could theoretically hold my weight if I stood on it, but I’m not brave enough to test that out. The container’s “zip-lock” mouth makes for an easy way to fill the bottle but also to clean the bottle after use. The zip-lock fastening provides a very secure closure that I had complete confidence in, once I’d learned the “knack of doing it” (the knack, is to read the instructions, which are clearly marked on the bottle, and not just assume you know what you’re doing, as I may have). Using the water container with the versa flow, and later with the sawyer, I found I could get a better flow rate with both, as I had the confidence to squeeze much harder.

Since returning from my trip, I have been using the  42mm bottle and Katadyn be free to filter as my primary filtration system, especially if I’m solo and only out for a few days. These two combined make for the best solo filtration system I've come across, perfect for trail runners and lightweight hikers. This only works well if you know water is abundant, I wouldn’t take this set up on the moors during summer, unless I knew of a reliable water source.

After using these two in conjuncture with each other it’s easy to see why they have become so popular. Incredibly robust, simple to use, and versatile in the number of options they accommodate, I can see why these are now the standard by which we judge other products in this range. 

Andy Neil
Andy has been a keen long-distance hiker and wild camping enthusiast since he completed the Cleveland Way in 2015. Since then, he has walked thousands of trail miles all over the UK and is an active member of the Wild Camping UK community, being an admin of the largest wild camping community on Facebook. He strongly advocates for responsible wild camping and believes it is important to leave no trace when camping in the wilderness. He joined the UOG team in 2021 and works as a website developer and content creator. Read more from Andy Neil