Well, I think my first bit of advice would be to take a deep breath. It聮s true that contact with the Bisphenol-A聴used in hard plastic bottles made with polycarbonate聴has been linked to cancer, and it also can mimic human estrogen and cause genetic problems. But the link between Bisphenol-A and the use of Nalgene bottles isn聮t all that clear. In fact, earlier this year the European Food Safety Authority changed its guidelines to basically say that normal daily use of a plastic bottle made with polycarbonate doesn聮t pose any additional risk. Nalgene stands behind the safety of its bottles, but of course it would.
Nalgene N-Gen Bottle
N-Gen BottleYou don聮t mention what you use the bottle for. If for occasional use, such as when hiking or biking, my own view is that the risk is, for all intents and purposes, zero. That聮s especially true if the bottle is in good shape, not scratched on the interior, and not exposed to heat or harsh chemicals. Use it, rinse it out, let it dry, and you聮re good to go.
As for Laken bottles, I should think they聮d be fine. They聮re coated on the interior, and putting water into a bottle such as that would hardly cause aluminum to leach out.
Also keep in mind that bottles made with HDPE (high-density polyethylene) have not been associated with Bisphenol-A leakage and are widely regarded as extremely safe. This summer I聮ve been using Nalgene聮s 96-ounce collapsible Wide-Mouth Cantene ($10.50; nalgene-outdoor.com) and have been very happy with its versatility. HDPE also can be found in hard bottles; it聮s the cloudy ones, as opposed to the clear or colored polycarbonate used in other bottles.
So, drink up.
You聮ve seen our picks for 2007 Gear of the Year, and now the entire
国产吃瓜黑料 Summer Buyer聮s Guide is online. Check out this year聮s more than 400 must-have gear items, including hydration systems.