Backpacking gear review: Boozing BPA-free in the backcountry with the PlatyPreserve

July 9, 8:00 AMMinneapolis Outdoor Recreation ExaminerMarie Malinowski

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The PlatyPreserve is made in Seattle, WA - U.S.A

It’s the quandary of many backpackers: How do I enjoy a good Cabernet with my freeze-dried beef stroganoff?

Why must you subject yourself to uncivilized dining behavior just because you’re sitting on a rotting log, eating from a bag, you're filthier than a nickle whore, and you smell rank enough to be buried because you've been hiking in the mountains for three days and haven't showered?

You don’t.

It’s well-known that wine, if not properly preserved, can go bad in two to eight hours. That makes drinking wine while backpacking a challenge. The PlatyPreserve, a really cool product from Seattle-based Cascade Designs, protects the taste of an opened bottle of wine by completely eliminating the presence of oxygen.

I recently tested this system on a backpacking trip in Colorado's Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert wilderness areas with a bottle of Yellowtail Cabernet-Merlot. It didn’t leak and didn’t taste like I was drinking wine from a plastic pouch.

Transporting your wine in the PlatyPreserve is easy. Pour bottle of your favorite wine (red works best since it doesn’t require refrigeration) into the PlatyPreserve, place cap loosely on the PlatyPreserve, squeeze to remove air, and then tighten the cap to seal out air.

The collapsible container fits easily into your backpack, is lightweight, and, as you drink the wine, squeeze the container more to expel more air and make it easier—and smaller—to carry. Try doing that with a glass bottle.

Did I mention that the PlatyPreserve is BPA-free?

For more info: Visit Platypus (another quality Cascade Designs brand) for their full line of unique camping products