Cnoc Vecto Water Container Review
I tried a few new pieces of gear on trail this summer. The Cnoc Vecto is one of my favorites and I’m excited to share this new addition to my hydration system.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, The Northeast Hiker receives a small commision. This is at no extra cost to you and helps to keep this site running! Cnoc Outdoors graciously provided a Vecto for me to try and review. All opinions, however, are entirely my own.
In my January gear update I mentioned that I was loving my Sawyer Squeeze filter but still searching for a compatible dirty water container that worked for me. Not long after, I heard about the Vecto water container made by Cnoc Outdoors.
The Vecto is a collapsible bladder-style container that comes in two-liter and three-liter sizes. One end is threaded to screw onto popular filters such as the Sawyer. The other end is a wide opening for filling that zips closed with a slider. My two liter 2018 Vecto weighs in at 2.72 ounces on my home scale.
Cnoc Vecto Review
One of the first things that caught my attention upon opening my new Vecto is the material it is made of. The bladder is made out of thermoplastic polyurethane or TPU. The material is soft, flexible, and seems to have a little bit of stretch to it. I hated screwing crunchy Smartwater bottles onto my Sawyer because they don’t collapse as water leaves the bottle. The Vecto material is quiet and it is easy to roll the slider end down as you squeeze through your filter. When you are done filtering, the container is rolled up small and ready to pack.
The wide mouth on the slider end is the feature that first attracted me to the Vecto. It makes the container so quick and easy to fill and is especially useful in shallow water sources. It does, however, need to be held open while filling by squeezing the ends of the opening together. Since collecting water in New England frequently seems to mean balancing on a slippery rock (often while holding a water bottle of other piece of gear) it’s important to me that I can scoop water with one hand. I do not have particularly small hands, but still have some trouble holding the Vecto open one-handed. This was a significant problem when my Vecto was brand new but the opening does seem to be loosening up with use.
A Couple Other Things I Love About The Cnoc Vecto
Versatility – I usually squeeze dirty water from my Vecto through my filter but a hanging loop on the slider means I can also gravity filter if I’m feeling a little lazy. Cnoc sells a variety of couplings and adapters to allow the Vecto to work with your prefered hydration system.
Packaging – I love how Cnoc packages the Vecto: simple, compact, easy to open, and 100% recyclable!
Where This Product Falls Short
The only real flaw I have found with my Vecto is the number of small movable parts this container has. The slider and threaded cap both come off and could be very easy to lose on trail. I’m pretty paranoid about making sure both are in a safe place before I approach a fast-moving water source. Luckily, not long after I received my Vecto, Cnoc revamped the product and fully addressed this issue. The 2019 Vecto has tethers on both the cap and slider. You can even order a new tethered cap to replace the cap on your older model Vecto.
You can learn more about the Vecto on Cnoc’s website, or view the Vecto on Amazon to read additional reviews and purchase your own!
Thanks for the review and we are glad you love the Vecto.
Do you use your CNOC Vecto to carry water inside your pack? I thought this being a container that water goes in, meant for the backpacking crowd, that it’s a no-brainer to say “yes” to this question… yet CNOC themselves, on their 2022 FAQ specifically say they “don’t recommend putting your full Vecto inside your pack if you’re concerned about leaking”!!! So what the heck? I don’t get it. A water bladder for hiking that you CAN’T put in your pack if there’s water in it???
Hey John, this is a great question. Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever carried a full Vecto inside my pack but I don’t typically carry water inside my pack at all. I filter from the Vecto into bottles that I carry in the side pockets of my pack for easy access. I do occasionally carry water in the Vecto if I need extra for a long dry stretch or if I’m collecting water before I get to camp and would rather filter once I get there. I this case I strap the Vecto to the top of my pack. (I have a roll top pack with a V strap across the top.) For me this is easier than opening the whole pack and usually the outside of the bladder is wet from collecting water. CNOC’s comment is interesting though. I’ve never had any trouble with leaking but I also don’t think I’ve put in enough miles with a full Vecto to really say weather or not it’s a good idea. Sorry I couldn’t be more help!