Bota bags; care and use?

[Third_Rail]

I've tried military canteens, CamelBaks, flasks, and a number of other bottles and containers to carry water. I've now just picked up an inexpensive ($10) bota bag - where can I find out how to use it to the full potential?

[trapperready]

It's been probably 20+ years since I used one, but the basic idea was :

1) Fill with alcohol
2) Hang under the armpit of your jean jacket (on the inside)
3) Walk past the ticket/security folks at the U of "x" football game as if there's nothing to see
4) Get to your seat and squeeze the contents into your mouth.

Or was that not what you were looking for?

[Third_Rail]

Not quite, no. I could use alcohol (other than weak wine or beer) and not need to worry about mold/mildew/funky taste, but what about using water?

[trapperready]

In all seriousness, they've got a plastic bladder in some ways like a Camelback, but less pliable. If you use it for only water, you should be able to use it a number of times without much worry. When you want to clean it, take the cap off, put in a couple drops of dish soap and fill half-way with water. Shake it around for a while and rinse thoroughly with fresh water.

Frankly, I'd fill with water, drink, repeat.

[Third_Rail]

Alright, I shouldn't have too much trouble, then.

What about storing alcohol long term? Good idea/bad idea, will it go bad?

[trapperready]

Assuming the alcohol came in another more appropriate container, I'd probably store it in that and only put it in the bota shortly prior to consumption. I don't know for sure if there would be any issues, but I can't see much advantage in using the bota as a long-term storage container for much of anything.

[charby]

It's been probably 20+ years since I used one, but the basic idea was :

1) Fill with alcohol
2) Hang under the armpit of your jean jacket (on the inside)
3) Walk past the ticket/security folks at the U of "x" football game as if there's nothing to see
4) Get to your seat and squeeze the contents into your mouth.

Or was that not what you were looking for?

reminds me of a time when security at the football game was getting wise to use sneaking in booze. So it was my turn to be patted down and they felt my bag and asked me what it was. I told them a colostomy bag, never seen anyone jump back so fast.

[Third_Rail]

Heh.... rather amusing, I must say.

[280plus]

Ever hear of "barnoculars"? The look just like a pair of binoclars until you unscrew the lens caps...

[280plus]

I just use to tape a bunch of little nippers to my ankles and never got caught. You have to make sure you don't clink when you walk though. CLANKING is ok, just not clinking. LOL...

[DJJ]

But if we did that, we'd have to bring back bell bottoms.

[AJ Dual]

My friend has some flat polyethelene bags, kind of like small IV bags but stiffer with pinch valves. They worked very well at making $2.00 Cokes into $2.00 rum and Cokes when the going rate was $6.00 for mixed drinks 1/2 the size.

I'm sure you could Google them and find a source.

[Chris]

Yeah, bota bags were all the rage for smuggling liquor into football games.  Of course, we'd also just smuggle a flask in, shove into the crotc of our pants.  No matter how tight security was, no one ever patted us down there.  Got to wearing athletic supported with the cup out when we got older and wore baggier jeans.  Buy a soda from a vendor and mix when in the crowd.

I had one friend who would show his badge on the way in, never pausing to open his jacket a moment.  Fortunately, even the cops working security assumed that he was only hiding a gun!

[brimic]

1) Fill with alcohol
2) Hang under the armpit of your jean jacket (on the inside)
3) Walk past the ticket/security folks at the U of "x" football game as if there's nothing to see
4) Get to your seat and squeeze the contents into your mouth.

That is exactly what they are meant for, or for use while Ice fishing, or skiing.

[crt360]

Funny how no one ever found it suspicious that all of us kids (teens) skied with liquid-filled deerskin pouches strapped around our necks.  Good times had by all.

It was easy enough to sneak into college games with flasks (or even bottles), but I do remember a housemate trying patch a leaky bota.

As for care: (1) don't poke them with sharp objects, (2) rinse them out after using, and (3) if skiing with a full one, try not to land on it when you crash.

[InfidelSerf]

sorry a bit off topic.. but I couldn't resist offering up an alcohol smuggling technique I used back in the day of "dragging (insert local main drag)"

I had a 69' Mustang fastback during HS.. I and a friend came up with the idea to install a second windshield washer reservoir and pump under the hood. Fill it with your liquor of choice, Bac 151 was ours.
With the hose ran into the glovebox along with a button to operate the pump.  We would would get large cokes at the Quicktrip.. well you can use your imagination as to the trouble we would get into.  

Interesting how much driving was done under the influence :p  Fortunately we never hurt anyone or ourselves.  Obviously in hindsight it was a pretty stupid thing to be doing.  But stupidity was an extra curricular activity back then.

Jello shots were another favorite smuggling device for games and such.  
But the crowd I hung out with rarely attended the games.  So there wasn't much need to smuggle stuff in.  We would just go somewhere and drink.

[roo_ster]

veloce:

Such ingenuity in the service of inebriation warms the cockles of my heart.

[AJ Dual]

veloce851,

Just think, you could have pointed the nozzle forward, added a pizeo igniter to the outlet, and you'd have also had a flame-thrower&.

[mtnbkr]

veloce:

Such ingenuity in the service of inebriation warms the cockles of my heart.

Please, no more comments about your cockles...

Chris

[crt360]

veloce, that is awesome.  No bottles or beer cans to fall out when the cop opens the passenger side door.  I think you guys actually one-upped the beer-helmet.

A little further OT:  Odd to think how drinking and driving (actually, drinking while driving) was so common back then.  You actually had to be drunk to get a DWI.  Now if you blow a .08 you're seen as only slightly better than a convicted child sex offender.  And whereas in the past, certain things like swerving across the centerline, driving way under the speed limit, or plowing through the ditch after decapitating a few mailboxes was probable cause to get pulled over and checked, now it seems like having a certain color car is enough to get you stopped.  It's gotten to where I'm afraid to have a beer or two on the rare occasion I go out for dinner.  As someone who still cycles every once in a while, I'm as scared of drunk drivers as anyone, but I'm just as scared of tired drivers, old drivers, medicated drivers, blind drivers, cell-phone using drivers, young drivers, uninsurable drivers, etc.  Why don't we castigate them along with alcohol-influenced drivers?  They, too, are making a conscious decision to get behind the wheel with a known impairment to their ability to drive.  I guess they have better lobbyists.  :/


Now, back to botas.