Whilst the water bottle pouch and utility pouch are similar in size and look they are slightly different pouches. They both attach to the belt in a different ways. The water bottle pouch has a sort of compartment divider the utility pouch does not. I have no idea what this is for, because when it has a water bottle in it, there is no room for the compartment to work? I would have thought this would have been better in the utility pouch? If any one out there does know what it’s for by all means let me know. The utility pouch has metal strap loops and a clasp in the top to enable it to be used as part of the webbing support. They both have a hole in the bottom to allow water out.
As with most webtex products the build quality is good the material is a heavy duty 1000 denier waterproof Cordura and the edges are beaded with good stitching. They both have the small compartment in the lid where I store matches. I have used and abused my water bottle pouch for a couple of years now and it has held up fine.
One design feature I do like about the webtex pouches over some others is that you can over pack them due to the sliding clasp and Velcro fastening on the lid.
My water bottle pouch always holds a 58pat water bottle with crusader mug, cooker unit, stainless plate that i usde as a lid, several packets of gel fuel, matches, tea, sugar, packet boiled sweets, spork and a packet of tissue’s. I doubt this would be possible if it had a PLCE style fastener.
One thing that lets the water bottle pouch down is the way it fastens to the belt it is not secure enough in its design for my liking. The fastening is a large flap that is designed to go around the belt, this is secured with Velcro and press studs. Inside this there are 2 metal tongs that slide inside the issue belt loops. This all sounds secure but in my experience it is not. In my opinion the press studs do not have a positive close and where they are situated seems to interfere with the Velcro and does not allow it to work properly. If you are not using an issue belt or a belt with the inner loops the metal tabs then become useless and actually make the whole thing slide around a little more. What I find is that when you run the Velcro opens and the press studs give way allowing the whole pouch to flap about on the metal studs if you are using a belt with loops, if not it just falls off.
I don’t see there is a way of getting around the problem with the metal tabs other than use a belt with the loops as they are a great feature. As for the Velcro and press studs I would say as a design if the Velcro and the press studs where separate making the flap slightly longer I think this would resolve it. The way I have got around this is to thread some para cord through the hole in the flap and around the pouch this holds the flap to the pouch and does not allow the flap to open. (See inserts)
In conclusion I would recommend using the utility pouch as a water bottle pouch and a utility pouch unless the compartment thing is of use to you.
