Spoiler alert: That someone is MODL Outdoors. The MODL Outdoors founders were sick of their Nalgene bottles swinging and clunking their packs. So they started designing a solution. After an enormously successful Kickstarter campaign, MODL Outdoors launched in earnest, bringing to the market a totally new way to approach hydration and water storage.

At the heart of MODL is a brand-new water bottle design. The food-grade silicone bottle has a one-liter capacity and has two end caps, making it easy to wash and 100 percent dishwasher safe. The bottle is molded with flat sides to prevent it from rolling. The openings at either end are finished with internal threaded stainless steel rings for a sturdy seal.

The bottle comes in three colors: black, clear, and light blue. It weighs just shy of 11 ounces. But what makes the MODL Complete truly revolutionary is the accompanying MODs.

What is a MOD?

A MOD is what MODL (MOD + Bottle = MODL) calls their additional accessories of which there are four: The Pure, Flow, Go, and Rinse. The Pure MOD is a BPA-free water filter that can clean 3,000 liters of water (790 gallons) at a liter per minute. The filter removes 99.9999% of harmful bacteria like Giardia and E. coli. The Flow MOD is essentially the straw from a typical water bladder retrofitted to connect to one of the MODL’s screw-down tops, allowing you to stow your water and hydrate hands-free. The Go MOD is a small nozzle that uses the same screw-down top to transform the MODL into a sports bottle. The Rinse MOD — our favorite — is a perforated end cap that turns the MODL into a spray kit, perfect for rinsing off gear, washing hands, and taking field showers. Each of these MODS is modular, making them easy to combine in all sorts of different configurations.

You can purchase the MODL water bottle by itself and then add on the features you feel you might need for the field, but the MODL Complete brings them all to you in a streamlined, ready-to-use package. With all the MODs in hand, you can do some pretty clever things that are enormously helpful in the field.

Use in the Field

Filtering on the Go

One of the simplest applications of the MODs is combining the Go MOD with the Pure MOD. By connecting the Pure MOD to the inside of the threaded Go MOD lid with the provided section of tubing, the MODL lets you filter any water source directly. Simply fill up and drink through the nozzle. We found that the filter fits snugly into the tubing and doesn’t easily slip out. It is important to make sure the filter is connected in the correct orientation to ensure full filtering capabilities.

This filter-on-the-go technique is expanded by the Flow MOD. Simply remove the Go MOD sport nozzle and affix the Flow MOD tubing. Now you can stow your water in a pack and drink fresh filtered water through the hose. The hose is one meter (3.3 ft) long, the perfect length to get from your pack to your mouth without too much extra hose flopping about.

Bulk Filtering

The final filter setup is plain gold for field use. By using one solid cap and the Go and Pure MODs, you can turn your MODL into a bulk filtering system. Simply affix the Pure MOD to the outside of the Go MOD and fill up the MODL with water from a water source. Hung from a tree branch or carabiner, this combo will drip filter your liter of water in about 60 seconds, allowing you to get busy making a fire or building a shelter while gravity filters for you.

Don’t need to filter your water but want to use the Flow MOD to hydrate hands-free? No worries. Just affix the included long length of tubing to the inside of the Go MOD and go!

Rinse, Wash, Bathe

The Rinse MOD is where MODL really earns its stripes. By simply affixing the perforated Rinse MOD cap, you turn your MODL in a liter’s worth of cleaning power. It’s ideal for cleaning food or washing off dishes and cookware. It also comes very handy for cleaning off gear like boots, or fishing rods and reels. Hung from a branch or other lashing point, the Rinse MOD serves as a static handwashing station: the vacuum formed by the MODL will keep the water from draining until you squeeze the silicone bottle, letting you wash as needed without wasting water.

Finally, the Rinse MOD can be used as a hand-held shower. Simply squeeze the MODL to activate a steady shower of water. And though a liter won’t make for a long shower, the MODL is capable of holding water at boiling temperature, so you can at least have a hot one.

LifeLoops

The various MODs and their applications really set the MODL apart from other water bottles. The LifeLoops put the icing on the cake. Made from the same robust food-grade silicone, the LifeLoops are detachable stretchy lashings that let you secure the MODL to just about anything without the need for carabiners. And, by having lashing points on both end caps, the MODL won’t swing and bounce on long hikes.

The LifeLoops not only make the MODL more versatile, but they keep it stealthy; no clinking metal or hard plastic. They are also extremely helpful for tightening/loosening the end caps as the silicone grabs the plastic caps nicely. Last but certainly not least, since the LifeLoops can be detached from the MODL completely, they can pull double duty around the camp or in a survival situation as robust, lightweight tie-downs.

Bottom Line

Staying agile when you’re in the field is all about having gear that can do numerous jobs. That sort of versatility is what turns a simple poncho into a survival shelter or a first aid kit into an SOS beacon. And that’s what makes the MODL so damn good. It combines a water bottle, water filter, CamelBak, carabiners, and hygiene station in one easy-to-use — and inexpensive — well-constructed unit. The only downside? They don’t make it in OD Green. Yet…

You can buy the MODL Complete ($95) at the Loadout Room now.

Sightline Media Group, LLC writes about products and services to help our readers navigate when shopping online. Sightline Media Group, LLC may receive a share of revenue from our affiliate partners if you purchase products or contract services through our links.

As your gear ages its performance decreases. Face it: your bag could be in tatters and your earplugs could be sporting more wax than a candle. That’s why we’ve put together this list of some range accessories just in time for Father’s Day. Make them get you what you really want: a nice quiet day of honing your killing skills with some great new range gear.

1. Hackett Equipment Standard Issue Double Rifle Case

It can hold two rifles and two pistols in its well-padded sleeves. And all the extras that your guns deserve are there: lockable zippers, buckle lockdowns, 600D polyester and PVC coating, and, of course, velcro patches.

Buy Hackett Equipment Standard Issue Double Rifle Case, $75.

2. Wiley X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses

EyePro is one of your most essential range items. Wiley and Saber make the perfect pair of shooting glasses for frequent use. They have three sets of lenses, temple adjustments, and polarization. And all that comes at a price that won’t make you wince if you sit on them.

Buy Wiley X Saber Advanced Shooting Glasses, $66.

3. Leatherman Super Tool 300 EOD

All the utility of a good Leatherman, plus replaceable fuse-wire cutters, cap crimper, C4 punch, and cutout handles that are easy to grip while wearing gloves. Even if you’re not doing bomb disposal, it is the perfect tool for fiddling and fixes on the range.

Buy Leatherman Super Tool 300 EOD, $90.

4. Beretta Off Shot Active Ear Plugs

Don’t skimp on ear protection. Beretta makes a quality pair of active earplugs, with automatic digital suppression for covering gunshots and explosions and nothing else. Charging them for one hour gives you 25 hours of battery. So you can pop them in first thing and not take them out till you’re home.

Buy Beretta Off Shot Active Ear Plugs, $459.

5. Genuine Ammo Can

It held ammo once, and it can do it again. If you don’t have .30 or .50 caliber on-hand, you can use the stainless steel can for just about anything on the range, in the garage, or elsewhere.

Buy genuine ammo can, $28.

6. Velocity Systems Special Threat Ceramic Plate

You’ve probably got a tactical vest. But only a ceramic plate will catch a stray round. Velocity Systems’ ceramic plate is rated to withstand a ricochet from a 7.62 or 5.56 round, and is capable of withstanding multiple hits (when things get more serious). Plus, it only weighs six pounds.

Buy Velocity Systems Special Threat Ceramic Plate, $335.

7. Filson Heritage Sportsman Bag

Ditch the dirty gym bag. Filson’s Sportsman Bag is a no-bullshit, made-in-the-U.S. bag that’s perfect for the range. It’s got a weather-resistant exterior, shoulder strap, five outer pockets, and internal dividers. Its rugged cotton twill, oil finish tin cloth, and U.S.A.-tanned bridle leather should last long enough to pass it on to your kids. It comes in blaze orange and otter green (our preference), making it as useful for sporting clays as it is for a day at the CQB course.

Buy Filson Heritage Sportsman Bag, $395.

8. 5.11 Tactical EMS Pants

5.11 makes pants for the FBI Training Academy. If you want trousers that are built tactical, these are the ones. They have multiple cargo pockets, knee pad slots, and a design-friendly to holsters and pouches. But what about the BBQ sauce you spill on them after your range day? No problem — they’re coated with Teflon.

Buy 5.11 Tactical EMS Pants now, $60.

9. MEC 100E Sporter Electric Clays Trap

Sometimes a range day is more than putting pin-holes in paper targets. Sometimes you want to blast clays with your favorite break-barrel to hone your aim for duck season. But, enough with the old hand-thrower. You want to get serious? Upgrade to this wheeled beast, which holds a standard box of clays and throws 85 yards no problem. And its tilt mode helps with every presentation you can imagine. Your friends will envy you and the birds will wish you were never born.

Buy the MEC 100E Sporter Electric Clays Trap now, $1,650.

10. Ammo!

Nothing beats brass, my friend. Natchez is a buyer’s market for every type of round you could ever dream of. They carry every brand and their prices are tough to beat.

Shop Natchez Ammo now.

Sightline Media Group, LLC writes about products and services to help our readers navigate when shopping online. Sightline Media Group, LLC may receive a share of revenue from our affiliate partners if you purchase products or contract services through our links.