We greatly enjoyed reading Kuntsche and Labhart's manuscript [1], and as is often the case with innovative research, the authors’ findings raise some questions about the nature of predrinking in young adults (aka pregaming, prepartying, or frontloading). First and foremost, we found the use of the Internet-based Cell phone-optimized Assessment Technique (ICAT) method is extremely innovative, especially in the alcohol research field. This methodology is in line with experience sampling methods [2] and telephone monitoring work [3] with adolescents. The ICAT is superior to current field assessment practices, and we were very pleased to see the authors examine predrinking behaviors within hours of their occurrence. This approach greatly informs our understanding of when predrinking occurs, our work with adolescents suggests that more flexible assessment strategies are needed since predrinking does not always occur on the weekend evenings and individuals are not always available to complete surveys. In the U.S. and other countries, predrinking can occur earlier in the day for special events, including sporting events and concerts [4]. Therefore, early day drinking (e.g., 11 am) might not be accurately captured using Kuntsche and Labhart's methodology where assessments began at 8pm. Improvements in technology may combine event-level assessment with biological measures of intoxication (e.g., breathalyzers built into the phone assessment process) providing compelling evidence of the interplay of intoxication with implicit and explicit cognitive functioning in real-life settings. Given the dichotomous nature of the authors’ predrinking assessment, its modest prevalence in their sample (endorsed by about 12%), and the link between predrinking and heavy alcohol use and consequences we were left wondering why do French-speaking Swiss students engage in this behavior? The authors found that conformity and coping motives seemed to play a moderating role, contrasting previous research that often indicates socialization and enhancement motives seem to be more influential (see Table 1 in their manuscript). How to explain this? As the authors examined general drinking motives over the past year, we posit that examination of predrinking-specific motives may be more informative. In most cases, particularly in studies where researchers specifically select alcohol users in their sample to examine drinking motives, the need to conform in routine drinking situations with peers less likely to be frequently endorsed. In contrast, a non-drinker, or perhaps even a light drinker, may feel the need to conform because they are disconnected from a social circle that does not drink nearly as much (e.g., a light drinking student athlete who goes out with their team and their team predrinks). Relatedly, the lower levels of endorsement of conformity and coping motives is also consistent with findings in our work with college students [5] and high school students [6], perhaps indicative of their relative rarity. In the absence of predrinking-specific motives, why else would these students engage in this activity? Legal issues also do not appear to be a major factor. It is our understanding that in certain parts of the country in Switzerland, 16 year olds can purchase beer, wine, and cider, and 18 year olds can purchase any alcoholic beverages. This study was conducted with college students with a mean age of 23, which is considerably older than the majority of the students in our and other researchers’ high school and college samples. Traditional U.S. college students are between the ages of 18-22 and cannot legally purchase alcohol until they are 21. Perhaps financial reasons are at play, with the students wanting to avoid the expense of consuming numerous drinks at a bar or other drinking establishment [7]. Availability may also play a role, many students pregame due to limited alcohol access at the site to which they are going due to being underage, going to a “dry event,” or difficulty obtaining drinks, say at a crowded party [5]. Lastly, as soccer and hockey are very popular in Switzerland, perhaps consumption before these sporting events may also contribute to this phenomenon as football does in the US. Overall, we are excited by the international research on predrinking and hope that future predrinking research examines the influence of rate of consumption, state (e.g., stressed) and trait variables (e.g., personality), as well as any specific motives for predrinking, to better understand predrinking and associated harms. It is our hope that these efforts can be translated into practice to inform future interventions designed to reduce the harms associated with this risky drinking practice.