Best Hiking Water Bottles: Types, Pros & Cons

Everybody needs to carry water with them while hiking. Hydration is one of the Ten Essentials that you always need when you hike, and one way to make sure you stay hydrated is by carrying a water bottle and drinking from it regularly.

Reusable water bottles are a multi-billion dollar market, expected to reach $11.5 billion by 2027. While there are lots of stylish water bottles out there, not all of them are great for hiking. If you’re wondering how to choose a water bottle for hiking, here is a complete guide to everything you need to know about hiking water bottles.

 

Water Bottle Styles and Materials

Water bottles come in several different styles and materials.

• Collapsible/Foldable Bottles: These bottles are soft-sided and collapse or fold to make them extremely packable.
• Glass Bottles: These heavy bottles are made of glass and often have some kind of silicone or rubberized sleeve to protect them.
• Plastic Bottles: These bottles are made from plastic– frequently recycled plastic. They are lightweight and may have BPA.
• Plastic Bottles– BPA Free: These bottles are made from plastic that’s free from BPA, a chemical compound used in the production of certain types of plastics and resins. BPA is known to be an endocrine disruptor, but there is an ongoing scientific debate about if exposure can actually harm people. (For more on that, scroll down!)
• Steel Bottles– Double Wall/Vacuum: These bottles are made of steel and have an inner and outer wall. A vacuum seal forms between the two, making them insulated for hot or cold beverages.
• Steel Bottles– Single Wall: These bottles have only a single metal wall, making them somewhat insulating but not as much as a vacuum-sealed bottle. They are lighter and less expensive than double-walled bottles.
• Bottles with Filters: These bottles have built-in water filters, making virtually any water source safer.
• Bottles with Straws: These water bottles have a straw built into the lid that pops up when you push a button. They’re very easy to drink from and less likely to spill if you’re walking while you drink.
• Wide-Mouthed Bottles: These water bottles have large mouths, so it’s easier to put ice in them.

 

Choosing a Water Bottle

Choosing a water bottle isn’t just about capacity– although that is important. You need to consider the whole water bottle and how it will function when you take it out hiking.

 

Water Bottle Types Pros and Cons

Each type of water bottle construction has its pros and cons. While all of these can be good options for hiking, each material has characteristics that determine how useful it will be for you.

 

 

Capacity and Weight

The capacity and weight of your water bottle will vary widely depending on the style of bottle and its capacity. For example, the Nalgene Ultralite Wide Mouth bottle and Klean Kanteen TKWide Recycled Insulated bottle contain the same amount of water– but the Klean Kanteen weighs more than 5 times as much as the Nalgene bottle!

 

Measurability

If you want to use the water you bring with you for cooking, or just want to measure how much you’re drinking over the course of a day, some water bottles have markings on the side that show you exactly how much you’ve had and how much you have left. For example, Nalgene has measure marks for both milliliters and fluid ounces, making them great for keeping track.

 

Sustainability

For many hikers, part of enjoying the outdoors is choosing gear that supports sustainable resource use. One of our biggest polluters is bottled water. Bottled water has an environmental impact 3,500 times greater than tap water, and only about 30% of all recyclable plastic water bottles actually get recycled. This puts millions of pounds of plastic waste into our oceans and landfills every year, and is part of the reason that the reusable water bottle industry has become so large. It’s just as convenient to carry a reusable bottle.

When you’re choosing a water bottle, look for one that uses post-consumer or recycled materials. It’s also much more sustainable to choose a bottle manufactured in the United States; this means that less fuel is used transporting it across the ocean. One of the most popular hiking water bottle brands, Nalgene, makes their bottles in Rochester, NY using as much recycled plastic as possible, making them a more sustainable choice than many other plastic alternatives.

 

Water Bottles Vs Hydration Bladders

Water bottles and hydration bladders are both popular ways to carry water while hiking. Many hikers like to carry both, starting out with a full hydration bladder and carrying extra water as a backup.

Not sure which to carry? Here’s the key differences between the two.

 

In most circumstances, you can freely choose between either or both. If you’re day hiking, you probably just need a water bottle or two. Choose based on your activity and how much water you’re comfortable carrying with you!

 

Water Bottles at Elevation

If you’re a mountaineer or like to hike at high elevation, you should be aware of pressure changes and what they can do to your water bottle. If you have a vacuum bottle that has a full-screw on lid, the pressure change at high elevations could make it impossible or very difficult to open. If you plan on climbing a lot of elevation, make sure you have a quarter-turn opening, a pop-up straw, or some other way to release the pressure.

 

Water Bottles for Long-Distance Hiking

If you’re thru-hiking, backpacking, trekking, or other style of hiking where you don’t have frequent access to treated, clean water, you might not be able to take all the water you need with you. In that case, you don’t have to find a two-gallon tankard of a water bottle; you should instead choose a water filter or purifier and get used to the idea of drinking from natural water sources.

Long-distance hikers also tend to appreciate a water bottle with a high capacity to weight ratio. The lightest bottle on our list is also the largest, the Platypus Platy 2.0. If you’re looking for a bottle for long-distance hiking, be sure to check that one out.

 

Why Choose A BPA-Free Water Bottle

If you carry a plastic bottle,  you may be worried about BPA. As we mentioned earlier, BPA is used in the manufacture of some plastics. The FDA maintains that BPA can safely be used in product packaging, but the safe dose for humans is still debatable. Even the most modern studies can’t agree on BPA’s risk or safety, and its long-term effects are still unknown.

Because of this, many hikers prefer to have a water bottle that can’t leach BPA into their drink. The easiest way to determine if your water bottle is truly BPA-free is to turn it upside down and look at its identification code. Plastic bottles labeled 1, 2, 4, and 5 are BPA-free. Plastic bottles labeled with 3, 6, and 7 are not.

 

The Best Water Bottles for Hiking

So how do the best of the best compare to each other? Here’s a quick guide to the water bottles we’re featuring here.

 

Best Ultralight Water Bottles

These water bottles all weigh less than 4 ounces– perfect for ultralight backpackers or anybody who wants to save weight.

 

Nalgene 32-Ounce Ultralite Wide Mouth

Nalgene’s ultra-light bottles use HDPE, a type of plastic that is extremely lightweight. These bottles are tough and durable, and while they don’t quite have that classic Nalgene aesthetic, they’ll carry your water and get the job done.

• Capacity: 32 ounces (also comes in 16 and 48 ounce capacities)
• Empty Weight: 3.8 ounces
• Material: HDPE BPA-free plastic
• Pros: Extremely light, budget friendly, extremely durable, easy to use
• Cons: Cap is not as durable as the bottle (replacements are available), wide mouth can be awkward to drink from, not as durable as tritan bottles, poor insulation
• Price: $11.99

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at Nalgene

 

Platypus Platy 2.0

At a mere 1.3 ounces, the Platypus Platy 2.0 is the lightest bottle on our list. This feather-light bottle has a massive 70 ounce (2 liter) capacity and has become very popular with thru-hikers who want to maximize capacity while minimizing the weight and space their water bottles take up.

• Capacity: 70 ounces
• Empty Weight: 1.3 ounces
• Material: BPA-free plastic
• Pros: Weighs about as much as an AA battery, collapses to a tiny size when empty, pairs easily with water filters and various Platypus caps to make drinking easier
• Cons: No insulation, difficult to drink from, doesn’t fit in a side pouch or cupholder
• Price: $18.95

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at Platypus | Buy on REI

 

Best Insulated Water Bottles

These water bottles are our favorite double-walled steel water bottles. They’ll keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold!

 

Hydro Flask Standard Mouth 24 Ounces

This insulated bottle is rated to keep hot drinks hot for 12 hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours, and it lives up to this promise.

• Capacity: 24 ounces (also comes in 18 and 21 ounce capacities)
• Empty Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Material: Double-walled steel
• Pros: Excellent insulation, good materials, multiple cap options including a cap with an integrated straw
• Cons: Harder to clean than a wide-mouthed bottle, heavier than we would want for any long distance hike
• Price: $24-$40

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at REI

 

Yeti Rambler 26 Ounces with Chug Cap

First rising to fame for their coolers, Yeti’s water bottles are tough, durable, and have exceptional insulation. The downside is the weight; these bottles are very heavy.

• Capacity: 26 ounces (also available in 18, 36, 46, and 64 ounce capacities)
• Empty Weight: 22.4 ounces
• Material: Double-walled steel
• Pros: Easy to drink from, cap options including one with an integrated straw, great insulation
• Cons: Heavy– possibly too heavy for comfortable hiking, too big for cupholders
• Price: $40

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at REI | Buy on Yeti

 

Best Foldable Water Bottles

These water bottles will crush down, fold, or roll to a tiny size in your pack. If you want to save space, these are the bottles for you.

 

HydraPak Stow 500 mL

This water bottle collapses to a size that can fit in your pocket. We especially like the integrated strap that keeps it contained once you roll it up.

• Capacity: 17 ounces/500 ml (also comes in 34 ounce capacity)
• Empty Weight: 1.6 ounces
• Material: TPU plastic
• Pros: Extremely light, budget friendly, compatible with most 28mm threaded water filters
• Cons: Flip-top cap can crack, less durable than hard bottles
• Price: $13-$16

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at REI | Buy at HydraPak

 

HydraPak Flux 1L

While the Flux doesn’t collapse quite as small as the Stow, this collapsible offering from HydraPak is one of the easiest collapsible water bottles to use. The material offers a really good grip, and you don’t have to worry about it collapsing as you fill it.

• Capacity: 34 ounces (a 50 ounce capacity is also available)
• Empty Weight: 2.7 ounces
• Material: Double-layer TPU plastic laminate
• Pros: Easy to use twist cap, durable, lightweight
• Cons: Plastic taste
• Price: $16-$27

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at HydraPak

 

Most Durable Water Bottles

You could drop these water bottles down the side of a mountain and they’d come away fine. These ultra-durable bottles can take anything you throw at them (or throw throw at).

 

Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 Ounces

These bottles are everywhere, and for good reason. Lightweight and made from durable and recycled Tritan plastic, their ease of use, light weight, and good capacity have made them a favorite of hikers for decades.

• Capacity: 32 ounces (also available in 16 and 48 ounce capacities)
• Empty Weight: 6.3 ounces
• Material: BPA-free Tritan plastic
• Pros: Extremely durable, lightweight, inexpensive, lots of color and design options
• Cons: Poor insulation, and the cap strap isn’t as durable as the rest of the bottle; you may need a new cap in your bottle’s lifetime
• Price: $15-$20 for some limited edition colorways

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at Nalgene

 

Klean Kanteen TKWide Recycled Insulated 32 Ounces

This double-walled insulated water bottle has a twist cap with an optional stainless steel straw. It has a well-designed cap with few failure points, and its impact base cap makes it dent and chip resistant.

• Capacity: 32 ounces (12, 20, and 24 ounce capacities also available)
• Empty Weight: 20.1 ounces
• Material: 90% recycled double-wall stainless steel
• Pros: Well-insulated, extremely durable, sturdy carrying handle
• Cons: Expensive, heavy
• Price: $42.95-$45

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at Klean Kanteen

 

Best Water Bottles With Straws

Don’t want to worry about spills? These water bottles make it easy to drink without stopping.

 

CamelBak Eddy+ Renew 25 Ounce

One of the most frustrating things about many water bottles with integrated straws is that the straw won’t let you drink all of the water. Not true with the CamelBak Eddy+; the straw is one of our favorite things about it. It’s well-designed and easy to drink from.

• Capacity: 25 ounces (20 and 32 ounce capacities also available)
• Empty Weight: 6.6 ounces
• Material: BPA-free plastic
• Pros: Leakproof lid, made with 50% recycled plastic, well-designed straw, nicely priced
• Cons: Poor insulation
• Price: $15-$16

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at CamelBak

 

Owala FreeSip Stainless Steel 24 Ounces

This relative newcomer to the water bottle market has quickly risen in popularity thanks to an innovative cap design that lets you choose between a straw or standard water bottle opening.

• Capacity: 24 ounces (also comes in 19, 32, and 40 ounce capacities)
• Empty Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Material: Triple-layer stainless steel
• Pros: Great insulation, easy to drink from, choice between integrated straw or wide-mouth opening, fits in a cupholder
• Cons: Carrying loop isn’t very ergonomic, more moving parts means more potential for failure down the line
• Price: $18.50-$28

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at REI

 

Best Water Bottles With Filters

If you want a built-in filter, these bottles are just what you need.

 

Katadyn BeFree 1L

This soft-sided, lightweight filtration system is packable and durable enough for all of your adventures.

• Capacity: 34 ounces (20 ounce capacity also available)
• Empty Weight: 2.2 ounces
• Material: TPU plastic
• Pros: Lightweight, easy to use, makes it easy to filter water and then pour into another bottle (so you can share clean water with your friends)
• Cons: Does not filter viruses, soft sided design requires two hands to drink from, shorter filter lifespan than other options– filter rated for 1000 L of water (264 gallons)
• Price: $47.95-$49.95

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at REI

 

LifeStraw Go 22 Ounces

LifeStraw’s straw-based water filters work just as well with an integrated bottle. Their filters are known for their ease of use and efficacy– you don’t have to worry about parasites, bacteria, debris, or even microplastics.

• Capacity: 22 ounces (a 34 ounce capacity is also available)
• Empty Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Material: BPA-free plastic
• Pros: Long lifespan (the filter is rated for 1000 gallons of water), easy to drink from, great bacterial filtration
• Cons: Bulky, does not filter viruses.
• Price: $44.95

 

• Buy on Amazon | Buy at LifeStraw

 

How does your favorite water bottle compare to the ones on our list? The next time you’re in the market for a new water bottle for hiking, be sure to check our recommendations to find the perfect bottle for you.