Can I have some of your water?
Staying hydrated on a hike is more than just a matter of comfort and usually means you’re going to have to carry water with you. The best water bottles for hiking will enable you to do this without slowing you down or cramping your style.
Chances are, if you’re heading out for any length of time, you’ll have already chosen your hydration bladder, but I always like to take a bottle along too.
But a bottle is just a bottle, right? Not when you’re heading outdoors. If you want something outdoor-proof and rugged, then check out these top-rated water bottle reviews.
Quick Answer:
- Best Overall: CamelBak Chute with Tritan Renew
- Best for Budget: Nalgene Tritan
- Best Collapsible Water Bottle: Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle
- Best Built-in Water Filter Bottle: Epic Nalgene OG
- Best for Built-in Straw: Camelbak Eddy with Tritan Renew Straw Top
Table of contents
Best Water Bottles for Hiking: Reviews
Nalgene Tritan 32oz Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle
Features:
- Made from Eastman Tritan co-polyester, so it’s lightweight, sturdy, leak-proof and impact resistant.
- Dishwasher safe and won’t retain odors
- BPA-free with no plastic smell or taste
- Wide mouth makes it easy to throw ice in and to clean
- Some color options glow slightly in the dark so it’s easy to find your bottle at night
- The measuring lines on the side wore off quite quickly
- While it is tough, the plastic scratches easily
A high quality, tough-as-nails, lightweight bottle that’s built to last. It’s no surprise that this is Nalgene’s best seller for the last 20 years. I’m still using the same one that I threw off a balcony in Naamche Bazaar on the way to Everest Base Camp 8 years ago.
Most backpacks have a pocket that accommodates its physical size. You can fill it with cold or hot (up to 212 deg F) beverages (hooray for coffee and tea!) and the cap screws down tight so you won’t spill a drop.
The screw cap is fixed to the bottle by a plastic tag and ring so you won’t ever have to wonder where the lid ended up. The lop on the handle is a handy point to attach it to your pack.
The Nalgene wide-mouth design is plenty big enough to throw in a bunch of ice cubes, and it makes it easy to clean.
The opening will also accommodate most water filters. The measurement marks on the side are in millimeters and ounces which is nice if you’re trying to do some accurate mixing or you’re tracking your water consumption.
The markings did tend to rub off a little too easily though. At 32 ounces it’s a nice size for hiking, and you get no plastic taste or odor in your water.
 |  $16.49 |  $16.03 |  $47.23 |
Get it from Amazon from $16.96
CamelBak Chute Mag 32oz Water Bottle with Tritan Renew
Features:
- Durable construction and leak proof
- Angled spout allows for high flow without any spilling
- 100% free from BPA and BPS
- Cap only requires a half turn to secure or remove
- Spout cap has thread on inside which makes drinking more comfortable
- Leaks a little if the cap isn’t on 100% tight
Designed primarily for hydration on the go, the spill-proof spout allows for a high flow of liquid without you having to stand still.
The spout cap screws off the mouthpiece quickly and clips onto the handle so it won’t flop around while you’re having a drink. The internally threaded spout means you get a nice smooth surface for your mouth.
We like the position of the carry handle. Even when full it remains easy to carry. The wide-mouth design makes refilling or adding ice a simple, quick task.
Being able to secure the lid with just a half turn is very convenient but make sure you get it on nice and tight, or you can expect leaks.
This is a convenient and practical-to-use bottle that holds a decent amount of liquid. It’s built from sturdy, durable plastic and comes with a lifetime warranty.
 $15.20 |  $16.00 |  |  $16.00 |
Get it from Amazon for $17.00
Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle – Leak Proof Twist Cap – BPA Free, 22 Ounce
At a Glance:
- Bottle is collapsible and lightweight – great for gram-weenie backpackers
- Durable construction and comes with a lifetime warranty
- Locking twist cap requires only a half turn and is leak-proof
- Wide mouth allows for quick filling and easy cleaning
- LFGB certified, BPA free and no plastic taste or odor
- A little pricey
- Silicon material has a nice feel but tends to attract dust and lint
If you’re looking for the ultimate in space-saving, then this collapsible water bottle is a great option. It only holds 22 ounces but being able to collapse to a third of its size makes this a small price to pay.
The silicon material is soft enough to allow it to roll up easily but is impact resistant and tough enough to deal with the usual scrapes and bumps of hiking.
Protecting the mouthpiece is a leak-proof, locking twist cap, secured to the carrying clip. You can use the strap that keeps it securely rolled up to attach to your waist when filled.
We liked that this model kept its shape and stayed rigid and upright even when the water level got a little low.
As a collapsible water bottle, this one works extremely well, but the higher price tag only makes sense if this feature is important to you.
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The Coldest Water Bottle 21 oz Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Hydro Travel Mug
At a Glance:
- Insulation works well and keeps liquid cold for a long time
- Made from stainless steel so it’s super durable
- Clever design results in zero condensation on the outside
- No mouth spout so you need to unscrew the cap to drink
- Double volume stainless steel construction makes it heavy
Throw some cold water and ice in this and it’ll still be cold 3 days later. If you’re heading out into some hot weather, then this insulated water bottle will perform a lot better than a standard one.
The double volume stainless steel offers excellent insulation and robust construction. Because it’s double volume, the outside of the container isn’t cooled by the ice inside, so you don’t end up with condensation on the outside surface.
The downside of all of this is that it’s heavier than a standard plastic model but it’s worth it to be able to have a cold drink on a hot day.
The wide mouth makes it easy to fill and seals well with the screw cap. There’s no drinking spout so you’ve got to remove the lid each time you want a drink.
Works well for keeping coffee warm on a chilly Fall morning.
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MIRA 32 oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Wide Mouth Water Bottle
At a Glance:
- High capacity (40 oz) insulated water bottle
- Made from 18/8 stainless steel – durable construction
- Bottle doesn’t sweat i.e no condensation
- Keeps liquid cold for up to 24 hours and warm beverages hot for up to 12 hours
- Screw lid is secured by tag and ring
- Not dishwasher safe
- It’s big and heavy
An excellent option if you’re looking for a large capacity insulated bottle. The 40 oz size means you probably won’t have to refill it at any point during your day out.
Made from high-grade stainless steel, it looks great and is pretty much unbreakable. The only part that is plastic is the inside of the lid and it’s BPA-free.
The lid is secured to the bottle by a plastic loop and doubles as a handle or clip-on point. The loop is a little thin so if it’s full then we’d suggest not hanging it from this.
The insulation in this bottle does a great job of keeping warm beverages hot and cold drinks cold for between 12 and 24 hours respectively.
We liked that even when it was filled with ice it didn’t sweat and end up wetting the inside of our backpack.
The high-capacity and solid construction make this pretty big and heavy. The extra space it takes up in your pack is worth it though if insulation and durability are important factors to you
Get it on Amazon for $22.63
Our Favorite
We like the CamelBak Chute. The spout and lid design makes it easy to take a sip on the go without breaking your stride.
The design elements like the internally threaded spout and being able to clip the cap onto the handle sound like small things but they all add up to a great water bottle.
Recommended reading: 13 Cheapest Camper Trailers Under $10,000, Best Backpacks for Dogs: How to Choose and Fit
Best For Budget
With the Nalgene Tritan you get a great water bottle for hiking at a budget-friendly price.
The lower price tag doesn’t mean a compromise in quality though. You may not get any fancy spouts or insulation but the sturdy construction and attractive design mean that it will serve you well on countless miles of trail.
Choosing a Water Bottle for your Next Hike
Capacity – How much water do I need on a hike?
If you’re on an active hike then you should aim for around 32 ounces, or 1 liter, of water every two hours.
Make sure that you have an idea of how regularly you’re going to be coming across a good water source. If you’re sure that there will be plenty of water on the trail then a smaller capacity bottle will be lighter and more comfortable to carry.
If you’re not too sure then you’d best be safe and go for a 32 oz, or larger, capacity. It’s going to be heavier to carry but that’s less of a problem than dehydration.
Check the dimensions of the model you’re after to make sure that it will fit into the bottle pouch on your pack.
Material
Make sure plastic bottles are free from BPA and other nasty plasticizers. These kinds of chemicals are believed to be unhealthy and can mess with your hormones.
Besides BPA’s there are a bunch of other substances that you don’t want in your bottle. If you’re anxious about these then make sure that it’s FDA (American standard) certified or is LFGB (German standard) certified.
Water bottles that are LFGB-certified go through a more thorough test and are typically more expensive as a result.
Besides the health concerns, you want to be sure that it won’t break the first time you drop it. And you will drop it.
If you want something pretty much indestructible and like your liquid cold then skip plastic and go for an insulated stainless steel option. These are less likely to spring a leak but they will dent when dropped.
Bottle Mouth and Cap
A wide-mouth will be far easier to fill from a stream. It also makes it simpler to clean. Drinking from a wide mouth bottle may or may not be to your liking though. If you haven’t mastered the art of drinking while you walk without spilling, then get a bottle with a sip spout.
Whether you go for the wide or standard mouth option, make sure you secure the lid or cap to the bottle. That way you won’t end up losing it. If you’re not too sure that the water along the trail will be good to drink then it’s worth getting a bottle that works with standard size filters.
Let’s Get Hiking!
A water bottle is probably the lowest-tech piece of gear you’ll put in your pack but it’s the one you don’t want to leave home without.
Make sure that the capacity is sufficient to cover the gaps between your hydration sources and that the material is rugged enough to survive being dropped. If your adventure also involves dense brush, snowy wetlands, or snake country, our guide to leg gaiters will help keep your legs scratch and snake bite-free.
The options of caps and spouts are less important and really just come down to personal preference so don’t agonize too much over these.
Uncover our top selections for comfort and durability!
Last update on 2024-04-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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