The 14 Best Hiking Water Bottles for Lightweight Hydration
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Before we can get outside and enjoy the (gradually) cooler weather, we need to get our hiking gear in order. First on the list? Finding the best hiking water bottle for our fall outdoor adventures. What should be a straightforward purchase can get a little murky, depending on your hiking plans, pack situation, and personal needs when it comes to drinking water. And, if you’ve never even thought of having a separate water bottle specifically for hiking, you might be weighing yourself down or wasting valuable backpack space without even realizing it. Here’s how to find a trail-ready water bottle.
What water bottle is best for hiking?
If we want to get really basic, the best water bottle to take hiking is the one you’ll actually drink from. Staying hydrated is always important, especially if you’re spending time outside, exercising, and sweating. As SELF has previously reported, hikers, backpackers, and outdoors people recommend taking your average water intake and how difficult your hike will be into consideration when packing your water for an outing. Bringing an extra bottle—or a water purification system—is never a bad idea.
If you’re taking a leisurely day hike, where you aren’t concerned about weighing down your pack or being out so long that you risk running out, a standard reusable water bottle made for everyday use will get the job done. (If the weather is hot on said day hike, we’d recommend an insulated water bottle to keep cold drinks, well, cold.)
It’s when you want to save space or weight, or need something that can multitask and take a beating, that a more specialized bottle or hydration pack will come in handy. After seeking out the best sellers from top brands and poring over glowing reviews, we’ve selected some of the best hiking water bottles you can order right now from retailers like REI, Backcountry, Amazon, and more. Read on to get this key piece of outdoor gear squared away for the fall season.
AmazonNalgene HDPE Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle
Although it’s lighter than the standard Nalgene wide-mouthed water bottle we know and love, this version still comes with all the versatility we expect from the classic. Its screw top is leakproof, its mouth is wide enough to add full-size ice cubes to your drink, its body is easy to clean and impact-resistant, and, in a pinch, it makes a great hot water bottle.
TargetNalgene Sustain Tritan BPA-Free Water Bottle
If drinking out of a wide-mouthed water bottle just makes you think about spilling on yourself, Nalgene's narrow-mouth, BPA-free plastic water bottle is an excellent alternative. You can use it for both cold and hot drinks, and it comes in a range of very fun colors.
BackcountryHydro Flask Lightweight Wide-Mouth Vacuum Water Bottle
This ultralight take on the beloved Hydro Flask wide-mouthed bottle is made with hiking in mind. It's 25% lighter than the standard bottle, thanks in part to its tapered design. Those who need their water icy cold don't have to worry: None of the changes made for the sake of weight affect the double-wall insulation that keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours.
AmazonPlatypus SoftBottles with Closure Cap
When you really want to save room in your daypack, bring this collapsible Playtpus bottle. When emptied, it flattens down and rolls up completely, and clocks in as one of the lightest options on our list. Some pleased reviewers even mentioned they were able to pack their Platypuses in their jacket pockets and fanny packs without issue.
REIHydraPak 3L Seeker Collapsible Water Container
Another highly packable plastic bottle, the HydraPak Seeker can do triple duty. It serves as a collapsible bottle with a large screw cap to make pouring (or chugging) easy. It can be frozen and used as an ice pack, and it can hold hot water too. You can slip it into your sleeping bag on particularly chilly nights. And, while it is designed to be flexible, it's also made of tough, abrasion-resistant materials.
AmazonKlean Kanteen TKWide Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Klean Kanteen's metal bottles have a timeless look that belies its innovative designs. This option keeps beverages iced for up to 66 hours thanks to its vacuum insulation, features a handy chug cap, and comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Plus, this gorgeous shade of yellow will save you from losing track of it.
REICamelBak Eddy+ Renew Water Bottle
If you love a straw lid, this CamelBak bottle will give you something to sip on. Its soft mouthpiece is designed to prevent leakage and spills when it's open, and it won't attract odors or stains. Both the cap and bottle are dishwasher-safe, which makes cleanup a breeze.
Yeti Rambler Vacuum Bottle
REIYeti Rambler Vacuum Bottle
The Yeti Rambler's sturdy carry-handle, puncture- and rust-resistant body, and secure vacuum insulation make it a wonderfully burly addition to your bottle collection. If you're looking for a bottle that holds up to rugged use (and just so happens to be one of the best insulated water bottles you can buy), go with a Yeti.
AmazonLifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle
It's hard to beat LifeStraw when it comes to ease of use: Just fill the plastic bottle from your outdoor water source and let the built-in two-stage water filter do its job, removing bacteria, parasites, and microplastics—while improving the water's taste to boot. It's a great bottle to have on hand when you need drinkable, filtered water fast.
BackcountryHydrapak Shape-Shift Water Reservoir (3L)
The Shape-Shift reservoir stands out among other hydration bladders for its clever design, which adjusts and expands depending on how full it is and how much space you have to spare. That makes high-impact activities much more enjoyable (unless you like the sound of sloshing water in your pack).
AmazonCamelBak Women's Circuit Run Vest with 50oz Hydration Bladder
Road and trail runners love this popular CamelBak hydration vest because it features not only a regular bladder but storage space for more bottles and the rest of your essentials.
AmazonTHERMOS Stainless Steel Hydration Bottle
Yes, this water bottle from Thermos looks great, but it's as tough as it is nice to look at. Made from durable stainless steel and featuring a leakproof lid, it's designed for trail-side sipping. For the record, it also fits in most car cup holders, if you really want to show it off.
AmazonKatadyn BeFree 1.0L Water Filter
This squeezable water filter bottle makes drinking water on the go easy, and when you're done it collapses and packs away easily. Reviewers love how lightweight it is, as well as how quickly it filters water. “We had other filters that pumped and a gravity bag for camp. This one was faster than the pump, much easier to carry, durable, and filled a Nalgene in 15 seconds,” one customer wrote.
MoosejawHydro Flask Lightweight Standard-Mouth Vacuum Water Bottle
For the Hydro Flask devotees that just can't with a wide-mouthed design, please enjoy this standard-mouth iteration of the brand's trail water bottle. Its opening is just the right size for sipping, and the entire bottle is narrow enough that you shouldn't have a problem fitting it into most packs' dedicated water bottle pockets.
SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
