Water bottles for hiking are one of those things that most hikers never think much about, but definitely need. You wont get far in the outdoors without a good water bottle, but at the same time, many outdoor enthusiasts just grab whatever water bottle they have lying around the house. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with this strategy, there are actually some fairly innovative water bottles for hiking out there, that will help you save on weight and bulk, both of which are important to many hikers, campers and backpackers.
Water Bottles for Hiking
Things you should be considering when picking out a water bottle for hiking.- Capacity – There aren’t many variables when it comes to water bottles for hiking with, but capacity is definitely one of them. Water bottles come in all different kinds of sizes, and there are even water reservoirs that can hold 6 liters of water, for those long stretches in the heat when you don’t have access to any fresh water.
- Material – BPA is largely a thing of the past, but there was a time when many people avoided plastic water bottles for health reasons. If you’re at all concerned about the potential chemicals in the plastics used for water bottles, stainless steel is a viable, if heavier, option.
Best Water Bottles for Hiking
A few of the better water bottles for hiking that you will find on the market.- Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottles - If you prefer metal over plastic, Klean Kanteen has a whole range of them to pick from, in stainless steel, ranging in capacity from 12 ounces to 40 ounces. The weights range from 4 ounces, which is 113 grams, all the way up to 11 ounces, which is 311 grams. So compared to the water bottles below it's not the lightest option, but it's about the only choice you have if you want to avoid plastic.
- Platypus Platy Plus Bottle - You would think it would be difficult to really innovate on the concept of the water bottle, but that's exactly what Platypus have done. This bottle is made of a flexible plastic that can be rolled up when not in use, something that may be very useful for a backpack stuffed full. They wont be solid when full of water, and they'll be a little easier to break than your average water bottle, but they do have an upside, which is weight. The bottle comes in two different sizes, a 1 liter and a 2 liter, and they weigh .8 ounces, or 22 grams, and 1 ounce, or 28 grams, respectively.
- Nalgene Wide-Mouth Loop-Top - No list of water bottles for hiking would be complete without a mention of Nalgene. This is the classic 32 ounce version, which is made of a hard but lightweight and extremely tough plastic. The wide mouth top makes filling easy, and many water filter manufacturers actually make attachments with the wide mouth of the Nalgene in mind. Beyond that it weighs 3.5 ounces, or 99 grams, which is not as lightweight as the Platypus, but much lighter than the stainless steel bottles.
