A Guide To Choosing The Perfect Reusable Water Bottle

A good water bottle is an essential part of any adventurer's kit and, as any item you carry with you around the world, needs to be chosen carefully.

You might think water bottles are all the same but there are some major differences to look out for. Let's go through them!

# Materials

What is your bottle made of?

The material your bottle is made of will determine its main characteristics: weight, resistance and temperature retention. Most water bottles you'll come across will be one of three different materials, plastic, aluminium or steel.

Plastic bottles are the cheapest, and are for the most part very durable. That's pretty much where the positives stop. With the exception of tritan (a super though type of plastic used in brands like Nalgene), these bottles are not adapted for hot liquids, so you can forget your morning tea. They will also freeze and break at temperatures below 0°C.

They are also not suitable for acidic drinks like fruit juices, as they will corrode the surface of the bottle over time and leave particles and an aftertaste. And of course there is the obvious non eco-friendly factor to consider, as not all can be recycled.

They are a cheap alternative, good to use in the city or when travelling, but far from ideal.

Aluminium bottles are a step up compared to plastic. Their main advantage is that they are more eco-friendly, very light and fairly durable, even though they are made of a soft metal, and under heavy pressure they will crack and dent more easily than plastic.

Another disadvantage of these bottles is their temperature retention. Because of the conductivity of aluminium, these bottles heat up quickly in the sun and can freeze and break when temperatures are too low.

Finally, because aluminium is a very reactive material, these bottles are covered on the inside with a protective coating. Over time the coating can be corroded by acidic and carbonated drinks, causing the aluminium, and other chemicals that might be present, to leach into your drink.

If you just use them with water and keep them shielded from the elements, aluminium bottles are perfect for travelling and hiking. If you have the tendency to be careless though, I would avoid them for more intense activities like wild camping or mountaineering.

The brand I recommend the most is Sigg.

As far as aluminium bottles are concerned, they are widely considered the best on the market.

Steel bottles are very durable, will take most abuse you can throw at them and you can fill them with whatever you want. The main drawbacks are the increased weight and, like aluminium, the temperature retention, although steel bottles also come in insulated variants. More on that later.

These bottles are ideal for the most intense activities, as long as the increased weight is not an issue for you. The best brands I would recommend are Klean Kanteen, Stanley and Hydro Flask.

# Standard Bottles vs Insulated Bottles

Most brands that produce steel bottles make insulated variants.

Temperature retention in steel bottles is an issue that only applies to standard models.

An insulated bottle has two walls that join at the top, with a gap between the external and internal part. The air in the gap is almost completely sucked out during production, creating a near-vacuum. This reduces the heat exchange between the inside and outside of the bottle. Because the temperature does not affect the outside of the bottle, it is safe to handle when filled with hot liquids.

Be careful when tossing them around. They are as durable as a normal steel bottle, but if the second wall is pierced the vacuum will be gone, and the bottle will no longer be insulated.

These are my bottles of choice for camping and trekking. The only drawback is that the double wall takes up space on the inside, increasing the weight and reducing the volume capacity. If you expect to have frequent access to water on your trip then you should be fine, if not perhaps you need an alternative or a second bottle.

# The Cap

The only type I would recommend is screw caps, they are the only ones guaranteed to be 100% leakproof. Others, like sport caps, are better suited to city activities or traveling. Just remember to always keep the bottle upright or you risk having the water leak out! 

# Water Bladders

(Technically not a bottle but I felt they had a place in this article.)

Water bladders are plastic sacs that you can fill with water and store in your backpack.

A hose connected to the bag allows you to drink without having to stop and take out a bottle. They are also practical as water reserves, as their content capacity usually starts around 1.5 L, which is larger than most bottles. Just remember that you’ll be carrying the equivalent weight on your back, so pack accordingly.

They come in a variety of sizes and designs, and the main points to look out for is the quality of the material and the size of the opening of the bag. Make sure it is large enough to clean the bladder properly and also large enough to fill without too much difficulty.

The best brands I would recommend are CamelBak and Osprey.

So to re-cap, here are the main points to look out for:

• Durability

• Volume

• Weight

• Standard or insulated

• Leakproof cap

I hope you enjoyed this article, and that these tips help when choosing a new bottle for your trips!

𝘿𝙞𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚 ?

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘴 !

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