Nalgene: The Best Reusable Plastic Alternative to Stainless Steel Bottles

While they used to be commonplace only among campers and hikers, reusable water bottles have had a massive surge in popularity among travellers over the recent years.

Brands such as Hydro Flask, Stanley and Klean Kanteen have carved out a huge part of the market, and established themselves as favourites among the new generation of travellers.

Today, we’ll be setting those brands aside to take an in-depth look at the original kings of reusable bottles, Nalgene. We’ll see how these plastic alternatives hold up against the more recent stainless steel competition, their best use and limitations, and what makes Nalgene such a popular option for outdoor use and travel since the 1970’s. 

Let’s jump right in.

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What are Nalgene bottles made of?

Contrary to the majority of popular reusable bottle brands, Nalgene only produces one model made out of stainless steel.

Since 2008, the rest of their bottles are made out of Tritan, a BPA and BPS-free, ultra-tough plastic. In addition to being impact-resistant, Tritan also can survive temperature extremes that would melt or break normal plastic bottles, making it dishwasher safe.

More recently, Nalgene came out with the new Sustain line of products made using Tritan Renew, a new BPA and BPS-free resin that shares the same characteristic as the classic Tritan, but is 50% recycled waste plastic.

Nalgene claims that up to eight single-use plastic bottles are recycled to produce one Sustain bottle, greatly offsetting their environmental impact.

With that said, at the of the day Tritan is still plastic.

This means it will still share at least some of the same limitations of a classic plastic bottle, namely that it will more easily retain flavours (especially from acidic drinks such as coke or orange juice), and could potentially leach chemicals into your water if overheated. 

Why would you choose Nalgene over a non-plastic alternative?

Nalgene bottles have remained incredible popular for a reason, and that is because in many ways they can hold their own against stainless steel alternatives.

They come in a variety of different shape and sizes, the most popular being the 32oz (946ml) Wide Mouth.

With a large opening and high volume capacity, these bottles are easy to use, clean and are incredibly practical in many different situations, such as travelling, spending time outdoors or simply to stay hydrated during everyday work and home activities. 

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Now let’s take a look at some key differences that you will definitely find useful if you’re considering purchasing a Nalgene bottle!

Weight and size

Being made of plastic, Tritan is of course much lighter than stainless steel, making it the ideal option for those who prefer to reduce the weight of their packs by as much as possible.

Not only, the thinner plastic walls of a Nalgene will allow you to carry a larger volume of water compared what you would be able to fit in a stainless steel bottle of the same size. 

Durability

If you’ve had the same stainless steel bottles for as long as we’ve had, chances are they are covered with small dents by now.

While in most cases these are just a matter of aesthetics, a bad drop can definitely put a big enough of a hole in a stainless steel bottle that it might start leaking and become completely useless. We’ve seen it happen even indoors, and this can of course be a huge problem when hiking or camping.

On the other hand, we still have to see a broken Nalgene bottle for ourselves. While they are by no means indestructible, the amount of force necessary to break one makes them far superior to steel bottles in terms of overall durability. They can easily get knocked around with little to no damage, and can survive drops that would put a stainless steel bottle out of commission for good. 

Temperature resistance

While stainless steel bottles can be used with both hot and cold liquids, their superior thermal conductivity (how well they transmit heat) compared to plastic also means they well heat up or freeze a lot faster when exposed to the elements.

This is why insulated stainless steel bottles are the preferred alternative when travelling in very hot or very cold climates, as they will ensure your drinks remain at the perfect temperature for a long time. 

Nalgene bottles are less conductive, and therefore do a better job than a regular stainless bottle when it comes to maintaining the temperature of your drinks.

In fact, it’s quite common for campers to fill Nalgene bottles with boiling water and stuff them in socks to warm up their sleeping bags during the night!

Price

Because of the obvious price difference between plastic and steel, Nalgene bottles can cost up to a third less than a stainless steel alternative.

That’s a pretty significant saving for a reusable water bottle, especially if you’re on a budget!  

© Nalgene

Pros & Cons

+ BPA/BPS free

+ Light

+ Extremely durable

+ Resistant to temperature extremes

+ Less heat-conductive than stainless steel

+ Multiple shapes and volumes on offer

+ Affordable price

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- Less climate-friendly than stainless steel

- May leak chemicals into the water when overheated

- Will develop an after-taste when used with acidic liquids

Should you buy a Nalgene Bottle?

Whether or not you choose a Nalgene over stainless steel will ultimately depend on what type of bottle you’re looking for, and your personal preferences in terms of durability, weight and water capacity.

• For everyday use, a Nalgene will offer a larger volume capacity with a lower weight and size, making them the ideal option for commuting to work, travelling with small bags and staying properly hydrated in hot climates.

• Carrying more water with less bulk is, of course, also a major plus for hikers and campers, who won’t have to worry as much about finding water sources. The super-tough, impact-resistant Tritan will also ensure than your bottle survives whatever activity you put it through!

Now, having said that, you are limited to drinking only water because flavoured liquids might leave an after-taste, and filling a Nalgene with hot drinks might potentially expose you to nasty chemicals that might have been leached from the plastic.

In this regard, stainless steel bottles win the round; You can fill them up with what you want, they won’t leak any toxins and will not retain any flavours if properly washed.

Another plus point for stainless steel is that it can be insulated, allowing it to maintain both hot and cold drinks at the ideal temperature for long periods of time.

This can also be done by adding an insulated sleeve to your Nalgene but, as we mentioned already, you ideally should only use a Tritan bottle with cold water, making the sleeve a good option only to stop your bottle from freezing or overheating.

All in, we find that, if you can deal with the smaller volume and added weight, an insulated stainless steel bottle is the ideal option for just about any situation.

However, if you’re in need of an ultra-tough, light water bottle to accompany you on your adventures, we definitely recommend you check out Nalgene and give them a shot!

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