8 Best Water Bottles for Hiking, Travelling and Work

Last updated: April 7, 2022

When going outside for a hike, a light-weight water bottle is one of the most important items to bring with you. But reusable drink bottles also come in handy when travelling, going to the beach, or when working in the office.

We have researched the market and selected 8 of the best water bottles available right now, based on durability, materials used, weight, size, price, and more.

We’ve picked the best water bottles from two different categories: plastic drink bottles and insulated drink bottles.

Best Plastic Bottle: Camelbak Chute Mag 1L	Best Insulated Bottle: Camelbak Chute Mag Insulated 1L
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Top 8 Water Bottles:

Top selling water bottle on Amazon:

CamelBak Chute Mag 1L Water Bottle

• HYDRATION MADE SIMPLE: The CamelBak Chute Mag is a BPA-free...
• MAGNETIC HANDLE: This CamelBak Chute Mag water bottle...
• EASY TO CLEAN & BPA FREE: This CamelBak water bottle is made...

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We have grouped our 8 favourite water bottles into best plastic and best insulated water bottles, starting with the best plastic drink bottles.

Plastic water bottles are typically the lightest and therefore perhaps most suitable for hiking. All of the following bottles are BPA-free and designed with convenience in mind. Please note though that these bottles are not freezer safe and are not suitable for hot drinks.

1. Camelbak Chute Mag 1L

The Camelbak Chute water bottle stands out with a super effective magnet inside the lid that makes it stick to the side when drinking. In other words, that lid is not going to touch your face when drinking, and you don’t have to hold it with your fingers either. This makes having a quick sip super easy. Simply undo the cap and you’re good to go and have a drink.

The two-finger carry handle makes this bottle a must-have companion when going out for a long walk. And with a generous 1 liter capacity, you won’t go thirsty that quickly. This is a top quality reusable water bottle, perfect for longer hikes.

2. Camelbak Eddy+ Bottle 0.6L

The Camelbak Eddy+ water bottle has an easy-drink straw function with a spill-proof bite valve that lets you drink without having to tip back your head. The valve does require proper cleaning after each use but that doesn’t need to be a deal-breaker.

The carry handle allows for easy and convenient carrying or clipping onto a bag or belt, and the removable cap allows for easy filling and cleaning. While this plastic water bottle is marketed as dishwasher safe, manually cleaning is recommended to avoid any unnecessary wear and tear.

3. Nalgene Narrow Mouth Tritan 1L

The narrow mouth design of this 1L Nalgene Tritan makes drinking super easy. The leak-proof system will make sure you won’t be spilling any water when closed. Made with BPA-free Eastman Tritan plastic materials, this water bottle is very durable and resistant to unwanted tastes and odors.

The superior impact resistance can handle a bit of roughness during your outdoor adventures. Nalgene drink bottles are suitable for both warm and cold beverages, but it’s best to avoid using it for hot liquids such as tea.

4. Camelbak Chute Mag 0.6L

This 600ml Camelbak plastic water bottle is very similar to the one listed at the top, except that this particular model is a bit smaller. It also has the same revolutionary magnetic cap design, which makes drinking super easy and convenient.

If you’re looking for a quality re-usable water bottle for shorter hikes, this Camelbak Chute Mag is a great choice.

5. Contigo Autoseal Cortland 0.7L

The Contigo Cortland Autoseal is a great choice if you’re looking for simplicity, quality and ease-of-use. Simply press a button to safely release the seal, and drink away. It also features a lock button to keep the mouthpiece down and locked when not in use, making it 100% spill and leak proof.

The wide-mouth cap of this water bottle easily fits ice cubes, and also makes cleaning easier. Just like most other water bottles in this list, the Contigo Autoseal Cortland features a top loop to make it easier to carry with you when hiking.

Insulated water bottles are best suitable on hot days when you want your drinks to stay cold for longer without unwanted condensation. The other bonus of using an insulated water bottle is that they don’t “sweat”, so other items in you bag or on your desk won’t get wet.

A good insulated water bottle should be light-weight to make it easy to carry around while hiking or travelling. Some insulated drink bottles are made with plastic, others with stainless steel or even glass, which is a matter of personal preference.

6. Camelbak Chute Mag Insulated 1L

The sleek stainless steel design is what makes this Camelbak bottle stand out from the crowd. The quality double-walled vacuum insulation can keep your drink cold for an entire day without experiencing any condensation.

The magnetic handle keeps the cap nicely stowed while drinking, with the angled spout providing an ergonomic drink interface that delivers a high flow of water without spilling.

7. Camelbak Carry Cap Insulated 0.6L

This compact stainless steel insulated water bottle can hold 600ml of your favourite beverage, and comes with a very recognisable carry cap designed with convenience in mind.

The double-walled insulation (with sweat-proof powder coat finish on the outside) will keep your water nice and cold for up to 24 hours. Also worth mentioning is that the spill-proof cap is compatible with the Eddy and Chute Mag bottles included in this list.

8. Contigo Autospout Chill Stainless Steel 0.6L

This Contigo Autospout insulated stainless steel water bottle, designed for active lifestyles, is 100% spill and leak proof when closed. The spout shield keeps the silicone mouth-piece protected from unwanted germs and dirt when not in use. The straw attachment allows you to drink without having to tilt the bottle.

The stainless steel vacuum insulation can keep your water cold for up to 18 hours. The convenient wide-mouth design makes cleaning an easy process.

There are many reasons to skip bottled water and to start using reusable water bottles instead.

Here are the three most important ones.

1. Mother Nature

Did you know that Australians drink on average 30 litres of bottled water per person per year? And did you know that Australia’s use of bottled water generates more greenhouse gas emissions than 13,000 cars in one year?

The most obvious reason to use a reusable water bottle instead of bottled water is to help make our planet more sustainable. An estimated 38 billion disposable water bottles end up in landfills each year.

But that’s not the only issue. A surprisingly large amount of oil is required to produce the throw-away plastic water bottles we buy every day. The energy cost of producing tap water however is far less.

Each time we drink bottled water, we should be asking ourselves whether it was really necessary to buy that bottle. More than often the answer would be a definite no.

The better choice is a top quality, reusable water bottle that will last for many years. A throw-away water bottle cannot be reused for very long due to the poor quality of plastic. And sadly, less than 40% of these bottles are being recycled.

2. Convenience

Another good reason why reusable water bottles are a great choice is simply convenience. How many times has it happened that you go out for a hike or to the beach and you don’t have a water bottle handy.

That’s where reusable water bottles come in. If you have one or more of these bottles at home, it’s just too easy to fill them up with tap water and bring them with you, instead of buying packaged refreshments at your destination.

Or fill them up the night before so you can refrigerate overnight and have cool drinks available the next day.

3. Hydrate at Work

Water bottles are also great for in the office. Rather than filling up your cup several times a day, simply use a bottle so you always have enough water available at your desk to hydrate.

Drinking water at work is important as it’s very easy to get dehydrated when working in air-conditioned environments the whole day. The problem is that office workers often simply don’t realise they’re getting dehydrated.

Office dehydration is a real thing. Not only does it have a big impact on your performance, it also causes long-term damage to your skin. A reusable water bottle on your desk makes making a habit of regularly drinking water much easier.

If you’re using your drink bottle just for water, a good rinse after use is enough to keep them clean. There is no need to use any soap to clean them each time after use.

Definitely don’t put them in the dishwasher as it will only increase wear and tear, even if the label says it’s dishwasher safe. If you’re using the bottle regularly, it is recommended to give them a good clean with soap once a month or so.

If you’re drinking something other than plain-old water, for example Gatorade or any other sugary drink, you will definitely need to clean it properly after use.

One good and natural way of cleaning is to use a bit of baking soda and vinegar mixed up in water.