Best hiking water bottles tested in 2024: hydrate in the hills

There’s a huge selection of durable hiking water bottles out there - but some are more suitable for walkers than others. Are you looking for an insulated hiking water bottle that doubles as a flask, or perhaps a lightweight design for an upcoming multi-day hike?

Here at BBC Countryfile Magazine, we've put a number of leading brands to the test, taking insulation, ease of use, durability and sustainability into consideration. Of course you'll want a leakproof hiking water bottle too, to ensure your spare clothes and snacks remain dry.

You can jump to our buyer's guide, for more on how to choose a hiking water bottle. If you plan to collect drinking water during hikes and camping trips, it's worth packing some water purification tablets to kill any nasty bugs.

Best hiking water bottles at a glance:

Best for long hikes: Nalgene Narrow Mouth 1L Water Bottle

Best lightweight, everyday water bottle: Camelbak Chute Mag Bottle

Best for short walks in summer: Black & Blum Explorer Bottle

Find more hiking essentials in our guides to the best walking shoes and the best lightweight waterproof jackets.

Best water bottles for hiking

Nalgene Narrow Mouth 1L Water Bottle

Best for long hikes

• Insulated: No
• Weight: 177g
• Capacity: 1L
• Leakproof: yes
• RRP: £18.00

Many of us try to avoid buying plastic, but if you’re looking for a lightweight hiking water bottle, it’s often the way to go. For a plastic water bottle that can handle the ruggedness of outdoor life, we’d highly recommend Nalgene. Plus, Nalgene’s Tritan Renew plastics is made up of up to 50% recycled materials, and it has a particularly solid feel. This is a plastic water bottle built to last.

The narrow mouth is the ideal size - great for a quick chug at the top of a hill. We took this bottle on a three day hike - in the heat - and it was the perfect hiking accessory. It fit snugly into a backpack side pocket, making it easily accessible, and the large one litre design meant we could walk all day without any hydration qualms.

Pros: Durable, lightweight, super value
Cons: Lots of plastic in design

Camelbak Chute Mag Bottle

Best lightweight, everyday water bottle

• Insulated: No
• Weight: ‎155 g
• Capacity: 600ml
• Leakproof: Yes
• RRP: £17.00

We’re big fans of Camelbak’s magnetic cap design. The simple yet nifty feature means the lid stays firmly in place when you drink, so you don’t have to worry about a loose lid either hitting you in the face on a blustery hike, or becoming lost.

The sturdy carry handle is another welcomed feature. Carry in your hand, or hook to your pack with a carabiner with ease. We tested the neat 600ml bottle which is more suited to a gentle ramble rather than a hike, but there are plenty bottle sizes available, including a one litre model.

This bottle isn’t insulated, so it sweats a fair bit when you fill up with chilled water — not a huge issue, just something to look out for if you’re packing this model next to dry clothes in your pack.

Just like the Nalgene design above, this is an affordable, lightweight and durable plastic water bottle you’ll struggle to fault, but we’d say the magnetic feature and strong handle gives the Camelbak model a slight edge.

Pros: Slim shape to fit bottle holders (car and bag), user-friendly design, lightweight
Cons: Build up of condensation makes for sweaty bottle

Black & Blum Explorer Bottle

Best for short adventures in summer

• Insulated: Yes
• Weight: 330g
• Capacity: 650ml
• Leakproof: Yes
• RRP: £29.95

The simplicity of Black & Blum’s Explorer Bottle made it a firm favourite with our reviewer. The lid is easy to get on and off, and there’s no need for straws, so cleaning is all very straightforward.

Impressive insulation too, this bottle was tested in 30 degree heat, and the water remained refreshingly cool for hours.

The dinky 650ml bottle is a top choice for short day hikes, and we love the rugged yet clean aesthetic.

Pros: Attractive design, extremely well-insulated, lightweight, wide design means it won’t tip
Cons: Wide design means it doesn’t fit in cup holders

Yeti Rambler Bottle with Chug Cap

Best for camping trips and durability

• Insulated: Yes
• Weight: 700g
• Capacity: 1065ml
• RRP: £50

A technically-impressive and good-looking bottle, the Yeti Rambler is a hardy piece of kit. While we can’t fault the design’s high-quality construction, or impressive heat retention, this bottle feels too heavy for a hike. At around 1.6kg when full, you’ll find lighter, more hike-friendly alternatives on the market. You can also opt for a smaller design, such as the 511ml, and 739ml.

If you’re not concerned about packing light - camping with a car perhaps - and you’re willing to put the bottle’s impressive durability to the test, you’ll likely get your money’s worth. The 18/8 stainless steel bottle is double-wall insulated, and we still had hot water after 10 hours.

Plus, the Yeti model is incredibly user-friendly. We love the chug cap mouthpiece (ideal if you don’t like drinking from stainless steel) and it’s incredibly easy to screw the lid on and off for quick and fast hydration.

Pros: durable, high-quality construction, ergonomic
Cons: too heavy for long and multi-day hikes

Ocean Bottle Eco-Friendly Steel Bottle

Best for easy cleaning

• Insulated: Yes
• Capacity: 1L
• Leakproof: Yes
• RRP: £45

Looking for a large one litre water bottle for longer hikes? The dual opening feature of the Big Ocean Bottle is a standout addition which makes this design easy to clean, and easy to fill, and we were a fan of the overall shape and design.

While the bottle looks the part, we weren’t overly impressed with its durability. The plastic coating easily scratched off after just a week of use. Plus, we’d say the insulation wasn’t as impressive as some of the other models on test, such as the Black & Blum Explorer Bottle.

The loop is handy for carrying by hand, but this size of bottle isn’t the easiest to attach to a bag as it’s too heavy. You’ll want a lighter, more durable hiking water bottle for multi-day hikes, but if you’re off on a morning hike, or a camping trip, the large capacity is sure to come in handy.

Pros: Easy to clean, decent size for long trips
Cons: Insulation could be better, heavy

Super Sparrow Ultra-Light Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Best for a fun aesthetic

• Insulated: Yes
• Weight: 337g
• Capacity: 750ml
• Leakproof: Yes
• RRP: $24.99

Bored of block colours, and looking for a hiking water bottle with a standout design? Super Sparrow’s Ultra-Light Stainless Steel Water Bottle is a lightweight option, with a loud and fun exterior. You can choose from a myriad of eye-catching designs, plus a number of bottle sizes.

This is an insulated bottle, and despite being almost half the cost of some of the more popular brands on the market, we found its insulation properties were just as effective.

While most water bottles are dishwasher proof for faff-free cleaning, it’s recommended you hand wash the Super Sparrow design. This may put hikers off, especially if you’re planning to use the bottle daily. The bottle features a stainless steel mouth which squeaks as you open – a feature some of the sleeker, yet more expensive, bottles have managed to eliminate.

Pros: Lightweight, ergonomic carry handle, good value for money
Cons: Squeaky lid, not dishwasher proof

Trespass Sprint Easy Grip Running Bottle

Best budget water bottle

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• Insulated: No
• Weight: 66g
• Capacity: 350ml
• RRP: £3.99

One for the power walkers. Trespass’ Sprint Easy Grip Bottle features a unique ring, or doughnut if you like, shape, so you can drink on the move. While handy for a stroll or run, the shape is inconvenient for carrying in a pack so we’d not recommend it as a hiking bottle.

The low cost reflects the bottle’s basic, almost child-like design, but we’d say the Trespass bottle is good value for money. We didn’t have any issues with leakages on test, and it’s incredibly lightweight.

Pros: Great value for money, convenient grip handle, lightweight
Cons: Not as comfortable to drink from compared to competitors, basic design

Hydro Flask Lightweight Trail Series

Best technical water bottle for long hikes

• Insulated: Yes
• Weight: 284 g
• Capacity: 710 ml
• Leakproof: Yes
• RRP: £44.95

Hydro Flask claims its lightweight trail series bottle is 25% lighter than its other bottles of the same capacity, and you can really tell. We were instantly impressed by just how lightweight the bottle feels, making it a hiker’s dream. There are even holes in the handle to cut as much weight as possible.

Featuring the company’s TempShield™ insulation, it’s claimed your drinks stay hot for up to 12 hours. On test, we had hot water after 10 hours, so if you’re looking for a tea flask, or hot soup break, this Hydro Flask model could work well for you.

The wide mouth is not the easiest to drink from, and there were a few spillages, so it’s not the best bottle for grabbing a quick drink on a hike. We also found the lid became quite stiff and tricky to open.

Pros: Incredibly lightweight, insulated, narrow design for cup holders and neat pack pockets
Cons: Wide mouth may not suit those who prefer a narrow mouthpiece, lid feels stiff at times

How to choose a hiking water bottle

Price

Reusable water bottles come in at many different price points, but generally of course you’ll pay more for high-quality materials, sustainable construction and practical features.

While you can expect to pay up to £20 for plastic bottles, you’ll see some of the more premium designs selling at up to £50.

Insulated vs Non-Insulated

While insulated metal water bottles can keep your drinks hot or cold for hours - or even days - at a time, the payoff is their weight.

Insulated bottles can also be more expensive and, as they’re made of metal, you can’t see how full they are at a glance.

Weight and Packability

While metal insulated designs are often fairly lightweight at around 300g or 400g, they’re usually more hefty than plastic alternatives, which are roughly 100g.

Most hiking water bottles are easy to slip into rucksacks, but for ultimate packability, why not try a hydration pouch?

Metal vs Plastic Water Bottles

There’s no right or wrong here – the decision between metal and plastic comes down to personal preference. If you’re happy to choose a slightly heavier and more expensive design, a metal insulated water bottle is the clear winner. It’ll be more durable and keep your drinks at the right temperature.

If you’d rather strip out weight and go for a simple design, a durable, plastic bottle is for you.

We've also reviewed some of the best lunch boxes for camping and commuting; see our full review round-up to find our favourites.