There’s a huge selection of durable and stylish water bottles out there – but some are more suitable for walkers than others. We’ve done the hard work for you and found the very best hiking water bottles combining stylish design and eco credentials with clever features like vacuum insulation and carry handles.
A hiking water bottle would also make a thoughtful gift for anyone who loves getting out in the great outdoors. Our list includes beautiful designs sure to impress your recipient.
Find more beautiful present ideas in our guides to the best gifts for walkers and the best gifts for adventurers and nature lovers.
Hiking water bottle buying guide
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, familiar design, a plastic bottle is for you.
Best water bottles
YETI Rambler Bottle
Best hiking water bottle for cold drinks
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With its bright colouring and a smart cap you can grip with three fingers, the YETI Rambler Bottle is a popular choice for walkers. It’s easy to use on the go; just half-twist the lid to open it.
Although this hiking water bottle is vacuum insulated, the cap isn’t designed to be used with hot drinks, so it’s best if you stick to cold.
The makers have used lots of durable materials, including puncture-resistant stainless steel and a DuraCoat Color finish to avoid fading, peeling and cracking. The result is noticeably heavy at just over a kilo. On the other hand, it is reassuringly leak-proof, and free of BPA plastics.
- Insulated: Yes
- Weight: 700g
- Capacity: 1065ml
- Pros: Carry-handle, choice of bright colours
- Cons: H-eavy; only suitable for cold drinks
Ocean Bottle Eco-Friendly Steel Bottle
Best sustainable water bottle
- Buy the 1L version from Ocean Bottle (£45.00)
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The Ocean Bottle isn’t just a beautiful bottle; it also has some impressive sustainability credentials. It’s made from upcycled, ocean-bound plastic and recycled stainless steel – and it’s completely recyclable at the end of its life.
On top of that, it’s also vacuum-insulated to keep your drink hot or cold, and has a versatile dual-opening cap. Either unscrew the lid for a quick sip or use the entire top section as a cup.
When you’re done, you can clean the whole thing in the dishwasher.
- Insulated: Yes
- Weight: 320g
- Capacity: 500ml
- Pros: recycled and recyclable, integrated cup, dishwasher safe, funds good causes, choice of colours
- Cons: We couldn’t find one!
CamelBak Carry Cap Bottle
Best lightweight water bottle
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For a simple, lightweight water bottle, you can’t go wrong with a Camelbak design.
Thanks to its plastic construction, this bottle won’t weigh down your bag on long walks. It comes with a convenient carry loop on the handle, so you can hold it in your hand or attach it to your pack with a carabiner if you want to save space in your bag.
Plus, you can clean the bottle in the dishwasher when you’re done.
If grey isn’t your colour, why not get this bottle blue or pink?
- Insulated: No
- Weight: 181g
- Capacity: 1L
- Pros: Lightweight, stain-resistant, dishwasher safe, 50% recycled carry cap
- Cons: Not insulated
Hydrate Stainless Steel 1.3L/2.2L Water Bottles
Best big water bottle
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If you’re after a large-capacity water bottle, you might want to try one of these canisters from Hydrate. The brand is known for its gargantuan bottles; this one comes in 1.3L and 2.2L sizes.
While this might look like a plastic bottle, it’s actually made of high-grade stainless steel for durability. It also comes with a leak-proof screw cap and straw mouthpiece, complete with a nylon strap to help you carry it on the go.
As with all the best hiking water bottles, this canister comes in lots of different colours, including soft pink and mint green.
- Insulated: No
- Weight: 290g / 360g
- Capacity: 1.3L / 2.2L
- Pros: Large size, metal construction, choice of colours
- Cons: Not insulated, though (obviously) heavy when full
Black & Blum Explorer Bottle
Best plastic-free water bottle
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Featuring a reinforced steel outer, this metal water bottle certainly looks the part. It swaps a moulded handle for an ultra-strong and mildew-resistant paracord carry loop, and has a completely plastic-free body and lid.
The bottle comes with insulation to keep drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for 24, and a leak-proof cap to avoid annoying spills.
Plus, it’s wide enough to be stable on uneven ground yet slim enough to fit into most rucksack side pockets.
Buy this insulated water bottle in green, blue or orange.
- Insulated: Yes
- Weight: 330g / 390g
- Capacity: 650ml / 850ml
- Pros: plastic-free body and lid, durable construction, choice of colours
- Cons: no carry loop
Trespass Sprint Easy Grip Running Bottle
Best budget water bottle
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This little bottle from Trespass stands out from others on the market thanks to its unusual O-shaped design, which makes it easy to grip when you’re on the move.
As well as being one of the best hiking bottles on the market, this option would also make a good running bottle. It’s the ideal option if you want to carry your water by hand.
- Insulated: No
- Weight: 66g
- Capacity: 350ml
- Pros: inexpensive, easy to grip
- Cons: small capacity, not insulated
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth 32oz with Flex Cap
Best insulated water bottle
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Bright, bold colours and recognisable branding make Hydro Flask bottles a familiar favourite. We love them for their clever stainless steel designs, which include insulation to keep drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for 24.
These metal water bottles are also dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning a breeze.
As an added bonus, you can swap the cap with a carry handle for the brand’s Hydro Flip top or Wide Mouth Straw Lid, depending on your activity.
You’ll find loads more size and colour combinations on Hydro Flask’s website.
- Insulated: Yes
- Weight: 431g
- Capacity: 946ml
- Pros: lightweight, durable steel construction, dishwasher safe, choice of bright colours, choice of lids
- Cons: We couldn’t find one!
Super Sparrow Ultra-Light Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Best patterned water bottle
- Buy in different colours from Super Sparrow (£18.81)
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Super Sparrow is another brand creating beautiful reusable insulated water bottles. In fact, we’d go as far as to say it creates some of the best hiking water bottles around when it comes to style, as you can choose from a myriad of eye-catching designs like this one.
Of course, this bottle also offers practicality, able to keep your drinks hot for 12 hours and cold for up to 24. It’s made from premium stainless steel and it’s leakproof for peace of mind.
- Insulated: Yes
- Weight: 244g / 297g / 337g
- Capacity: 350ml / 500ml / 750ml
- Pros: Durable construction, huge selection of beautiful designs
- Cons: We couldn’t find one!
FORCLAZ Water Bladder
Best flexible water bottle
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If a water bottle isn’t quite right for you, why not try a flexible hydration pouch? This one can hold 3L of water, so it should keep you going for long stretches at a time.
It comes with a sliding seal to open the pouch for easy cleaning, as well as hooks to hang it from the inside of your rucksack.
- Insulated: No
- Weight: 120g
- Capacity: 3L
- Pros: lightweight, large capacity, easy to use
- Cons: not as durable as a bottle, doesn’t give the option of carrying in the hand
If you have a furry companion, why not take a look at these fantastic dog water bottles too?