5 Tips to Choose the Perfect Water Bottle for Hiking

5 Tips to Choose the Perfect Water Bottle for Hiking

People who love to hike are very particular about their hiking gears. It's not just a matter of convenience but also performance.

While you pay a lot of attention to your clothing and footwear for hiking, don't ignore your most important companion for the hike. Yes, the perfect water bottle for hydrating you while you traverse through beautiful terrains and challenging tracks.

What's there to consider about a water bottle, you'd ask.

Well, there's a lot!

When you're all sweating and dehydrated, you need just the right amount of water at just the right temperature. Don't you?

This means you need the right water bottle for your hiking adventures.

So, how to choose the perfect water bottle?

Here are some practical tips that can help you narrow down to the best water bottle.

  1. Consider the Capacity of your water bottle

Choice of a water bottle with the right capacity depends mainly on the duration and intensity of your hike. Usually, bottles are available in 16 to 32 ounces capacity (or 600 ml to 1.2 liters). If you do not have the option to refill your water bottles on the hike, you should carry a higher capacity bottle.

  1. Choice of material

Water bottles are available in plastic or stainless steel. Both varieties have certain advantages over the other. You should weigh the particular benefits and select a material that suits your requirement.

Plastic water bottles are quite durable and light-weight. Always opt for high quality water bottles that are free of the harmful chemical BPA (Bisphenol A). Usually a visible mark or label on the bottle clarifies that the product is BPA-free.

Stainless steel bottles are also highly durable, and can provide insulation. You can keep water hot or cold for a few hours in these insulated stainless steel bottles. But such bottles tend to be heavier and also dent easily.

In addition, if you're someone who prioritizes health benefits even while hiking, you might want to consider hydrogen-infused water bottles. These hydrogen water bottles use special technology to increase the amount of dissolved hydrogen in water, providing additional antioxidant benefits. Even though these may be pricier, they are worth considering for the added health benefits.

  1. Think about bottle mouth and nozzle design

It is easy to overlook these features when you are considering buying a bottle. From a practical perspective, it is advisable to pay attention to these features as well.

Water bottles may be available in wide-mouth or narrow-mouth design. Wide mouth water bottle is ideal for hiking because it is easier to refill from any water source. Besides it can be used to carry smoothies and thick shakes.

Water bottles with a drinking nozzle are also appropriate for avoiding spills while being on the move. You wouldn't have to stop for taking off the lid and sipping water. This is a convenient option for active sports like cycling or running as well.

  1. Insulation properties

Stainless steel water bottles with a double-wall design have the best insulating properties. Although these bottles will often be expensive, their benefits make it worth it. If you often hike in extreme weather conditions and prefer your drinks to remain hot or cold as they are, insulated water bottles are a must for you. Keep your drinks hot or cold with Polar Camels for sale.

  1. Shape & aesthetics

Some water bottles are shaped slender while others are broad and wide. Slender bottles are easier to grip in hand and ideal for runners. For hiking trips, it is better to have the wider bottles with higher capacity, so that the water will last for the entire track. Some broad bottles are designed with a narrowed center, which offers the advantage of a good grip, without compromising on the capacity. The shape of the bottle should be suitable for the size of your backpack's carry pouch.