Best Water Bottle?

[avman1023]

In your opinion, what's the best water bottle? Are there any water bottles out there that keep water cold for more than an hour? That don't leak?
I've been using Polar Bottles for a long time. In the morning I load them full of ice and fill with water. Within an hour of riding in 70-80 degree weather the water inside is air temp. And no matter how tightly I screw the cap they always leak. So spare filled water bottles in my panniers have to be sealed inside ziploc bags.
I can deal with all that, but it seems like there should be better water bottles out there?

[John Nelson]

I gave up a long time ago on trying to find a water bottle that keeps the water cold for long. Insulated bottles can slow it down a bit, but not enough to make me accept the compromise that it's harder to get the water out quickly on the go. Any bottle that is exposed to continuous air flow in your cages tends to quickly get the contents up to the surrounding temperature. Water will stay colder inside your panniers, but then of course it is not readily accessible.

Keeping a water bottle from leaking depends on the quality of the bottle and lid. Even so, they eventually leak around the spout. The only solution I see is to replace the bottle when they get old. I look for bottles and caps that are made out of supple plastic, avoiding the harder plastics. I never buy bottles. I get more than enough of them free at various events.

[jamawani]

Depends on where you tour ...

If you are touring in a dry region -
The American West, Australia, Central Asia, etc.
Then a wet sock is far, far superior to insulated bottles.
Plus, the bottle holds more water and it's way cheaper.

The method was shown to me by a young woman back in September of 1987.
She was just finishing a tour in Oregon and I was just starting.
Some of the best advice I have ever received.

Just a plain ole plastic water bottle.
I use a crew sock - I cut off the foot portion. The key is keeping the sock wet.
I carefully squirt out water before the sock dries out completely.
It does use up some water - you need to keep the sock wet.

It's the same principle as evaporative coolers that keep office buildings cool.
Water evaporating from a surface cools that surface.
With a breeze from riding, the cooling is faster.
In places like Nevada, I have had 50F water on a 100F day.

As for leaking - don't recall any issue with newer bottles.
And if a little water leaks, if just keeps the sock wet anyhoo..
Now, once a plastic bottle has been out in the sun for a few years - then no.
Surely you can spring for a few basic water bottles every few years.

BTW - Back in the olden days, people driving out West
always had a canvas water bag strapped to the front grill.

[staehpj1]

I insist on a bottle I can squeeze and drink from while riding.  None of the insulated bottles I tried worked out well.  Filling them with ice when you can is nice and I do that, but it doesn't last long when it is really hot.

In the Sierras I found it worth carrying a 2 ounce filter to filter ice cold snow melt mountain streams for a cold dring once in a while, but many places I have toured either there is no surcface water or it isn't cold.  The sock trick works okay, but I usually don't bother.

Bottom line, I buy regular plastic bike water bottles.  I typically buy the house brand ones from Performance when they are on sale.

[Pat Lamb]

I'm an unabashed Polar fan.

My experience is that if I load the bottle with ice, then top it with water, the ice will last 60-90 minutes on a 90 degree day.  By the end of two hours, water temperature is approaching ambient.  Also at the end of two hours, I'm ready for a short break which is a good time to reload my two water bottles.  FWIW, my hand strength is enough to squeeze water out of them.

If there's no water refill source within a couple hours' ride, I've used collapsible water bladders in my panniers or a hydration pack on my back.

Camelback insulated bottles have a different closure, though again I don't normally pack full water bottles in a pannier.

[staehpj1]

If there's no water refill source within a couple hours' ride, I've used collapsible water bladders in my panniers or a hydration pack on my back.

My companions on the TA did that (bladder loaded with ice in pannier with hose and bite valve to drink from).  They seemed to have all day cold water and it worked well for them.  The routed it up to the bar and bent a bit from the waist to drink.  I recall that they had one complaint.  They had no idea how much water was left and would run out at an unexpected time.  Okay if you have backup bottles, but be sure not to run out altogether.

[HikeBikeCook]

I rode and hiked with Camelbaks for many years and own a bunch of them. I still use the bladders for hiking, inside my pack with hydration sleeve, but wearing them biking really bothers my shoulders and arms. The biggest problem is that you cannot tell how much is left and you do not want to add drink mixes in them. Also, getting them in and out of a loaded pack is a PIA.

I did buy one one year in an insulated sleeve with no shoulder straps because no plain bladder was available. I have to weight it, but my thoughts were to carry than on the TA tour next year instead of a Platypus roll up bottle, for extra water on the long hauls or camping in areas without potable water.

The Platypus roll up bottles are pretty fragile and puncture and leak more that a Camelbak. I think the 3 water bottle setup provides the most versatility - one with a sport drink and 2 with plain water. I could see two water bottles and the insulated Camelbak in the panniers or on the handlebars. Three liters of water weighs 6.5 pounds, and while it is necessary for life, carry too much can kill your ride.  

[Pat Lamb]

I didn't have any problems with the Platypus leaking.  Of course, it only came out of the pannier to be refilled or to fill up the water bottles.  Stuffed in the middle of a sleeping bag, it kept the water cool, too!

[John Nelson]

I didn't have any problems with the Platypus leaking.  Of course, it only came out of the pannier to be refilled or to fill up the water bottles.  Stuffed in the middle of a sleeping bag, it kept the water cool, too!

I also have had no problem with a Platypus, and I've used them a lot. I did, however, leave one out once on top of the food box at Kirk Creek (Big Sur) and a bunch of raccoons punctured it with their claws in the process of moving it out of the way to get into the food box. I hate raccoons.

[HikeBikeCook]

My leaks were all backpacking. Having just filled one Platypus at a steam it fell over into the sand and sprung a pin sized leak that shot water a foot into the air. Same experience when one fell over on a wooden picnic table. Now, I am careful and lay them gently on their sides. Three liters of water leaked in the wrong Ortlieb would make quite a mess.

[avman1023]

Thanks for the input! It sounds like what I want doesn't exist. Ambient air temp water for me!

[canalligators]

I like the Polar bottles too.  They insulate fairly well, without a big volume reduction, and are reasonably priced.  I’m not terribly worried about covering the spout.  I wish they made larger ones, say a liter or more, for backup supply.

[jrswenberger]

I'm a huge fan of the Specialized Purist waterbottles, regardless of who is selling it. They add much less of the plasticy taste to the water, I've not had any issues with growth on the inside and they have all been leak-proof (as long as the cap is screwed on completely).  They may cost a bit more but they last longer as well.

Jay

[zzzz]

I normally just take 2 generic water bottles on tour and if there are long distances between stops i keep 2 of the Platypus water bags mentioned earlier.

But there’s something I did last time I took a route that I was likely to hit very hot weather and long days that might be of interest to you. I am normally quite the weight-weenie but on  that trip I packed 2 stainless steel 32oz thermoses. The brand I bought was Hydro Flask but they are probably  all the same. These things are pretty amazing, load them up w ice and set off across the desert and they still got ice in them at the end of the day. And you can’t break them and mine never leaked. I  still have my regular tepid water bottles in the bottle cages, breaking out the thermoses later in the heat of the day when the ice water really hits the spot.

I just weighed mine, 14 ozs a piece. I can’t tell you how I agonized over carrying 2 extra pounds! But there were many times on that trip where they earned their keep.

[staehpj1]

I normally just take 2 generic water bottles on tour and if there are long distances between stops i keep 2 of the Platypus water bags mentioned earlier.

But there’s something I did last time I took a route that I was likely to hit very hot weather and long days that might be of interest to you. I am normally quite the weight-weenie but on  that trip I packed 2 stainless steel 32oz thermoses. The brand I bought was Hydro Flask but they are probably  all the same. These things are pretty amazing, load them up w ice and set off across the desert and they still got ice in them at the end of the day. And you can’t break them and mine never leaked. I  still have my regular tepid water bottles in the bottle cages, breaking out the thermoses later in the heat of the day when the ice water really hits the spot.

I just weighed mine, 14 ozs a piece. I can’t tell you how I agonized over carrying 2 extra pounds! But there were many times on that trip where they earned their keep.

I can relate.  I count ounces and pack crazy light, but can understand that there are times and places where a cold drink is worth almost anything.  I can remember times I would have given $50 for a bottle of cold water. rather than drink from my warm/hot bottles.  I have a Camelbak brand 40 oz thermos that weighs 18.8 ounces.  I have never carried it on tour, but I can see where someone might in the desert southwest.

Cold water can be such a treat that I vividly remember times LONG ago when someone stopped their car (or motorcycle) on a scorching hot day to give us an ice cold bottle of water. from their cooler.