Best Water Bottle?

[canalligators]

In my experience, dark colored plastic water bottles get a lot hotter in the sun.  I don't thing it's air flow around the bottles, even hot air, so much as it being a little solar collector.  Something about dark masses absorbing more solar energy, you know those pesky laws of thermodynamics...

[David W Pratt]

I wouldn't say they are the "Best" if such a thing even exists, but I really like the nozzle/mouthpiece on my bottle made by Camel back (I think).  It turns about 90° to turn off and on, but even in the on position, it doesn't leak, yet gushes when squeezed or sucked on.  Some bottles have such restricted nozzles it is hard to get a good swallow out of them.

[HikeBikeCook]

Two additional observations on water bottles:

When back or bike packing for more than a week or 10 days I carry a small bottle of bleach and add a drop or two to my water bottles and let them stand for a few hours once a week to clean them out. I have had some of the newer "softer" water bottles develop a dark stain inside and use a bit extra bleach when that happens.

When I drink water while riding I try to stop for a minute and drink from the open top, not from the squirters - you get more water, it is more satisfying, you get less air, it gets you off the saddle for a few minutes. Doesn't work as well group riding but with my wife and I riding together we remind the other one to drink. Your urine should be running clear or you are not drinking enough. Many riders ride dehydrated.

[canalligators]

A fellow rider once warned me about GI distress.  He claimed it was common on group rides, people just rinse their bottles and refill the next morning.  He had just bought a small bottle of bleach for his party to share. 

I took his warning to heart.  When I/we travel, I am the chief cook and bottle washer; I take a small bottle of dish soap along, and diligently wash the bottles every night with soap and hot water.  The only time I wasn't careful, on a solo tour, I started to have issues, realized it was happening and corrected.  Problem went away.

[Westinghouse]

I used a $1.00 plastic bottle from dollar tree, and a clear plastic smart-water bottle for 54 days from Florida to California. No leaks. There was no keeping water cold with these things, but it was winter, so temperatures took care of themselves. I remember the old thermos bottles. Those kept cold drinks cold. I have not taken the luxury of an insulated bottle. I remember draining bottles countless times on a summer crossing from FL to CA. I absorbed 2 and 1/2 to nearly 3 gallons of liquid daily. And with that I did not urinate even once in four days. It was going through me and out the skin, not the kidneys. I drank 47 ounce fountain drinks 5 and 6 times a day. I drained my bottles. I drank extra in restaurants. I would drink a 47 ounce beverage, go to sleep under the stars, and wake up dehydrated. It must have been 120 F out there on the open road with a drought, high temperatures, and not a breath of air in any direction. I did not ever use a water bottle made to insulate, only for carrying capacity and size.   

[j1of1]

I discovered Bivo waterbottles, bought three, and love them (especially the way the water pours into my mouth!).  Take a look:  https://drinkbivo.com/

[bradfordkendric53]

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?

Hmmm


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[froze]

If you're touring or bike camping a plastic insulate bottle is only good for about 2 to 3 hours if the liquid inside is frozen solid, so after about a 5 to 6 hour ride you will have water so hot you could make coffee with it!  Not something you want to drink...well, the coffee is but not hot water by itself.

So the only real option you have is going with stainless steel insulated bottles. 

Only a few stainless-steel bottles will fit bicycle cages, but if you use the Arundel adjustable cage you can put all sorts of sizes in that holder and carry more water than you could with a standard cage and standard bottle.  I went down to Target and bought 4 Camelback 32 ounce stainless insulated bottles, and one 16 ounce for the underside of the downtube.  Now I have cold water when I get to camp after riding all day in the sun. 

I haven't checked the weight on those bottles and compared it to other, but I wasn't concerned about the weight, I think most will be right around the same weight anyways, but if your finicky about the weight you might be able to find lighter bottles than the ones I got.  I went for how many hours cold drinks will stay cold.

[Pat Lamb]

If I haven't finished drinking a couple water bottles in 2-3 hours, I haven't been drinking enough in the summer.  Since I usually have to resupply every couple hours anyway, an insulated bottle that keeps its contents cool for that long has done its job.

[froze]

Right, except I carry 5 bottles, plus extra plastic store bought ones in my panniers, why? because some of us that camp go places where there is no water, and hot water after several hours of riding is not something I want to drink.  But I agree if you're only carrying 2 bottles and not going that far, and going to places that have plenty of water, then yes, all you need is a plastic insulated bottle.

[canalligators]

If you're touring or bike camping a plastic insulate bottle is only good for about 2 to 3 hours ...

That is correct, but keeping an uninsulated bottle inside a bag helps a lot.  And plastic insulated bottles are better than no insulation at all.  I plan to consume bike-mounted bottles first, then refill from my plastic insulated 2+L bottle, then refill from my stainless insulated 2L bottle.  If the plastic is too hot to drink by the time I need it, I will go right to the stainless.

[HikeBikeCook]

I have collected a bunch of insulated food bags from home delivery during COVID that weigh next to nothing and are waterproof. I plan to carry one of those to stick produce and water bottles in. When a water bottle in your pannier sweats it will make everything around it wet.

[froze]

I like insulated Elite NanoGelite but it only holds 16 ounces, but it does keep drinks colder longer than any other bottle. 

A bigger bottle that holds 23 ounces is the Camelbak Podium Chill.

I know that there are some people that are simply too weak to squeeze a plastic bottle, none of the bottles I listed are that difficult to squeeze, I'm 68 years old, and if I can squeeze those bottles then so can you.

I like insulated bottles; they keep your drinks cold for much longer time period than uninsulated can.

[Ty0604]

I have a Camelbak insulated bottle that keeps liquids cold long enough for me to drink it.

I’m also a big fan of bottles that the bottom screws off of to allow for easy cleaning. It’s nice for coffee etc. There are several different brands but I go with Clean Bottles. https://www.cleanbottle.com/

[canalligators]

The Clean Bottles idea is sound, ease of cleaning is always good.  But I found you had to be very careful about tightening both ends.  Just a little too loose or too tight would leak. My son thought so too.