How to Choose Water Bottles

The same qualities you want in a trail partner - reliability, trustworthiness, durability - are the same features you want in your water containers. On a lengthy outdoor excursion, a water bottle becomes your portable fountain of life and one of your most valued companions. You want to know that you can count on it.

Trail-worthy water bottles can either be rigid or collapsible. Rigid bottles are tougher to break or puncture, but they take up space in your pack even when they're empty. Collapsible water bags fold up tight when empty to save space in your pack, but at times they can be a little awkward to handle.

Materials

Almost all rigid water containers (and many collapsible ones) are made of plastic. It is inexpensive, durable and lightweight. Customarily your choices are:

Polyethylene (usually a cloudy white color) - Inexpensive, flexible and won't crack easily. Used in hard-sided water jugs, collapsible water storage bags and some hydration reservoirs.
Polycarbonate (Makrolon?, a clear plastic) - Won't retain odors or flavors from acidic drinks or leave a plastic taste like polyethylene bottles can. Slightly more expensive than polyethylene bottles, but also more durable.
Coated fabric - Some collapsible water containers are made of coated nylon fabrics. Others use it as outer shell material to protect flexible plastic bags inside.

Considerations

How many do you need? - Two quart-sized containers are the norm for just about any self-propelled activity where a hydration system is not involved. If you're hiking in warm weather, it's likely you'll drink a gallon or more per day. But water is heavy - approximately 8.3 pounds per gallon, so it's smarter to carry modestly sized containers and replenish your supply as you go. Just make sure your route passes lakes or streams and always treat water before you drink.

Note: If you are exploring an arid environment, often you need to place a water cache along your route. You may be able to do this in advance of your trip, or you must lug in extra containers and conceal them within the rocks and weeds for retrieval on your way out. This is a customary practice, for example, for hikes into the Grand Canyon's interior from the park's more remote trailheads. Accordingly, you will need enough containers to address your needs. Be prepared!

Bottle mouth size - Large-mouth bottles tend to be more convenient for filling and drinking. Smaller openings offer more control when pouring (important to some backcountry gourmets).

Compatibility - If possible, choose water bottles that can connect directly to your water filter/purifier. This helps you avoid heartbreaking spills while you're pumping.

Shape - Round bottles will slip into your pack pockets more easily. Square bottles are easier to stack in main pack compartments. Bike-sized squeeze bottles are fine for day hikes, but their small capacity makes them less than ideal for a long-haul trip.

Camp containers - To avoid multiple trips to a water source while camping, bring along a collapsible container. These bags range in size from a quart container to a 5-gallon bag.