Water Storage
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Types of Water Storage
Top Picks
How we choose: The best water storage highlighted here were selected based on 411 reviews of 199 products. Our top picks are those that are readily-available in the United States and have received the highest overall ratings from reviewers.
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Klean Kanteen Insulated Classic
Keep your cold beverages cold and your hot ones hot...
Reasons to Buy
- Easy to drink from
- Keeps cold/hot all day
- Lightweight for what it is
Reasons to Avoid
- Dents easily
- May find hard to wash
- Some may miss a sport top
The Klean Kanteen Classic, available in many colors. I received my Klean Kanteen as part of a prize package. I've been using it almost daily for over a year now and I love it. I take it to work and to play. Klean Kanteen is a family- and employee-owned, U.S. based company that's been around since 2004. They began the reusable, stainless steel water bottle revolution. They state, "From the very beginning, Klean Kanteens have been built with love— the love of adventure, the love of conserving wild places and the love of replacing single-use plastic." I think that says it all.
Read more: Klean Kanteen Insulated Classic reviews (2)
Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth Sustain Water Bottle
Nalgene 32 Ounce Wide Mouth Glow in the Dark (green) water bottle:
Reasons to Buy
- Indestructible
- GLOWS in the dark
- Wide mouth
- Good in winter camping
- Good for hiking
Reasons to Avoid
- The blue Glow in the Dark is rare
- Not for use at -40° below expeditions
Front Rear I don't know how to get the camera to show glow in the dark. Capacity 32 oz (1 Liter?) Colors Green Blue (these are very hard to find) Ease of Use Can open with mittens on. Has a leash on the bottle top so you don't lose it. Water purification filters and Steripen work with it. FEATURES BPA-free Glow in the dark Wide Top with leash - you can torque it down for a good seal Construction & Durability I dropped one over 50 feet down the ledge and it wasn't cracked, chipped, or leaked.
Read more: Nalgene 32oz Wide Mouth Sustain Water Bottle reviews (8)
Platypus Platy Bottle
An essential piece of my gear and I never leave home for the backcountry without it. This simple water container has good capacity, is compact, and has proven to be reliable. It is also compatible with other gear like my Sawyer Squeeze water filter.
Reasons to Buy
- Good capacity
- Compact
- Reliable
- Inexpensive
Reasons to Avoid
- A little difficult to clean
Why write a review about a water bottle? Well, for me, these Platypus 2 liter water bottles are some essential pieces of my gear that I never leave home for the backcountry without. I like to stay hydrated. These container come in various sizes from 1L to 3L. If find the 2L size ideal for my needs. If I need to carry more water, I just bring two 2L containers. The bottle has clear markings on the side so that it is easy to see how much liquid you are carrying at any time. The Platy is easy to use with a simple screw on cap.
Read more: Platypus Platy Bottle reviews (11)
CamelBak UnBottle
Camelbak quality is great, and this is a super-versatile hydration solution for just about any application.
Reasons to Buy
- Versatile use in a variety of situations
- No leakage
Reasons to Avoid
- Very hard to remove tube from bladder
- A bit hard to remove bladder from sleeve
The Camelbak Unbottle, available in 2 or 3 liter capacities/sizes, is a cleverly designed piece of gear which allows you to add hydration in just about any situation. It consists of an outer insulating sleeve with four clip-on strap holders, a top clip-on loop, and a bottom strap. The insulating sleeve holds the hydration bladder, which has a detachable tube with a mouthpiece on the other end. The four strap clips allow you to clip this onto a backpack or any other implement which has straps, or you can supply your own straps and attach this just about anywhere you might want to. Of course you can also drop it inside an existing pack, put it in a gym bag, attach it to your fishing tackle bag, strap it to your bike frame, strap it onto...
Read more: CamelBak UnBottle reviews (6)
MSR Dromedary Bags
Indestructible, indispensable, 11th essential.
Reasons to Buy
- Strong
- Hangable
- Versatile
- Convenient
- Packable
Reasons to Avoid
- Weight
I bought the MSR 10 liter dromedary bag about 5 years ago because I wanted a versatile form of water storage that did more than just quench my thirst. I love backpacking around rivers a lot and was sick of walking to the river every time I needed to fill a bottle, wash a dish, wash my hands or fill my Jetboil for cooking. I also needed a reliable form of large capacity water storage for missions where water sources were far and few between. I came across this gem and couldn't find any negative reviews.
Read more: MSR Dromedary Bags reviews (17)
CamelBak Better Bottle .75 Liter
Solid, tough, good for staying hydrated. Compatible with the Camelbak All Clear.
Reasons to Buy
- Tough
- Easy to slurp down a lot of water
- No BPAs
Reasons to Avoid
- Bite valve?
- A bit heavier than a hydration bladder
Just a water bottle, of course, but a well-designed and efficient one. I bought the Camelbak All Clear UV system, which comes complete with the same bottle, but with only a standard top with no bite valve. The idea was to swap the tops after treatment so I'd have two bottles, and it worked perfectly. Now, one has the standard solid lid that comes with the All Clear and the other has the 'Better Bottle with wide-bore straw and bit valve. I suspect the bite valve will be the weak point but it does work well, allowing you to get enough water easily without gulping it.
Read more: CamelBak Better Bottle .75 Liter reviews (6)
Platypus SoftBottle
The Platypus SoftBottle caught my attention as something practical for excursions requiring lightweight, tightly packed gear. I admit that I really thought I could get the bottle to leak. As it turns out, the bottle soared to the top of my list of water bottles to carry for any excursion.
Reasons to Buy
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Small
Reasons to Avoid
- It passed all my tests and I'm not going to make up something—there are no cons.
One liter equals about 34 ounces. In a Platypus 1L soft bottle, weighing in at a hefty 1.2 ounces, the total weight tips the scale at a little over two pounds. I suppose you could go lighter, like carry water in a plastic sandwich bag, but you will get wet. I bought the 1L Platypus (I’ll simply call it the 1L from here on out) for a mission trip to Alaska, wanting to pack a carry-on as lightly as I could. After handling it a bit and rolling it up, I wasn’t so sure that I could trust the keeping of water in it.
Read more: Platypus SoftBottle reviews (8)
Klean Kanteen TKWide Cafe Cap
Paired with Klean Kanteen's Insulated TKWide bottles, the TKWide Café Cap is truly leakproof and gives you on-the-go access to your hot or cold drink with a simple turn of the lid. Together, this cap and bottle duo stand out as a well-made, everyday, versatile option, especially for coffee or tea drinkers.
Reasons to Buy
- No leaks!
- Durable and well made
- Fits all sizes of Insulated TKWide bottles (12oz, 16oz, 20oz, 32oz, 64oz)
- Can be bought separately, as well as other cap styles
Reasons to Avoid
- Should take it apart fully to clean after non-water drinks
- Works only with Klean Kanteen's TKWide bottles
My middle-school-age daughter and I tested and reviewed the 16-fluid-ounce Insulated TKWide bottle last year. Despite our extensive home collection of bottles she was excited to test that bottle specifically for its cafe style cap, as she had asked for a bottle with that type of cap for years. While the bottle you choose matters in terms of volume and insulation capability, its cap will be put on and taken off your bottle repeatedly and is key to preventing leaks. So, we figured this cap deserved its own review, because without a cap, a bottle is just a tall cup.
Read more: Klean Kanteen TKWide Cafe Cap review (1)
Klean Kanteen Insulated TKWide
Klean Kanteen's Insulated TKWide stands out among the plethora of vacuum insulated bottles on the market. It's non-leaking (with Café Cap or other leakproof options) and keeps drinks hot or cold for long hours. Made from stainless steel it's easy to keep clean and comes in a range of sizes and colors. In a world overflowing with water bottle options, the Insulated TKWide stands out as a good-looking, well made, everyday bottle for anyone on-the-go to work, school, errands, sports (if you're able to go anywhere), or for keeping drinks hot or cold while working or hanging at home.
Reasons to Buy
- Keeps drinks hot or cold for hours
- Wide mouth excellent for adding ice cubes
- Easy to clean
- No leaks with Café Cap
- Durable and well made
- Five sizes (12oz, 16oz, 20oz, 32oz, 64oz)
- Looks good—colors and style
Reasons to Avoid
- Cost (16 oz is $29.95)
- Do you need another water bottle?
I actually assigned this 16-fluid-ounce bottle to my middle-school-age daughter to test. Middle schoolers are really into water bottles (no joke). She already has a large 64-ounce Hydro Flask she loves, but despite our extensive home collection of bottles has wanted a smaller bottle with the cafe style cap for years. So this review is from both of us. 16-fluid-ounce Insulated TKWide with Café Cap in melon punch The Bottle (What's so special about another water bottle?) I often think "not another water bottle!" when I hear about yet another water bottle on the market.
Read more: Klean Kanteen Insulated TKWide review (1)
Cnoc Outdoors Vecto
A great, durable and practical water bladder for outdoor activities. It’s available in various capacities and has clever features: dual opening with large collecting easy, and the ubiquitous 28mm thread and optional 42mm beefed-up version.
Reasons to Buy
- Tough, durable
- Various capacities
- 28mm thread (42mm also available)
The 2L CNOC Vecto: compact and lightweight but robust and practical Outdoorspeople takes hydration seriously. Every part of the water system—collecting, treating, purifying, storing, drinking—must be easy, reliable and durable to withstand some level of abuse in the wilderness. It must also be practical. Some prefer bottles and canteens, others use bladders. After using both types, I‘ve settled for bottles (and occasionally a straw) for mountain/road biking, and a mix of both for my backpacking, camping and trekking trips. This makes collecting, filtering and storing much easier.
Read more: Cnoc Outdoors Vecto reviews (4)
More Water Storage
Trailspace reviewers have shared 411 reviews of 199 different water storage. Narrow your search and view more specific water storage product recommendations in these categories:
Water Bottles
Hydration Reservoirs
Buckets and Sinks
Water Storage Containers
Hydration Accessories
All Hiking and Camping Gear
Other Types of Hiking and Camping Gear
Find more hiking and camping gear reviewed in these related categories:
Backpacks
Tents and Shelters
Sleeping Bags and Pads
+18 more types
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