The Best Water Bottle for Backpacking

As travellers, we constantly need to be on the lookout for ways that we can reduce our environmental impact while on the road. Along with opting for more environmentally-friendly products like a reusable shopping bag or a shampoo bar, finding a reusable water bottle is one move that will help save both the planet and your money. However, with so many options available, it can be hard to find the best water bottle for backpacking in Europe and beyond.

While we are certainly taking more flights and not composting as much as we should during our travels, there are still a lot of ways that we can minimise our carbon footprint while travelling, and one of the best ways is by ditching single-use plastic as much as possible.

This is where reusable water bottles come in as they all but eliminate one massive form of waste: the single-use plastic water bottle. So if you’re looking for the best water bottle for backpacking or even the best filtered water bottle for travel, look not further as this is the list for you.

Best Water Bottle for Hiking Comparison

Bottle	Description	Prices
Brita Premium Filtering Water Bottle	Material: BPA Free Plastic Capacity: 26oz (769ml) Filter: Yes	Check on Amazon
SurviMate Filtered Water Bottle	Material: BPA Free Plastic Capacity: 22oz (650ml) Filter: Yes	Check on Amazon
KOR Nava BPA Free Reusable Water Bottle	Material: BPA Free Plastic Capacity: 22oz (650ml) Filter: Yes	Check on Amazon
Hydro Flask Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle	Material: Stainless Steel Capacity: 32oz (946ml) Filter: No	Check on Amazon
MIRA Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle	Material: Stainless Steel Capacity: 12-17oz (355-503ml) Filter: No	Check on Amazon
Contigo AUTOSEAL Stainless Steel Water Bottle	Material: Stainless Steel Capacity: 20oz (591ml) Filter: No	Check on Amazon
NALGENE Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle	Material: BPA Free Plastic Capacity: 32oz (946ml) Filter: No	Check on Amazon Check on REI
Contigo AUTOSEAL Cortland Water Bottle	Material: BPA Free Plastic Capacity: 24oz (710ml) Filter: No	Check on Amazon
CamelBak Eddy Water Bottle	Material: BPA Free Plastic Capacity: 25oz (739ml) Filter: No	Check on Amazon

Why Bring a Water Bottle

If you’re wondering why you should bother to bring a water bottle at all, or are sitting firmly on the fence about whether you need to make space in your bag for the best hiking water bottle, then make sure not to skip this section.

First and foremost, the most valid argument to opting to bring a reusable water bottle rather than rely on plastic bottled water is to reduce your waste while travelling. Buying single-use plastic water bottles not only massively adds to the ever-increasing world waste problem, but it also can add to your overall travel budget.

While it might not seem like spending a euro here or a dollar there on a water bottle is much, if you spend that every single day it can make a significant difference in your average trip cost. This, coupled with the fact that these water bottles may never biodegrade and recycling isn’t always the best option, is where finding a great water bottle for backpacking or travel will come in.

If you’re travelling in Europe, North America, Oceania, or most other developed nations, you also can normally drink the water directly from the tap. Especially in the European Union, where there is regulation in place that ensures that tap water is potable, it is incredibly silly to rely on purchasing bottled water.

However, if you’re sensitive to the taste of chlorine-treated water or are visiting a country like Malta where tap water is desalinated, then finding a filtered water bottle for travel might be a good option.

But what if you’re travelling to Southeast Asia, India, or Central America where the quality of the tap water can be questionable? Or what if you plan to undertake a multi-day trek and would like to drink out of natural water sources while avoiding giardia? That is where finding the best-filtered water bottle for travel will come in.

In today’s world, there are so many options available out there to avoid relying on single-use plastic water bottles that there is little to no excuse not to get one for yourself.

What to Look For in a Water Bottle

Now that we’ve discussed why you should bring a reusable water bottle on your travels, we need to talk about what to look for when finding the best water bottle for backpacking or travel.

There is a seemingly infinite amount of reusable water bottles available on the market today, however, not all are created equal. If you want to make sure that you’re going to get the best value for money and find the best water bottle for travel available, then there are a few key factors that you need to keep an eye out for.

If you are travelling to an exceptionally warm or cold climate, it might be worth purchasing an insulated water bottle for travel, which can keep your water cold for hours on end. It can also be worth trying to find a water bottle with a no-leak seal, so you can throw it into your day pack and not worry about it spilling all over the rest of your belongings.

If you want to venture away from purchasing a metal, insulated water bottle for travel, then another good option would be to find a hard-plastic water bottle. These can be lighter weight than a metal water bottle, however, they are often not as durable and tend to lack any insulation properties. They are generally more affordable, though. Make sure your reusable plastic water bottle is BPA-free to avoid ingesting any harmful chemicals.

If you plan to do any multi-day hiking and plan to be drinking out of the available water sources, then you’re going to want to find a hiking water bottle with a solid filter. Not all filtered water bottles are created equal as some exist solely to filter out bad tastes rather than harmful contaminates.

Best Water Bottle for Backpacking

As covered earlier, if you want to find the best hiking water bottle, then you need to look out for a few key features: Is it durable? Will it take up too much valuable luggage space? And does it have an adequate filter, if you need a filter? If you’re still stuck with all the options available, make sure to check out these suggestions:

Best Filtered Water Bottle for Travel

If you’re travelling to the developing world, plan on going on a multi-day trek, or simply don’t like the taste of otherwise potable tap water, then finding a filtered water bottle for travel is going to be your best bet. If you’re stuck when it comes to choosing the best one for you, make sure to check out these options:

Brita Premium Filtering Water Bottle 

If you’re after the best filtered water bottle for travel, then you cannot go wrong with one of the biggest names in the water filter industry: Brita. And the Brita Premium Filtering Water Bottle is a great water bottle to choose.

While this isn’t the best option if you want to make water potable (arguably you could cool boiled water and then put it in the bottle), it is a great water bottle if you want to make the local tap water taste better.

For best results, you will need to change the filters periodically, however, if you’re after a good and reliable filtered water bottle for travel, then the Brita Premium Filtering Water Bottle is a great choice for you!

SurviMate Filtered Water Bottle 

If you’re visiting a country that does not have potable tap water or are planning on hiking or camping and would like to drink from natural lakes, streams, or ponds, then the SurviMate Filtered Water Bottle is an excellent option for you.

This BPA-free filtered water bottle is equipped with an advanced filtration system that can filter out most contaminants from water. This means you can drink from the tap in Vietnam through this bottle and avoid getting a horrible stomach bug.

Its lightweight design also makes it one of the best water bottles for backpacking or hiking and camping. All in all, the SurviMate Filtered Water Bottle is one of the best hiking water bottles available.

KOR Nava BPA Free Reusable Water Bottle

The KOR Nava BPA Free Reusable Water Bottle is another excellent option for a great filtered water bottle for travel.

Much like the Brita option above, this water bottle is better to be used with already potable water that you want to improve the taste of, rather than to purify unsafe drinking water. However, its carbon filter can get rid of a strong chlorine taste and make for delicious drinking water.

Its leak-proof design also makes it ideal for travelling. So if you’re visiting a country where there is safe drinking water from the tap, then the KOR Nava BPA Free Reusable Water Bottle is the choice for you!

Best Insulated Water Bottle for Travel

If you’re not in the market for a filtered water bottle for travel and are just on the lookout for a good and durable regular reusable bottle, then an insulated steel water bottle might be a good option for you. If you want to know where to start, then have a look through these suggestions:

Hydro Flask Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

If you’re on the hunt for the absolute best-insulated water bottle for travel or elsewhere, then look no further than the Hydro Flask Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle.

This is one of the original insulated water bottles and it can keep your beverage, whether that be ice-cold water or scalding hot tea, at its original temperature for hours upon hours, all without sweating on the outside. Its stainless steel material also makes it easy to keep clean.

While it might be on the more pricey end, the Hydro Flask Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle is one of the best investments you could make as it will last you for years to come.

MIRA Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

If you want a more economical option but still one of the best water bottles for backpacking then the MIRA Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle is a great choice for you.

These insulated water bottles come in a range of sizes and colours and are equipped with great, sweat-proof technology so you will never get your belongings wet with condensation. It is also leak-proof and will keep its contents hot or cold for hours on end.

All in all, the MIRA Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle is an excellent affordable choice for the best travel water bottle.

Contigo AUTOSEAL Chill Stainless Steel Water Bottle

If you want another option for a great insulated water bottle for backpacking or travel, then the Contigo AUTOSEAL Chill Stainless Steel Water Bottle is a fantastic choice.

The double-walled insulated stainless steel water bottle is equipped with a one-handed mouthpiece and can keep its contents hot or cold for many hours. It is also leakproof.

All in all, you can’t go wrong with choosing the Contigo AUTOSEAL Chill Stainless Steel Water Bottle for travel.

Best Plastic Water Bottle for Travel

If you’re not interested in the added weight of an insulated metal water bottle and aren’t in the market for the best-filtered water bottle for travel, then a hard-plastic water bottle is the right move for you. If you’re stuck on which to choose, check out these recommendations:

NALGENE Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle

As one of the strongholds of reusable water bottles, you absolutely cannot go wrong if you choose to bring a Nalgene Triton Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle (also available on REI here) along on your travels.

This is one of the absolute best water bottles for backpacking Europe as it is ultra-durable and long-lasting, without being too heavy. While there is certainly nothing fancy about it, it does its job of holding your water without leaks and it does it well.

So, if you’re looking for a solid travel water bottle that will last you for years on end, then the Nalgene Triton Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle is a great choice for you.

Contigo AUTOSEAL Cortland Water Bottle

If you prefer sipping from a straw through your water bottle rather than a wide mouth, then the Contigo AUTOSEAL Cortland Water Bottle is a great choice.

This durable water bottle is made from BPA plastic, is dishwasher safe, and has a leak-proof seal, making it safe to chuck into the bottom of your day pack.

In general, if you want a basic water bottle with a straw mouthpiece, then the Contigo AUTOSEAL Cortland Water Bottle is one of the best options on the market.

CamelBak Eddy Water Bottle

As one of the premier water bottle brands available, if you’re looking for the best water bottle for travel to Europe, then the CamelBak Eddy Water Bottle is a good choice.

Similar to the Contigo above, this water bottle is made from durable, BPA-free plastic and is equipped with a straw mouthpiece. It is also dishwasher safe and completely leakproof.

In summation, you would be making a good choice if you included the CamelBack Eddy Water Bottle on your backpacking packing list.

While there is a lot of choice out there, finding the best water bottle for backpacking or even the best filtered water bottle for travel to Europe doesn’t have to be a hard decision.

Are you looking for the best water bottle for travel to Europe or backpacking? Have you found one? Let us know!

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