Water Bottles & Filtration

What should you consider when choosing a water bottle?

When choosing standard water bottles or kids water bottles, there are some basic things to consider, which include:

Volume/Capacity - How much does it hold? How much do you need it to hold? This will then determine the size of the water bottle, which you need to take into account when it comes to storage in your pack or bag. 1-litre water bottles are a good starting place.

Construction Material - When it comes to construction materials of drink bottles for the outdoors, the most common are plastic water bottles or stainless steel water bottles. This is because they are more durable and lightweight than a glass water bottle. Almost all of these are BPA free water bottles, making them more eco-friendly and good for your own health.

Insulation - An insulated water bottle will keep your drinks colder (or hotter) for longer. Look for double-walled stainless steel water bottles, such as those from Klean Kanteen.

Filtration - For adventures where there are no apparent sources of water, consider a water bottle with filter. These allow you to purify water from a creek or river, by eliminating bacteria and microorganisms, removing sediment, and improving taste and clarity.

Mouth Opening - Choose between a standard mouth opening or a wide-mouth opening for a faster pour rate. Look at the quality of the straw, mouth piece or bite valve for spill proof performance, and also whether the design is compatible with add-on filtration devices for water purification.

Which bottles can also filter water?

Some brands offer drink bottles that have built-in filtration devices, or have mouth openings that are compatible with add-on filtration devices. These enable you to filter fresh water from creeks or rivers into drinking water, by removing microorganisms and sediment impurities. These filtration drink bottles are great for adventures into remote areas where fresh water sources are not obvious and readily available. Brands such as LifeStraw, Katadyn and SteriPEN specialise in filtration devices and products.

Should you choose a plastic, glass or stainless-steel water bottle?

The best type of water bottle is a reusable water bottle. Ultimately, choosing which one is a personal preference but some of the benefits of each include:

Plastic Water Bottles - These are highly durable, lightweight and more often than not the cheapest option in a range. Some people don't like plastic as a textile for the environment or think it is harmful for their health, however, all the water bottles in our range are 100% BPA free water bottles.

Glass Water Bottles - Often these are all show and no go. Glass offers a premium look but is the most fragile of the construction materials, with potential to break while out on the trails or around the campsite.

Stainless Steel Water Bottles - These are highly durable and have a classic look. If they have a double-walled construction they can also be super versatile, providing insulation for both cold and hot drinks.

How many bottles of water should you drink per day?

The amount of water you should consume each day depends on your own body requirements (based on gender, weight etc), and how active you are. As a general rule, many health authorities recommend approximately 2-3 litres, or eight (8) 8-ounce/240mL glasses of water (known as the 8x8 rule). So aim to get through a couple of 1-litre water bottles each day, and more if you are getting outdoors.

Staying hydrated is important for your health and wellbeing, and to mitigate the dangers of dehydration effects.

What are the best filtered water bottles?

There is no need to go without fresh water in the outdoors these days - all you need is a water bottle with filter. The best filtration drink bottles allow you to purify water from creeks or rivers into fresh drinking water on the go, by eliminating bacteria and microorganisms, removing impurities, and improving taste and clarity.

LifeStraw and Katadyn are two of the premium brands in the market that design water filtration devices and filtration water bottles for hiking, camping, travel and emergency use.

What are the best insulated bottles?

The only way to keep a cold drink chilled or your hot drink steaming is with an insulated water bottle. The best water bottles - such as those from Klean Kanteen or CamelBak - use a double-walled construction to create an insulative housing. This reduces heat transfer in either direction (inside the bottle to outside, or outside the bottle to inside), ensuring you enjoy your drink at the temperature you want it to be at.

How can you clean your water bottle?

There are basically two ways to wash your water bottle. You can either hand wash it, preferably with warm water, soap (ideally an eco-friendly biodegradable type) and a soft brush, or if it is dishwasher-safe and you're back home, let your dishwasher do the hard work. Whichever method you opt for, make sure you disassemble the various parts (remove the lid; remove the bite valve if there is one; remove the straw) to ensure they get a thorough clean.