Coldest Bottle - Travel and Hiking Equipment
Coldest Bottle – Travel and Hiking Equipment
Travel and Hiking – Stainless Steel Coldest Bottle or Plastic Bottle?
When I go on a hike, whether for a few hours or a few days if there is one thing I never forget to bring with me, it is water. But each time, the same question comes back, which water bottle to use?
A plastic bottle! The coldest bottle! Or A water bag!
Between ecological factors, practicality, weight … not easy to make a choice.
I propose a small comparison of all that exists on the market at the moment, with the advantages and disadvantages of each solution and as a bonus the solution for which I opted for the moment.
Read On: The Coldest Bottle – 64 oz Sports
The Plastic Bottle:
It is not a new thing for you; the plastic bottle is common and can be bought everywhere. There are different sizes, with different types of necks.
Advantages:
Weight: This is its great advantage because of all the solutions that exist; nothing is lighter than a bottle of empty water. 40g only for a bottle of 1.5L!
Price: In a supermarket, you can find bottles less than 0.50 $ … if you reuse it several times, it is more interesting than a gourd.
Disadvantages:
Ecological Impact: We all know, plastic is bad, it pollutes. There is always a way to limit this impact by choosing an already recycled bottle that you use several times instead of discarding it after the first use, but its life will always be lower than the other options.
Accessibility: It all depends on the size of the water bottle and the configuration of your bag and your preference. Either, you put it in the outer side pockets of your bag, it’s easy to access but the water may warm quickly in the sun, or you put it in your bag to keep it cool but then you take the party of having to stop regularly to open your bag and drink.
Clutter: Unlike other options, the empty plastic bottle does not compress. Except you want to throw it away. Level clutter in the bag it’s not great.
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Water Bottles:
There are many water gourds on the market, whose characteristics vary greatly depending on the chosen material. We find hard plastic, soft plastic, stainless steel, aluminum … for capacities ranging from 0.5L to about 2L depending on the model.
The aluminum bottle is often considered the reference gourd for hiking because of its lightness and strength. However, in recent years the stainless steel water bottles are gaining ground especially because from a health point of view they are much more ‘safe’ than aluminum or plastic bottles (even if the latter two no longer contain bisphenol A) for the same advantages as an aluminum water bottle.
It is therefore important to differentiate between stainless steel water bottles, the plastic bottle which in my opinion are only improved plastic bottles.
Advantages:
Isothermal Property: The great advantage of the stainless steel water bottle is its isothermal property. These bottles keep the water temperature. Very practical to always have hot water during winter hikes, or cold water in summer!
Durability: Unlike all other plastic products, stainless steel water bottles are very strong and can be used for many years.
Ecological Impact: Stainless steel water bottles are ecological, long lasting and reusable and keep water cold for a longer period.
Read On: Insulated Standard Mouth Flip Top Lid v2
Disadvantages:
Weight: Water Bottle, even the lightest (about 150g for 1L) will always be heavier than a plastic bottle.
Accessibility: For plastic bottles, the same as for the water bottle, it all depends on the size of the bottle and the configuration of your bag and your preference (see above). For the stainless steel water bottle, the problem is partly solved because it keeps the water cooler longer.
Volume: It is, in my opinion, the big weak point of the water bottle, whose maximum volume is 1.5L. Knowing that it is advisable to always leave with 2L on oneself for long hikes, it forces to always have several bottles on oneself. It also possible have 1 gallon water bottle to keep getting the cold water on regular intervals. When you see the weight and clutter that this represents, good thinking is needed.
Size: stainless steel models are rather bulky but they are good to keep water colds in hot weather and keep tea hot in winter seasons. A good example is the Coldest Water Bottles. They are available in several sizes. Please find more details about the Coldest Water Bottle here.
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My Solution: A Little Bit of Everything
As you can see, each system has its advantages and disadvantages that may differ depending on the practice of hiking on the day.
For my part, I always have the coldest water bottle of 64oz whatever the duration of the hike. It’s so convenient that I could not live without it! And I also go with Coldest 20 oz Tumbler with Sliding Lid.
I take the stainless steel bottle in the winter to fill it with tea, and I take the plastic bottle in all other cases or I do not need hot while I hike. So yes, it’s plastic and it’s not cool. But the weight factor is clearly my priority here for hikes. And then, between a plastic bottle and a bottle of water (which I reuse several times, often for several months) I think the difference in environmental impact is very small. But, if you do not hike and you’re not 100g, then yes I advise you to move towards stainless steel water bottle than plastic.
And if you tell me about the great Coldest Water Bottles that everyone buys right now, I’ll just tell you this is the right choice as it keeps water cold for 36+ hours and hot24+ hours. You can reuse it for years.
Read On: The Coldest Bottle – 32 oz Sports
Conclusion:
In conclusion, there is no quick fix about the size of the Stainless steel coldest bottle; it all depends mainly on your hiking, or on your trip.
I hope this little comparison will have helped you to see more clearly to choose your water bottle!
And you use what to drink during your trips or your hikes?
