Best Reusable Water Bottles for Hiking Season
Every second, Americans consume 1,500 plastic water bottles. If you haven’t managed to ditch those single-use plastic bottles for good, hiking season is the perfect opportunity for you to do so—once and for all. Not only are disposable water bottles harmful to the environment, but they can also be harmful to your health.
If you’re still unclear on the issues associated with the consumption of single-use water bottles, we’ve identified some of the top scientific concerns over these bottles and why they’re a major problem for the environment below.
Three Top Problems Reusable Bottles Can Help Solve
1. The production and distribution of single-use plastic water bottles emits significant amounts of fossil fuels into the atmosphere and contributes to global warming
This is because most plastic water bottles are manufactured from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a petroleum product that necessitates large amounts of fossil fuels to create and to transport.
In fact, in the U.S., more than 1.5 million barrels of oil are required each year to meet the demand of water bottle manufacturing alone. This number doesn’t even account for fossil fuel and emissions costs of greenhouse gases required to transport the final product to the market.
2. Most disposable water bottles don’t end up getting recycled
Despite popular belief, recycling plastic bottles is not so black and white. This is partially because although PET and PE-HD bottles are recyclable, other plastic bottles may not be, depending on where you live. As only certain types of plastic bottles can be recycled by certain municipalities, most disposable water bottles aren’t actually recycled.
The Guardian, which claims that the majority of plastic bottles produced end up in landfills or in the ocean, reported that less than half of the bottles purchased in 2016 were collected for recycling and only 7% of those collected were turned into new bottles.
According to additional research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the ocean will contain more plastic by weight than fish by 2050. Between 5m and 13m tons of plastic leaks into the world’s oceans each year to be mistakenly swallowed by fish, birds, and other wildlife—and will eventually make its way into the human food chain.
3. Plastic is not biodegradable
The plastic used to package water takes over 1,000 years to biodegrade. If incinerated, it will emit toxic fumes. Experts have found that more than 80% of all single-use water bottles used in America end up as litter, leaching toxins harmful to humans and wildlife into the world’s water systems.
So, now that you know the issue, you’re ready to do something about it. The best thing you can do is to start phasing plastic out of your world and refusing single-use plastic bottles. With hiking season in full swing, now’s the ideal time to invest in a reusable water bottle that will withstand day-to-day stresses and last you many years.
What Kind of Reusable Bottle Should I Get?
Most refillable water bottles are made from either plastic, glass, or metal/stainless steel. But what type is best? All three have their own pros and cons. Although plastic is lightweight and durable, it can transfer a taste or odor to your beverage when you drink.
Glass bottles, on the other hand, are safer to drink from than plastic and don’t hold onto taste but they’re fragile and therefore not the best options if you’re going hiking or doing any other outdoor activity.
Metal water bottles and stainless steel are usually insulated and are the best at keeping your water cold, but can also be a little heavy. So the type of bottle you choose is based on your needs.
Keep reading to learn about some of our favorite eco-minded reusable water bottle options to help you avoid plastic and stay hydrated during your hikes and other outdoor adventures.
5 of the Best Reusable Bottles
1. YETI Rambler 18 Oz. Bottle With Chug Cap
This water bottle is perfect for your hikes, kayak trips, and even just for your daily commutes. The YETI Rambler was built to be tough and is extremely durable. It’s also double-wall vacuum insulated and will keep your water cold till the last sip.
It’s dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, and comes standard with the Chug Cap. Additionally, its TripleHaul handle comes off with an easy twist, and the spout is also shatter-resistant/dishwasher safe.
2. Hydro Flask 18-Oz Standard Mouth Bottle
From cross-country skiing and stories by the campfire to morning meetings and sunsets in the park. Whatever adventure you’re planning, this durable, 18/8 Pro-Grade Stainless Steel water bottle is a great option. Its TempShield insulation eliminates condensation and keeps beverages cold up to 24 hours or hot up to 12 hours.
3. Avana Beckridge 25 or 32-Oz Bottle
The Avana Beckridge bottle is another great contender for all of your hydration needs—whether it accompanies you out into the great outdoors, or to the classroom/office. This durable bottle is made from stain and odor-resistant 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, a high-quality composite designed to stay free of rust and corrosion.
Like all Avana products, the Beckridge bottle is BPA and phthalate free. It’s also got double-wall insulation and a great retractable stainless steel carry loop so you can easily carry it with you wherever you go.
Plus, the company teams up with trusted nonprofits to help sponsor water projects where they are needed the most by donating a portion of all sales to a general water projects fund.
4. Nalgene 32-Oz Wide Mouth Water Bottle
Nalgene makes a wide range of BPA free reusable water bottles to suit your personal preferences, needs, and lifestyle. If you’re looking for a water bottle that will keep you well hydrated, hold up against bangs, bumps, and drops, and not leak a single drop ever, then the Nalgene 32-ounce wide mouth is an exceptional contender for all of your backcountry adventures.
5. Klean Kanteen 20 oz Insulated Reflect
Thanks to the company’s patented chip-resistant, durable finish called Klean Coat, all of Klean Kanteen’s water bottles are environmentally friendly. But the Klean Kanteen 20-ounce Reflect vacuum insulated bottle is especially so, made from just three materials: sustainably harvested bamboo, food-grade silicone, and stainless steel. It has no paint, ink, coatings or plastic.
Crafted of high quality 18/8 stainless steel inside and out, and double-wall vacuum-insulated, it will keep drinks cold 20 hours or iced 40 hours. It also has a useful stainless steel loop handle which makes it easy to bring with you on all your life’s endeavors.
Good-bye to Single-Use Bottles, Hello to Better Hydration
Saying goodbye to single-use plastic bottles and carrying your eco-friendly reusable water bottle is the best way you can help tackle the plastic problem. The options we listed above are some of our favorite refillable water bottles for your many adventures in Mother Nature.
It’s important that we all do what we can to reduce our eco-footprint and cut back waste as much as possible. An easy, but significant, change you can make is to kick your disposable water bottle habit and switch to a refillable water bottle. If you’re interested in more ways to help our planet, be sure to learn about Spring Power & Gas’ eco-minded energy products.
