An estimated 200 billion bottles of water are sold around the world annually. Unfortunately, most of these bottles find their into landfills rather than being recycled, calling into question our consumption habits. The good news is that manufacturers of eco-friendly bottles are tackling the unsustainable trend head on with an array of innovative, versatile and fun sustainable options. Following up on our Handheld Hydration Highlights from the Summer 2012 Show, this January we put our team to the task of finding some of their favorite reusable water bottles from this year’s Winter Show.
While finding the right hydration vessel is a highly subjective exercise, our editors’ selected some of their favorite handheld hydration highlights from this years Winter Outdoor Retailer Show and shared them below. The result is a selection of water bottles and containers that will help ensure your hydration experience is never boring, never an afterthought.
AVEX Sport
New for 2013, AVEX is introducing new high-performance water bottles that feature their popular patented AUTOSEAL® and patent-pending AUTOSPOUT™ technologies. Got a full day of adventure ahead? Perhaps a lengthy road trip is in your future? AVEX had you and your big thirst needs in mind when they designed the Brazos AUTOSEAL® and Wells AUTOSPOUT™ 32 oz bottles. And because icy cold water on a hot day is one of life’s simple pleasures, AVEX has introduced new stainless steel bottles with vacuum insulated construction that keeps drinks cold for up to 20 hours.
Actually, Avex Sport claims 20 hours, but in our testing, these insulated bottles exceeded the 20 hour marker with ease all without any condensation or bottle sweating. Every bottle in the AVEX Sport line-up is BPA-free and cis available with either the Bravos AUTOSEAL or Wells AUTOSPOUT technologies. So whether you prefer drinking through a straw-based system to keep your head and eyes on the action ahead, or a high volume opening that automatically seals between sips, AVEX has you covered.
From our perspective, you’ll be hard pressed to find a brand that offers access to your drink with the same ease and fluidity of AVEX – which is one of the reasons you’ll rarely if ever find an AVEX bottle sitting unused on the shelf. Our team’s favorite feature? The spout shield that covers and protects the spout from dirt, grime and germs. So you can play hard on the trail and never have to worry about drinking from a dirty or contaminated spout. Add in a clip-on handle and you’ve got a hydration solution perfectly suited for an active lifestyle.
Vapur Microfilter
Winner of our Best in Show Award for the 2013 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, the new Vapur® MicroFilter takes everything you love about the Vapur anti-bottle, and adds in a filter that crushes 99.99% of nasty bacteria and gut-wrenching protozoa from tainted water sources. The Vapur MicroFilter is a lightweight, chemical-free water filtration system that utilizes the most advanced ultra membrane technology from SureAqua®.
Capable of purifying hundreds of liters of safe drinking water from lakes, rivers, streams and tap water, this all in one solution is ready to keep you hydrated no matter the terrain or destination. Considering it weighs in at just 2.4 ounces, there’s no reason not to carry it with you on every adventure no matter how big or how small. A virtual ‘must-have’ product for the serious outdoor enthusiast.
Hydro Flask
If a mission statement that includes the words “Free the world from lukewarm water, produce the highest quality flasks, [and] provide excellent customer service…” doesn’t win you over, then the technical details of Hydro Flask will. Made from hygienic, easy-to-clean 18/8 stainless steel, Hydro Flask bottles are highly resistant to absorbing odor, taste and bacteria. That means your morning coffee doesn’t taste like yesterdays chicken noodle soup, and your post-workout smoothie is never tainted with an awkward aluminum taste tingle. And because everyone has different drinking preferences, Hydro Flask offers their bottles in various bottle and mouth sizes. So you can go with an 18oz bottle with a narrow mouth, a 21oz bottle with a standard mouth, or crush your thirst and drink deep from the 40oz wide mouth bottle.
Non-toxic, food grade powder coating on the exterior not only feels like it was made for your hand, but is available in multiple colorways so you can have a Hydro Flask bottle to match any adventure. Want your homemade chili to still be hot for lunch even though you poured it in seven hours and 4,000 vertical feet ago? Looking for your icy sport drinks to maintain its chill after you crush the trail? Hydro Flask’s high-performance vacuum insulated technology not only has got you covered, but they’ve got you covered for life with Hydro Flask’s lifetime guarantee. Bottom line: Durable, dependable and downright awesome… our team will be ordering more soon.
Lifefactory Bottles
True, people have been drinking from glass containers since 1500 BC, but those containers weren’t nearly as sophisticated nor as earth friendly as Lifefactory bottles. For those looking to avoid plastic or metal bottles, you’d be hard pressed to find a more eco-friendly, health-conscious, and versatile hydration solution than Lifefactory. These glass bottles provide an odorless, tasteless drink experience free of any known harmful chemicals including BPA, phthalates, and PVC.
By fusing modern sensibility, eco-friendly composition, and exceptional utility, LifeFactory ensures that your fluids taste mountain-stream fresh from first sip to last. All Lifefactory bottles are available in either 16oz or 22oz sizes with a flip top or classic loop cap. Whichever style you choose, you’ll appreciate the wide comfortable loop that makes these bottles easy to carry, and the medical grade silicone protective sleeve that provides a non-slip gripping surface and helps prevent breakage in the instance any “accidents” come about.
Bübi Bottle
Love the idea of an eco-friendly container, but don’t so much love the fact that your reusable bottle takes up space when not in use? Enter the Bübi Bottle. Made out of high-grade, BPA-free silicone, it’s the worlds first scrunchable water bottle. Sure you can use it to carry water or your morning mocha, but the BPA-free silicone construction means the Bübi Bottle is far more versatile than the standard beverage container. Stick it in the freezer and use as a cold compress. Microwave it for use as a hot compress or boot warmer. Or, when Mother Nature turns against you on the trail, use the Bübi Bottle as a watertight case to protect your cell phone, matches or valuables. All told, the Bübi Bottle offers plenty of versatility for an active lifestyle.
Eco Vessel
Your family adventures span the gamut from mornings at the coffee shop, to bike rides along the river, and epic hikes into the backcountry. All of which Eco Vessel had in mind when creating a range of bottles for adults and kids that seamlessly blend sustainability, innovation and practicality. Practicality that means keeping your drinks cold for 36 hours. Sustainability that means products crafted without the use of harmful or leaching materials and chemicals. But what about innovation?
Consider the Aqua Vessel Insulated Bottle. A favorite of our Editors’, this insulated bottle isn’t just a desk trophy that shows off your environmentally savvy side, it’s the first of its kind – a bottle that keeps your water cold and filters as you drink. A removeable and sustainable plant-based filter removes 99.9% of the most commonly found parasites in US lakes and streams. That’s great for outdoorsy pursuits, but also a tremendous benefit for anyone who prefers the taste of pure filtered water on the go. Did we mention it kept our cold drinks cold longer than any other bottle? All told, whether you choose the Boulder with Eco Vessel’s Trimax® triple insulation technology, the kid specific Frost, the Vue Double Wall Glass Bottle, or the Aqua Vessel Insulated, your reward will be fresh, cold and clean water wherever you go.