I use the camelbak chute series. Not a straw, but a large opening you can basically use as a straw, but you're going to be tilting the bottle over to drink, no suction. It's great for chugging a lot of water quickly. Really easy to clean and lasts a long time too. They have an insulated stainless steel option that should be closer to bifl than the plastic ones, but I've only had it for a year so IDK. I have 11 of these things and rotate them out while I'm cleaning them.

All dishwasher safe too. Hand washing is for chumps

CAMELBACK EDDY!

I have had pretty much every bottle that's been mentioned on this post. I take my bottle with me everywhere, all day, every day. While there's many good options on here, you really should look at the Camelback Eddy. It's almost the perfect water bottle. I say almost, because it doesn't fit into a standard cup holder. That's the only drawback though. It keeps things exceptionally hot and cold, it has a no spill straw, it has a twist off cap with a handle, it's easy to clean and is extremely durable. The straw requires you to bite it gently in order for water to flow. You can leave the straw extended and it doesn't spill, but it also folds away for extra protection. Mine's got lots of dings and dents and scratches, but no issues. I've had it for several years and I take it with me everywhere every day. I highly recommend it if you haven't tried it. It comes in several different sizes as well.

You will never convince me that there is ANY way to get one of those straw things completely clean. They’re biofilm just waiting to happen

Stanley Iceflow

I was you 6 months ago and this is what I got. I love that it fits in my car cup holder. I bet it would leak if I tipped it upside down but I prefer a simple hard plastic sipper that I can scrub. I previously had a water tight sipper with rubber/silicone seals around the straw that grew mold

Mine was plain white. The new colors look great.

https://www.ecovessel.com/ has many options worth considering

I will add a vote for Yeti because they're also dishwasher-safe. That may not be an issue for you, but for me this is the defining difference with every similar product that I have considered.

Zojirushi - slightly more complicated design, but everything does come apart easily and I also put it in the dishwasher. I feel like this is more for sipping hot beverages, as the opening is small and you cant really "chug" water.

This is true, but I love mine for water and for hot tea anyway. (I have two, one for tea and one for water.)

Kleen Kanteen

I really like my Owala. It's the only water bottle I've experienced that has a straw with a mouthpiece that's large enough to clean.

My flip top hydroflask mouthpiece always gets scuzzy because there isn't a good way to clean/dry it out

I got a hydro flask before they were cool, I've heard the quality has gone down since. But mine is still like new after 8 years. Only metal bottle I've ever not gotten a taste from.

Yep and they have a millions sizes and shapes for what ever OP needs. I also like hydro flask for this but I don’t think they have as many options.

I'm a big fan of the hydroflask Insulated water bottles, have held up great for many years. Mouth is just big enough to squeeze an ice cube in there.

I have regular non-insulated hydroflask bottles my elementary age kids use, and they have stood up great. They have been dented and dinged, but I've literally hammered them back into shape and they keep working.

Definitely recommend.

Hmmm. This is much more convenient than walking around with a filtering pitcher.

There’s a lifestraw camelback bladder out now. Highly recommend it.

My friend brought one of those little Mio flavored squirt bottles that I would put into my camelback that helped a ton. I like the idea of having water that’s actually filtered though

I just dumped electrolyte powder into the water and then it tastes like electrolyte powder.

Pro tip: The water stations are labeled. The ones with filtered water say FREE FILTERED WATER on them. The rest are well water which is the one that can taste weird.

For me the only water station that had sulfur was the water station near the vendors between Carousel Club and Sherwood Court. Besides that one I had great tasting water all weekend.

Consider switching to a higher end bladder. I like the Mil-Spec Crux from CamelBak. If it doesn't say "Hydrate or Die" on your hydration bladder, ya could be doing better.

For real though, if you can stain your bladder with Myo, that means it is porous enough to harbor all sorts of bacteria.

I usually get a new bladder every year since I don’t trust myself to clean them properly

Kleen Kanteen.

Not only are the gaskets not glued on, they sell replacements.

Same for lids, you can buy a new one for any bottle they make, should you need it.

I have a few, they're all dishwasher safe, except I have one with the aesthetic bamboo and steel lid, which I hand wash. Zero mold or other issues.

Side note, I do have complex lidded travel mugs. Those Contigo ones that you press to sip. I pop them open as much as I can and soak them in a bowl with denture cleaning tabs roughly monthly. It keeps them spotless and mold free.

Yeti Rambler bottle with the chug cap. The main part is metal, the lid is thick plastic, and you can strip it completely apart and clean anything you want.

Klean Kanteen has bottles with no plastic, look minimalistic, solid price, and use an o ring to stop leaks.

Nalgene stainless bottles.

i’ve been looking for this too! i hate that every kid has a little extra piece here and there and whatever, but klean kanteen has lids that are literally just a screw on lid with a handle attached and that’s it. they have ones for under $40 i think but the bigger they get the more expensive. plus they’re stainless steel so they’ll last longer than plastic

Popular mechanics magazine did a test on water bottles not too long ago and most bottles that are vacuum insulated work the same way and offer insulation of hot/cold for many hours. It’s more or less personal preference of lids and shape/size that could be deciding factor. One thing I will mention is my yeti gets tossed in the dishwasher daily for the last four years and still looks great. Hydro flasks are not approved for dishwasher fwiw, I tried and the outside got stained and chalky. Hydro flask has great customer service when my screw top lids leaked they sent me three to replace my old ones.

I've managed to collect quite a few brands over the years. If you're looking for a top-notch water bottle, both the Owala FreeSip and the Hydro Flask come highly recommended by pretty much everyone, each for their unique features and durability.

The Owala FreeSip stands out for its innovative drinking mechanism. It offers a built-in straw for easy sipping, ideal for staying hydrated on the go without having to tilt the bottle. This feature is particularly convenient during activities like driving or working out. Additionally, you can open it up for a full-flow drink, giving you two options in one design. The insulation quality of the FreeSip is excellent, ensuring your drinks stay chilled for hours. It’s also leak-proof and comes in various sizes and attractive color options, making it as stylish as it is functional.

In contrast, the Hydro Flask is renowned for its robust build and exceptional temperature retention. Made with pro-grade stainless steel, it’s designed to withstand rough handling and still last for years. Its insulation capabilities are outstanding, keeping beverages cold or hot for extended periods. The wide-mouth design of the Hydro Flask is another plus, making it easy to fill, drink from, and clean. It’s perfect for those who prefer a more traditional, no-fuss design but still want the assurance of a high-quality, long-lasting bottle.

Kind of depends on what your looking for. I personally have both a Hydroflash and a Ringo. So kind of depends on what you wanna spend.

I love my Ringo a little more just because I work out so I can put my phone on my water bottle magnetically and watch a show or something quite nice tbh.

Zoj with this version. Zojirushi SM-SA36-BA Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Mug, 20-Ounce, Black by Tokyo Japanese Outlet Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HYOGUM2/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_81V0A8TCVTH9KG7FP30X

The newer with a different top don’t flip up right. I’ve had mine for years.

Warning! Do not put hot beverages in this with the assumption it will cool. It will not. It takes like 10 hours. Put it in like you want to drink it.

Middle pops out for cleaning. Lid clicks back so it doesn’t hit your nose. I’ve and water will still have ice 12 hours later. Tried other brands but I’m spoiled now.

Zoj mugs don’t go up to 30 ounces.

Edit they have 35 ounce vacuum bottle and a different thermos looking one.

I really like the yeti, it's works well both for my gym session that keeps my electrolytes water super cold for hours and also later when i am at home and siping slowly on a hot coffee or tea, it's just good at keeping temp
it' also sturdy as well which I hope means it will last me for years. one downside though is that it's a bit on the heavy side but i guess that's the material they use to keep the temp so can't have it all

edit: the yeti i got is the number 1 here: https://costnow.com/best-insulated-water-bottle/

Fun fact, that flip up cap is the perfect size to backflush a Sawyer water filter. So you don't need to bring the backflush syringe if you have a smartwater and the flip up cap

Nalgene. Theres fancier bottles out there, but i keep coming back to them because theyre indestructable and there are good choices for water filters to go with them.

I recently purchased this GSI Microlite and used the 15% off code to get it on sale on their website! Fits in my car cup holder, is 24oz which I find perfect for travel/every day use. The bottom has this unnoticeable rubber foot so the stainless steel doesn’t make a loud noise when you place the water bottle on surfaces (lowkey genius if you ask me)! I’ve used a TON of water bottles for hiking and every day use, from Nalgene to hydro flask, even Camelbak back in my high school days. It also has a lock on the flip top so it won’t accidentally open if you have it in a bag without a bottle holder. It is suuuper light too and easy to clean, no straws or parts you have to worry about missing if you hand wash it. I think it’s dishwasher safe but I usually just hand wash my stainless steel water bottles. Sorry for this novel of a comment I just really love my water bottle haha!

Hydroflask tall boy has a screw top and a drinking top. Stays hot or cold for 10+ hours. Nearly indestructible. Fits in cup holder

Smartwater 1l.

Fits in cup holders, easy to clean (water and soap shake or just replace after a while), cheap, drinking area covered and protected. Just because it’s marketed as single use shouldn’t discount it. It’s the real deal.

Go over to the ultralight subreddit and they’ll tell you everything you need to know.

Sawyer water filter on a smartwater bottle. Walmart has the filter, smartwater bottles are sold everywhere.

Personally - I'd go with 2 separate solutions.

1 - the bottle itself, which only clean water goes into. Like a hydroflask or literally any re-usable bottle that you like the style of.

2 - the filter/purifier, which you can use for questionable water or skip for tap/clean water. Like a steri pen, grayl, sawyer, whatever.

You'll have more options and better day-to-day experience this way. Since you need the filter the minority of the time.

If you're traveling the states, the vast majority of tap water is more than potable. Over 90%. You can get a basic filter if you want, but it's not necessary in most areas.

I'm a huge fan of the basic 32 oz smallmouth Nalgene. I personally think there's no better bottle. Simple, easy, lightweight, and lasts forever if you clean it.

Hydroflasks work very well.

Sounds like you want a stainless steel or aluminium bottle with a wide enough mouth to put a lifestraw or similar filter into it occasionally.
There are lots to choose from, including ‘classic’ bottles with cork stoppers if you don’t want a plastic top.

I just use a blender bottle

Nalgene or Cactaki

Gatorade bottle has stood up to 3 years of jr high, summer sports, and daily dishwasher abuse. Skinny enough to fit in kids backpack side sleeve and it doesn’t sweat.

An alternative to Nalgene, Nathan Bigshot (1L) and Supershot 1.5L) bottles. They come with a cap that is both wide mouth and narrow mouth. My go to for plastic water bottles

I like Contigo bottles with Autoseal b/c I hate having to unscrew a cap to drink. Autoseal only stays open while you're holding a button down and seals back up when you let go. It's not difficult to use. My children have been using them since they were 6.

The only problem with it is that the mechanism has a lot of parts so it may be hard to clean if you get a lot of junk in there and you do it by hand. I just put the lid in the dishwasher so it's not an issue. The bottle I hand wash since it's plastic. BTW, in case you're wondering, the lid mechanism has never failed me.

It’s one step to making sure you don’t shit yourself blind drinking water of doubtful safety. I had a friend who worked in the Peace Corps in places where he wouldn’t even wet his toothbrush with the local water.

Remember you can always boil water if you have no other means of purification.

Activated charcoal filers are good if you just want to improve taste. If you want something for just in case, a Lifestraw is small and light. I throw a few Katadyn Micropur tablets in my toiletries bag.

I've carried a Grayl on three trips to Mexico (up to four weeks at a time) and thought it was totally worth it. Since I'd carry a water bottle anyway, it doesn't take up extra space, and it's easy and quick to use. But for indefinite travel (beginning next summer) I'm considering a water bottle with a rechargeable UV light in the cap -- either the LARQ or the Crazy Cap -- so I don't need to worry about replacement filters for the Grayl.

A key point to consider: In some parts of the world, drinking water may be contaminated with various sorts of viruses, some of which (like hepatitis) cause illnesses far more serious than diarrhea. The Grayl filters and UV light treatments will eliminate them. So will boiling water and at least some water purification tablets.

The rest of the stuff mentioned thus far? The Sawyer, Lifestraw, Katadyn befree, etc.? They're good for bacteria and protozoa, and they'll filter sediment and make the water taste good. They do nothing with viruses.

The main cause of traveler's diarrhea is e. coli, a common bacteria. If diarrhea and taste are your only concerns, anything mentioned here will do. If you're concerned about viruses, carry a Grayl or one of the UV bottles. (Avoid the Steripen: Too many users say it's prone to early failure.)

Among the wilderness backpacking crowd the go-to ultralight water filter would be the Sawyer Squeeze screwed onto the end of a smart water bottle (or similar compatible).

https://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-Squeeze-Filtration-System/dp/B0988M1RTF

Never had to bring one for urban travel, but if I did I'd definitely carry this with me.

Keep in mind that this and all similar filters will lose effectiveness if they are allowed to freeze.

I always pack Aquamira as a backup; Just a couple droppers. It won't remove any debris from the water, but at least it won't give you the shits.

I have and it was amazing! I never had to buy bottled water and I felt so much better about the water I was drinking.