Water bottle

From Trail-Finder -- Dedicated to getting you outside

Water bottles are both the generic term for anything used to carry water, and also the specific term for one common object used to carry that water. Some form of water container is critical for any outdoor activity, including hiking, mountain biking, and others.

In it's cheapest form, a water bottle is just a plastic bottle of water picked up at the gas station near the trailhead and dropped into your pack or pocket. For a short trip, an hour or so, on well-traveled trail, this is probably all you need.

Although disposable bottles can easily be refilled a few times, a better option is a more durable nalgene or polycarbonate bottle. These can be easily cleaned, with a wide mouth that is sometimes set up to connect to water filters.

If you spend much time outside, or even if you're just buying a new pack, you should probably consider the purchase of a hydration pack, which carries more water, and puts it where you can get to it easily without stopping.

Bike Water Bottles

Biking is the one sport where the water bottle still reigns supreme. With a frame-mount to your bike, it's easy to carry one or two bottles of water on your bike frame. Although the water bottle is still the dominant water-carrying device on bikes, hydration packs are rapidly gaining ground. For biking, the hydration packs are smaller than hiking packs, with a lower profile, and less room for non-water.