This $13 Collapsible Water Bottle Is a Certified Hydration Hack

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YOU DON'T NEED us to remind you to drink water every day. Exactly how much water you should drink is a topic for a whole other post. But, however much you’re drinking, it probably isn’t enough. That’s why we like anything that makes it easier and more convenient for us to hydrate properly throughout the day. There are plenty of great water bottles available (you might already own more than one), but we love the go-anywhere portability and versatility of a collapsible water bottle.

Best Collapsible Water Bottles

The best collapsible water bottles work exactly like you imagine: They crush, fold, or simply roll down into an ultra-portable size when you don’t need them (like, say, when breezing through airport security where liquids are a no-no); but open like magic to full size when you’re ready to rehydrate. They’re there when you need them and disappear out of the way when you don’t. In other words, they make for great travel gadgets and camping essentials.

There’s no shortage of great collapsible water bottles to choose from. The best collapsible water bottle for you depends on where you plan to take it and what you most like to do on a regular basis. Are you a hiker, a cyclist, a nighttime jogger, or a gym rat? Whatever you’re into, there’s a best collapsible water bottle solution out there for you. That’s why our editors and writers set out to research and compare the top-selling and best-ranked options. After months of testing, we decided on the 12 best collapsible water bottles worth buying in 2024.

What to Consider

Shopping for the best collapsible water bottle isn't much different than shopping for any other good water bottle. No matter what you're into and what you're buying it for, there are a few things to consider.

Closure

The type of closure is one key feature that differentiates one bottle from another. Some collapsible water bottles use screw-top closures, others use flip-tops, while some rely on push-pull valves (like a typical Gatorade sports bottle). There is no one best type of closure. The "right one" is up to you and how you prefer to drink. Whichever type you decide on, just be sure to look for a bottle with a durable, leakproof closure.

Weight and Dimensions

Collapsible water bottles are often purpose-built to be lightweight, so most aren't particularly heavy. Still, if you're shopping for a model to take hiking or camping, weight may be a consideration. Likewise, you may want to consider the dimensions to make sure your new bottle will fit easily in your backpack, pants pocket, messenger bag, or wherever else you're planning to stash it.

Materials

Collapsible water bottles are available in a wide variety of materials. Some are extremely thin plastic (not much better or thicker than a single-use bottle) designed for portability over durability. Others use heavier-grade silicone or TPU plastic that's built to last longer and be more rigid, which can make them slightly less portable but easier to hold and drink from. Again, the right material is entirely up to you. Try a few styles in-store to get a feel for the pros and cons of each option.

Capacity

Consider the capacity—how much your new collapsible water bottle will hold. If you'll mainly be using your bottle around town, at the office, or while traveling (all with easy access to water fountains), a smaller, more portable bottle should suffice. If, however, you're looking for a portable water bottle for long hikes, cycling trips, or any activity that could take you away from reliable water sources for hours, opt for a larger alternative.

How We Selected the Best Collapsible Water Bottles

Our gear-loving editors and writers spent the better part of the last year researching and vetting dozens of top-selling collapsible water bottles. We wanted to find the best-reviewed models with a solid leakproof construction, a clever, portable design, and a decent price point, preferably under $40. We carefully tested each option to find only the best of the best, so you don't have to. The list below includes our honest picks of the 12 best collapsible water bottles worth buying in 2024.

Hydaway Collapsible Water Bottle - 25 fl. oz.

Hydaway's Collapsible Water Bottle features a one-of-a-kind design that's since been duplicated and imitated by numerous companies after its Kickstarter popularity. The texture is durable and grippy, which is doubly easy to hold thanks to the unique "bulge in the middle" shape.

Our staff testers were a little mixed on this collapsible water bottle. On one hand, the shape and texture make it great for people who tend to drop their bottles, and the shape is also the reason it's able to collapse down to an insanely small size that fits in a back pocket. But that same "ribbed" shape also makes it tough to clean and keep clean without scrubbing with a bottle brush. We also weren't too crazy about the spout, which does fold out of the way, but the design leaves it exposed to germs.

Still, we think this is a solid buy for its clever design and the fact that it collapses down smaller than almost any other rigid collapsible water bottle we tested this year. We also like that it's available in a handful of bold, solid colorways. It is a little pricier than most, but you can score it with a smaller 17-ounce capacity for less.

Platypus SoftBottle Water Bottle - 34 fl. oz.

This flexible water bottle has been beloved by backpackers for years. That's thanks largely to its high capacity-to-weight ratio. Fully loaded, it holds 34 fluid ounces while tipping the scales at a featherweight 1.3 ounces (for reference, a serving of potato chips weighs just one ounce!). When you need to stash it out of the way, it packs down ridiculously small to just one-fifth of its size. Bonus: You can even freeze the bottle, so it can double as an ice pack for hiking, camping, or beach days.

Our outdoor gear-loving testers applauded this collapsible water bottle, ranking it among their favorites of this year. It delivers on all fronts, carrying tons of water for long day hikes or even weekend camping (it's cheap enough to bring more than one). But it packs down almost impossibly small at the end of the day or when it's time to break camp. We also like that it pairs seamlessly with GravityWorks' filtration system, so you'll always have clean, fresh water wherever you go.

Our only beef is that it sacrifices durability for portability. It's thinner than most other options on this list, so it's not ideal as a "daily driver" water bottle. Still, we think it's great for outdoor adventuring. Plus, it's hard to beat the price.

LifeStraw Peak Squeeze Water Filter System - 33.8 fl. oz.

We've been mildly obsessed with LifeStraw's line-up of water bottles and reservoirs for years. They're perfect for hiking, cycling, kayaking, or pretty much any outdoor adventure. The Peak Series Collapsible 1L bottle is damn-near-perfect for all of the above. It's a compact, foldable bottle that holds just the right amount of water and features a built-in filter to boot.

Our testers found this to be the best collapsible water bottle for anyone who likes to be active outdoors. The design is dead-simple and the construction is extremely durable, even after months of use (constantly folding and unfolding it). We love that it's easy to wash and to keep clean, either in the dishwasher or by hand. But the biggest selling point is the integrated water filter. There's no need to carry a separate filter or pump—just fill up from virtually any source and drink.

We love everything about this water bottle, from the size and capacity to the clever design and built-in filter. It's a little pricier than most options we tested this year, but almost none of those offer water filtration out of the box. Factoring that in makes this one of the best-value filtered water bottles of 2024. Plus, it's available in a smaller 650ml option if the OG, 1-liter model isn't quite compact enough.

HydraPak 500 ml Stow Bottle - 17 fl. oz.

Hydrapak's Stow is another collapsible water bottle that's purpose-built for the outdoors. It's made from abrasion-resistant TPU plastic that's extremely durable and made to withstand abuse. It can also be frozen and thrown in the dishwasher. Weighing just two ounces, it's among the lightest models we tested and significantly lighter than traditional hard-sided water bottles.

Our outdoor crew loved this collapsible water bottle, and some have sworn by it for years. The heavy-duty construction lives up to the hype, and several of us have had the same one for years without it showing any signs of hard use. We like that it's available in 1L and 500ml sizes, so it's easy to pack more than one for longer trips. The design is also compatible with standard 28mm water filters, so you can pack an entire water filtration system in your pocket, no matter where you're headed.

The soft-sided design of this collapsible water bottle makes this one of the most lightweight and portable options on the market. It probably won't replace a more rigid or even hard-sided water bottle for most people. But if you're looking for a good mix of portability, durability, and price, this is your man.

HydraPak SkyFlask Speed 500ml - Lightweight Collapsible Handheld Running Water Bottle Soft Flask - (500 ml/16 oz) - Adjustable Handstrap With Thumb Loop, Spill-Proof Cap, Malibu Blue

Of course, not everyone needs to carry around 68 ounces of water, or even one liter of water for that matter. If you're looking for a more compact, portable option, HydraPak's SkyFlask IT Speed 500ml is a another great alternative. It's surprisingly small, and the built-in hand strap makes it easy to use for intense on-the-go activities like trail running or hiking.

The runners in our test group seriously loved this bottle. It holds just enough water for modest jogs and runs without worrying about carrying around an oversized ball of plastic once it empties. We found that it shrinks in size as you drink it down, which is a good thing. However, almost all of our testers also found that the strap doesn't quite fit right after the bottle shrinks. It's not as tight as we'd like.

Still, this is a great collapsible water bottle alternative for anyone looking for the absolute minimal option. If carrying around even one liter of water is still too much for what you like to do, this is a solid, ultra-portable, packable alternative.

Collapsible Water Bottle

With an accordion-style design, Nefeeko's is unlike almost any other collapsible water bottle we tested. That allows it to collapse down to about half its full size while the food-grade silicone construction ensures it's rigid enough to stand on its own.

Our team loved the folding and unfolding of this collapsible water bottle. It's dead simple to pull open when you need it and "crush" down to its most compact form when you don't. We found the 27-ounce capacity perfect for days at the office or while traveling—anywhere with easy access to a refilling station. Most of our team commented on the odd, rubbery taste when this bottle was new, and it never quite seemed to dissipate. We also found this bottle quite a bit more difficult to clean than soft-sided bottles with straight sides. It required careful use of a stiff wire brush.

Still, with its super affordable price tag, we think this is a solid value. It's arguably the best collapsible water bottle for anyone shopping on a budget. We also like that it's available in more than a dozen colors, from jet black to eye-popping orange to playful pink.

Nathan QuickSqueeze Insulated Handheld Water Bottle - 12 fl. oz.

Nathan has a long history of developing rock-solid running gear and apparel. So, it's no surprise that its Handheld Quick Squeeze is one of the year's best collapsible water bottles. The insulated design sets it apart from every other option we tested this year, making it a great alternative for cool-weather adventures. It also features an easy-to-hold strap that's comfortable in the hand and offers a bit of storage for stashing keys or gels.

The hikers on our test panel loved using this collapsible water bottle. The unique design makes it easy and comfortable to hold, even after long-distance walks and jogs. We also appreciated the extra storage space to hide our tiny essentials somewhere other than our pockets. Our main gripe with this model is that the water can be hard to dispense, requiring holding the bottle in just the right way and squeezing it in the right place to get more than a few drops out at a time. Once we figured it out, however, we found this model to be almost perfect.

Like most of Nathan's gear, this bottle is incredibly well-designed and durable. We have no doubt that it'll last for years. Given its compact 12-ounce size, it's relatively pricey. But the unique design and features still make it a win for us.

Collapsible Portable Sports Water Bottle

Semetor's collapsible water bottle is like a mirror image of Hydaway's. It features a similar tapered design but with an hourglass shape that's equally easy to hold and collapses down small enough to stash in a pocket. This option does feature a cap to protect the spout, however, and the included carabiner is a nice touch for clipping to your belt loop, backpack, or gym bag.

While we found it awkward at first, our staff grew to love the design of this unique collapsible water bottle. One of our self-proclaimed "clumsiest" writers noted, "This is WAY easier to hold than my CamelBak!" It's easy to hold and to keep tabs on with the attached carabiner. We also appreciate that it's designed to be used with both cold and hot beverages. However, while Semetor touts that the silicone is safe up to 480°F, in reality, the outside gets far too hot against your skin to hold when it's filled with piping-hot liquids (like coffee). It's technically dishwasher safe, although our team found the "ribbed" design tough to get completely clean.

This collapsible water bottle doesn't offer quite the same quality as the Hydaway it's trying to imitate. But it does boast many of the same features, plus a tethered cap and carabiner, which is why we think it's a steal at roughly one-third the price.

Collapsible Water Bottle 23 oz

Vapur's "anti-bottle" Collapsible Water Bottle has been another fan favorite among avid outdoor adventurers for years. The razor-thin design folds almost flat and rolls up ridiculously small when not in use, but the sides are rigid enough to allow this option to stand on its own when full. Plus, it's dirt cheap and available in more than a dozen colorways.

For active adventuring—think camping, hiking, paddling, and mountain biking—when we need a basic collapsible water bottle, this is our testers' go-to choice. The thin design makes it incredibly packable, although, like the Platy above, there is a noticeable trade-off in durability. Still, it's reliable enough to take with us into the backcountry. With more than 10,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews on Amazon, it's clear many others agree.

The thin, soft-ish design of this collapsible water bottle is enough to rule it out as a "daily driver" for most people. But, as a backup water reservoir, when bringing a liter of water in your favorite bottle isn't enough, this is almost perfect. Did we mention it's also among the most affordable on this list?

68 oz Collapsible Water Bottle

The most popular water bottles, even collapsible models, are designed to hold about one liter (33 ounces) of liquid. TakeToday's jumbo-sized alternative has a 68-ounce capacity, so it holds roughly a half-gallon of your favorite beverage. That's more than enough for even the most demanding hydration enthusiasts. The design still folds down surprisingly small, however, making it incredibly packable.

Our team was skeptical about how well a collapsible bottle this large would stand up on its own when full. We confirmed it packs down very small, almost compact enough to stuff into a pocket. But, when unfolded and filled, the design is surprisingly rigid and free-standing. We also liked the integrated handle, which made it significantly easier to carry around the weight of so much water. The spout tucks away neatly to protect it from germs too. However, several of our testers noted that their bottles began to leak when placed on their sides.

The jumbo-sized capacity of this collapsible water bottle is enough to make this option stand out among the many models we tested this year. There's a lot to like about this one, and it's surprisingly well-designed for such a large bottle. Plus, it's priced well, too, compared to many of the smaller options available.

Collapsible Water Bottles (9-pack)

Unlike the à la carte options on this list, this collapsible water bottle is actually sold as a pack of nine. It's easily the most budget-conscious option we tested this year. The eye-popping colorways are great for kids or for doling out to your kids' friends if they need a basic water bottle in a pinch.

Our testers universally agreed that the best thing going for this set of water bottles is the price. They're insanely affordable. That's possible because they're also the thinnest and least durable option we tested this year. The quality is better than a fully disposable, single-use water bottle but markedly less than any other option on this list. Likewise, the cap is the cheap, basic pop-top drinking cap you might find on any Gatorade bottle. We did like, however, that the thin design means they can be folded down almost completely flat to stuff in a backpack or pocket.

If you're looking for the cheapest collapsible water bottle option available this year, you've found it. These aren't great, and the long-term reliability remains to be seen. But did we mention they're insanely cheap?

Do Collapsible Water Bottles Leak?

As with traditional water bottles, cheap collapsible water bottles can leak and are more susceptible to punctures. That's why it's worth spending a bit more (usually more than $25) on a durable, food-grade silicone option with a solid, well-made neck and closure.

Will My Collapsible Water Bottle Keep Water Cold?

Insulated stainless steel water bottles are always your best bet for keeping water and other beverages cold. Most collapsible water bottles can't compete. The best option for keeping your water cold with a collapsible water bottle is to buy a model with a thicker construction, usually of heavy-grade silicone or one that is specifically sold as "insulated."

How Do I Wash a Collapsible Water Bottle?

The durable materials used in the best collapsible water bottles mean they're dishwasher safe and can even be placed in boiling water to really disinfect them. Most have small spouts and other nooks and crannies that should be cleaned regularly by hand, however. For that, we recommend a stiff wire or bottle brush that's designed for just that purpose.

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