I’d like a water bottle that I can carry on short walks. Usually I’m not going on day-long hikes or anything like that; I’m usually out for 1-2 hours, so I just need to carry a liter or so. I have quite a few Nalgene-type bottles and metal bottles, but I’ve never found a convenient way to carry one. I don’t want to just hold it in my hand for the whole walk, but if I hang it from my belt or from a shouder strap, it swings around and repeatedly slams into my hip, so I end up keeping my hand on it most of the time, which is inconvenient.
Possibilities I’m considering:
A wineskin. I used to have one, and it was pretty comfortable to carry on a shoulder strap. However it was hard to clean since you couldn’t get a brush into the tiny opening.
A Camelbak backpack. I’ve never used one, but it seems a bit overkill for the small amount of water I’ll be carrying.
Carry one of my Nalgene bottles in a small backpack. Again it seems a bit overkill to carry a backpack for an hour-long walk.
I don’t think any of these ideas are terrible, but do you have any other suggestions?
Just go to your local REI and try 'em on. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They’re made for runners, primarily, but should work fine for a walk too. They’re more secure than just a bottle on a sling, while not being as cumbersome as a full backpack (and easier to reach for a drink).
Or if you primarily walk near water sources, you could also just carry a Lifestraw and suck the water directly You’ll probably get strange looks, but hey, that’s the price of convenience…
Just quickly looking for water bottles for runners, since it seems like those would be designed not to swing around, I found some handheld ones, here’s a random example.
Also, I found some that, instead of hanging from a belt, are attached to it, like this. Again, just a random example.
You have plenty of water bottles. ISTM what you need is a water bottle carrier.
I have a few of these:
They cost nothing, they weigh nothing, and are ideal for keeping your hands free while carrying a few random things. They’re the limit case of simple for backpacks; just an open-top rectangular mesh bag and drawstrings that double as shoulder straps. No space wasting subdivisions, just a single space.
I hike the beach with my shoes, shirt, & towel in one, go shopping on foot with one and put my purchases in there as I accumulate them, etc. I have a couple in my suitcase for travel where they can be auxiliary luggage or laundry bags if necessary. Or I go out when it’s warm & want to carry a jacket for later when it’ll be cool. Or vice versa.
I bet this’ll solve your carrying problem for your water bottle and anything else you’ll want for a couple hour walk. Even unburden your pockets by putting keys, phones, etc., in there. Adding and subtracting layers as you warm up or cool down. Gloves off, gloves on.
If that’s not quite the right thing, an Amazon search for “mesh backpack” can get you larger, smaller, or more elaborate.
I use a variety depending on how far I’m going and outdoor temperature. The style that works best for you is entirely down to personal preference.
Hand-held with a strap to help you hold it, like @Joey_P linked: these are great for shorter runs/walks where I don’t need a lot, and the strap makes it very easy to hold. I prefer the kind I hold in my palm instead of ones that fit behind the hand like in his link, but again, personal preference. Decide if you want a rigid bottle or one that collapses. Rigid are nice because they keep a firm and consistent shape in your hand, but the water sloshing around as it empties bothers me. The collapsible don’t have the sloshing problem, but it can feel like holding a wet noodle toward the end.
Hydration pack: these are more comfortable than regular backpacks, and can hold a lot more if you do go for a longer hike. The valve can be hooked near your mouth so it’s effortless to take a drink. They can be a little warm in hot weather and some people don’t like the weight on their shoulders. Nice ones (like Nathan) that fit your form and don’t bounce around can be more expensive.
Hydration belt: the water bottle attaches to the belt and rides on your hip. A good one won’t bounce at all. I don’t like these as much because the elastic eventually weakens and I have trouble keeping it in place on my hip, but that’s more of a problem when running versus walking.
The way it’s on the back of the hand looked uncomfortable to me as well, but, like I said, it was just a random example. There are, of course, plenty of examples with it in the palm of your hand. From here.
I do think that OP should probably look at water bottles meant for running or hiking. Situations in which people would consider not swinging around to be of more importance than one meant for sitting on a desk/treadmill or for walking.
PS you can also put a bare hydration bladder (the water pouch that actually holds the water inside a CamelBak — they are removable) inside one of these, for lighter & more form-fitting water.
Many of them are self-stable so will stay upright and relatively rigid to limit sloshing, e.g.:
When we go backpacking, aside from the big backpack, we will also carry one of those and a spare ultralight backpack (barely heavier than a mesh bag, but more comfortable). It has a hydration bladder pocket to keep it tight against the back (where it’s most comfortable, instead of sloshing around) and a exit port for the tube.
They’re comfortable enough for walks and dayhikes of several hours, without adding any significant weight. The backpack + bladder together are probably around the weight of an empty Nalgene, and lighter than a steel bottle would be.
I wouldn’t use it for running, though — backpacks suck for that.
If you are only going for an hour or so - you probably don’t need to carry water at all. You should be able to manage a solid walk like that without drinking (unless the weather is above 30 degrees C or so).
I bought this mesh water bottle pouch from Amazon last year for similar purposes. I liked that the carabiner attachment let me hang it from whatever point was most convenient at any given time.
You’ll probably get strange looks, but hey, that’s the price of convenience…
