When hiking, running, or generally being active in the great outdoors, you need water. Water bottles are a mainstay of many adventure. Yet they can be bulky, hog space in your bag and generally be a nuisance to carry – even after you’ve finished drinking from them. This is where a collapsible water bottle can be hugely useful. The best collapsible water bottles hold lots of water when full, but are super easy to store until you get to your next refill station.

Collapsible water bottles can be squashable, foldable, rollable or concertina-style, but they all squish down in order to save space and make transporting them easy. You can usually fit them into the smallest bags, and some of them can even fit into a pocket, or around a wrist.

If you want to reduce weight and space, especially when hiking or camping, then a collapsible water bottle could be good for you. You can also take them to work, drink from them in the car or simply carry them around during your day-to-day.

In this guide, we’ve laid out why collapsible water bottles are great and the features you should look for when buying one. For the best collapsible water bottles you can possibly get your hands on (and lips around), read on. If you know what you’re looking for and just want to see our favorites, then skip ahead.

Key Factors to Consider in Collapsible Water Bottles

There are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing your water bottle, and this is what we factored heavily in our reviews. We’ve evaluated each one in these three categories: design and usability, aesthetics and durability.

Design and Usability

How does the bottle collapse? Does it have any useful features? How light is it? Does it have a wide mouth or a narrow mouth and so how fast does it pour? All of these questions – and more – are important, and all affect how you use your bottle.

Aesthetic

Different bottles have different aesthetics. While some are chic accessories for fashion-conscious sippers and daytrippers, others are built purely for function. While some collapsible water bottles look like pouches when they’re full, others look just like, well, bottles.

Durability

Some collapsible water bottles will last close to forever. Some are so poorly made that they won’t last five minutes. And some are built for more rugged adventures than others. Depending on your needs and budget, a lower durability bottle might be perfectly acceptable.

With these thoughts in mind, here are our top 10 picks for the best collapsible water bottles.

Top 10 Best Collapsible Water Bottles 2024

1. Best Overall Collapsible Water Bottle: Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle

Design and Usability

At 22oz, this is an average size. But beyond that, it’s anything but average. The BPA-free silicone design is fantastic. It flexibly rolls down into a tiny package a third of its original size, but when unfolded it retains its shape effectively. It’s very lightweight, and the clip which keeps it folded up is fantastic.

Aside from its sturdiness, it has some pretty useful features, including a loop in which you can squeeze your wrist into (for easy portability) and a rubber sleeve for gripping (perfect if you have sweaty or wet hands).

The twist cap seals the bottle, so you won’t have any leaks. The bottle has both a wide spout and a narrow spout, and it can fit ice.

Aesthetics

It’s not the most aesthetic model on the market, but it still looks pretty good. It has an appearance somewhere between a hiking water bottle and an everyday use bottle, so it’s perfect for using everywhere. It’s available in six different colors.

Durability

This is built with shatterproof silicone, so even if you drop it when out on the trails, it won’t smash. The durability here is brilliant overall. This bottle was designed by a regular backpacker, traveler and digital nomad, so it has the rugged, robust design needed to survive the backpacking experience. It’s even freezable!

2. Best Big Collapsible Water Bottle: Nalgene Wide Mouth Canteen

Design and Usability

Some collapsible water bottles such as the Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle fold out into sturdy, robust vessels. This one doesn’t. Instead, it’s more like a pouch. Yes, it holds its shape pretty well when full of water, but it’s not mega sturdy.

But otherwise, this is excellent. The wide mouth is brilliant for taking big swigs (and for collecting water from a river or stream), it’s BPA-free and it’s very light. Sadly, though it collapses down to a very small size, there’s not an attachment on the bottle to hold it into its collapsed state. You can do this yourself with an elastic band or hair tie if you wish.

For hiking and camping, if you don’t mind a simple bottle which does its job well, this is great. It can handle both hot and cold drinks.

Aesthetics

Let’s be honest. This looks uninteresting, at best. For some people, that might be an issue. For others, it might be irrelevant. It doesn’t have a cool color scheme or any interesting features, but it carries water.

Durability

The durability here is pretty average. It’s not built with any hi-tech features to prevent leaks or prevent shattering, but it should still last you a decent amount of time.

3. Vapur Eclipse

Design and Usability

With a self-compressing carabiner which keeps the folded bottle in its folded position, this folds down into a tiny size, and it’s easy to pack away and store. The oval shape of the cap is, again, great for saving space, so this bottle is great if you have a very small pack. It’s BPA-free too.

It’s mega lightweight, it rarely leaks and it even stands up (precariously) when it’s filled. This is a no-frills bottle but it does all the essentials well. It’s available in 33oz and 23oz sizes.

Annoyingly, the edges of the bottle are a little sharp, so they can cut your hands if you’re not careful. You can freeze this, but you shouldn’t store hot drinks in it.

Aesthetics

This is available in five different colors, and the minimalist design is actually pretty cool. Some people will like the design, some won’t, but as far as pouch-style bottles go, this looks brilliant.

Durability

The durability isn’t the best. This is the only main flaw here. But, considering the competitive price point, this still represents decent value for money even if it does break after a few months.

4. Best Budget Collapsible Water Bottle: Survivor Filter Collapsible Canteens

Design and Usability

This buy is best suited to someone who is often adventuring outdoors, and who needs a way to filter undrinkable water (in order to make it drinkable). If that’s you, this is the best option on this list.

The bottles (which come in a pack of two) are designed to be attached to a water filter, not included, from the same company. If that’s your plan, you simply gather water in one of the bottles, then attach the filter and squeeze the water through this filter. As a survival tool, these are great.

Both bottles are 33oz, so this pack gives you 66oz of BPA-free space in total.

As a bottle, it’s also pretty good, but it doesn’t have the same rugged, reliable build as some of the sturdier collapsible water bottles. It doesn’t stand up too well when full, it doesn’t retain its shape very well and it doesn’t have any of the exciting features offered by some of the more expensive refillable water bottles. But if you want something affordable which can be filled up, folded down and used for filtration, that’s exactly what you’re getting. One thing to note, these bottles aren’t recommended for hot drinks.

Aesthetics

This design is never going to excite anybody. It’s transparent, it’s bland and it doesn’t have any interesting aesthetic features. But it’s built for a job and it does that job.

Durability

This doesn’t look very durable, but it’s surprisingly rugged, and should last you a long while. It can take the bumps which hiking entails, and the constant filling, emptying and repacking don’t seem to damage the bottle. Given the price point, the durability is excellent. Sometimes, the bottle can be a little prone to leaks, which is the main flaw here.

5. Best Premium Collapsible Water Bottle: HYDAWAY Collapsible Water Bottle

Design and Usability

The way this bottle collapses is great. Concertina-style, it squeezes down into a tiny, portable 1.5 inches, but stands up very well when full. If you want a bottle that collapses down into basically nothing, but simultaneously stand ups excellently and grips equally well, this is brilliant. It’s hard to find a collapsible water bottle which functions and feels like a real bottle when it’s full, but this does just that.

Crafted from BPA-free materials, it has a great wide mouth, a straw-style spout for drinking, a design which fits into cup holders, and pocket-sized collapsed dimensions. Overall, the design is fantastic.

Aesthetics

This looks great. It has a nice contoured design and it’s available in nine different colors. Yes, it still doesn’t look like a non-collapsible water bottle, but it’s one of the more attractive options on the market, and it looks unique.

Durability

It doesn’t have the best durability. This bottle is, on occasion, prone both to leaking and to breaking, which is a shame as it’s a little pricier than the vast majority of other water bottles on the market. That said, if you take good care of it, it should last a while.

6. Baiji Bottle

Design and Usability

Both bottles are 20oz, so you get 40oz of BPA-free water storage here. There’s nothing special in the design, but these bottles are great at what they do. They stay upright when they’re full, and they have a carabiner for keeping them furled when they’re empty.

These are freezable, and the flip-lock spout is great for quick drinking. But the big flaw here is the taste. While most collapsible water bottles leave very little taste (and while this one claims to), the bottles often leave water tasting a little like rubber or plastic.

Aesthetics

The pack offers one blue bottle and one pink bottle. And they’re your only options, leaving little room for anyone who likes to have different aesthetic choices. While most collapsible water bottles look like outdoors equipment, this looks more like a cheap exercise class bottle.

Durability

The durability is pretty good. These should last you a while, which is great considering the excellent price point.

7. Mountop Collapsible Water Bottle

Design and Usability

At 20.5 oz, with an unusual oblong-style design, this is excellent for packing away. When full, you can slide it into your backpack easily and quickly, so it’s perfect for saving space. This bottle is BPA-free.

Though it’s thin, it stands up very well, keeping its shape excellently when full. When empty, the bottle has a great clip for keeping it tightly rolled-up. It can handle both hot and cold drinks. It leaks occasionally, and it’s very hard to clean, which is a little frustrating.

Aesthetics

The oblong-style design isn’t just great for packing small and packing light, it also looks excellent, with a very sleek and stylish build. Available in six pastel colors, this looks great and offers lots of options. If you like your equipment to look good, you’ll likely love this.

Durability

This has great durability. It tackles all temperatures and the material is very robust. But because it’s hard to clean, this might develop bad tastes and smells over time, which though annoying, is just about forgivable for a bottle this good.

8. Nefeeko Collapsible Water Bottle

Design and Usability

At 18oz and with a very lightweight build, this is a good choice for those seeking a small bottle. For any hikers who want hydration over a long trek, this isn’t a good choice, but if you want a versatile bottle for use in all types of situations (exercise, work, in the car and everywhere else), this is ideal.

It’s much more like a ‘real’ bottle than the pouch-style bottles made by other companies, but it doesn’t hold its shape quite as well as you might imagine.

Because this isn’t built exclusively for hiking, it doesn’t offer the packability featured by many other water bottles. Though it does fold down – and though it does come with a carabiner – its folded size is actually pretty big, at 5.5 inches. If you’re very keen to save as much space as possible, this isn’t ideal.

It’s made of BPA-free silicone, but it does sometimes leave a little hint of an unpleasant smell and taste.

Aesthetics

This looks unusual, with a pagoda-like appearance which some will like and some won’t. But it does at least look like a real bottle, which is better than some other collapsible water bottles. It comes in four different bold color options, which all look pretty cool.

Durability

This is built to have good durability. Because it isn’t foldable or rollable, the silicone is rugged and robust, so it’s great for throwing into your bag and using on the go. It’s, unfortunately, a little difficult to clean because of its weird shape. Though it can handle warm drinks, it will warp if used for very hot drinks.

9. Topnaca Collapsible Water Bottle

Design and Usability

With a 26oz capacity, this is pretty big considering its price. When full, it stands up pretty well (because of the hard plastic on the top and bottom of the bottle), but it collapses a little when you try to drink from it. It also has only a large mouth hole for drinking from. These two elements combined make for a bottle that isn’t the most usable for drinking on the go, but it’s what you can expect at this price point.

For folding away small, this is great. It’s lightweight, it folds down to around 2.5 inches and it’s easy both to collapse and uncollapse. It’s not very robust, and is way more fragile than lots of other more expensive collapsible water bottles. If you’re looking for something a little more resilient, the MANLYCAMP ACHELOUS is a good choice.

It’s BPA-free and comes with a carabiner for attaching to your other equipment. It leaves a taste and smell after prolonged use, which isn’t ideal.

Aesthetics

It looks cheap, because it is cheap. It comes in only one design/color choice, so it’s not a good product for any budding fashionistas who care about what their water bottle looks like.

Durability

Poor durability. Considering the price point, it presents more than value for money, but this certainly won’t be around forever. It’s pretty flimsy and fragile.

10. Most Durable Bottle: MANLYCAMP ACHELOUS Collapsible Water Bottle

Design and Usability

At 22oz, this is around an average size. Its best feature lies in its rugged shape. Tiny when folded down but bottle-shaped and sturdy when full, it has a brilliant design. It has a rugged metal clip which ties the bottle up when it’s empty, so it stays small, perfect for packing away.

Leakproof, shatterproof and crafted with thick BPA-free silicone, this is perfect for anyone who wants a bottle that can handle rugged traveling. The wide mouth is great for grabbing big swigs on the go. You can freeze this and use it for both hot and cold drinks.

Aesthetics

Honestly, it looks cheap, and doesn’t have the sleek design of many other bottles on this list. If you care about aesthetics, you might want to give this a miss. But if you don’t, it’s one of the best.

Durability

Fantastic durability. This shouldn’t shatter, break or crack if you drop it. The bottle comes with a lifetime guarantee, and the company claims that the metal clip (which holds the folded bottle together) is completely unbreakable.

Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy a Collapsible Water Bottle

There you have it – the ten best collapsible water bottles currently being carried around peaks, valleys and hiking trails the world over.

They’re all fantastic for saving space, drinking on the go and enhancing the vast majority of outdoor adventures. And they’re all pretty good for everyday use too.

But before you buy a collapsible water bottle, it’s good to get acquainted with a few things you should know. Below, we’ve broken down some facts, information and FAQs on collapsible water bottles, so you know exactly what you’re buying, exactly what you’re looking for, and why your life is going to be better when you have one.

Materials

All good water bottles are BPA-free. Whether collapsible or not, you should always buy a BPA-free bottle. Every collapsible water battle we’ve included on our list is BPA-free.

But what’s BPA? And what’s BPA-free?

Why You Should Avoid BPA products

BPA is short for (the not very catchy) Bisphenol-A, a chemical used in lots of reusable and non-reusable plastic products. BPA is used in storage plastics, water bottles, baby bottles and lots more everyday stuff.

But if you’re buying products with BPA in them, you shouldn’t be. BPA mimics the estrogen hormone, which might not seem too bad. Yet BPA has been linked to obesity, increased rates of cancer and lots of other things you don’t want in your life – so what you also don’t want in your life are products which include BPA.

The Advantage of Silcone products

Most bottles on this list are made with silicone, as this allows for bottles to both hold shape when needed and offer flexibility when needed. Generally speaking, if you want a bottle that is better at retaining its filled shape, go for one with thicker silicone, such as the MANLYCAMP ACHELOUS. If you want one which is better at folding down into tiny dimensions, go for a bottle crafted with thinner material, such as the Vapur Eclipse.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of refillable water bottles: bottle-style and pouch-style. The bottle-style ones, when filled, look like (you guessed it) a bottle. The pouch-style ones, when filled, look like (you guessed it again) pouches. But you’ve probably worked that out from reading through our list.

If, after reading this, you’ve realized that a collapsible bottle isn’t really what you’re looking for after all, you should still make sure you buy a good quality BPA-free bottle. If you’re looking for a simple BPA-free bottle which isn’t collapsible, the Nalgene Tritan is a fantastic choice.

Can I Store Both Hot and Cold Drinks in My Collapsible Water Bottle?

It depends on the type of bottle which you buy. Some collapsible water bottles are only suitable for cold drinks. Others are suitable for hot drinks too! If you want to drink both cold and hot drinks on the go, it’s important you buy one which can do both. A good choice is our favorite collapsible water bottle, the Nomader Collapsible Water Bottle.

Can I Use My Collapsible Water Bottle for Drinks Other Than Water?

Yes. You’re not limited to just drinking water. If you prefer juice, energy drinks, alcohol or something else tastier than water, you can put it in your collapsible water bottle.

But because of the way some bottles work, they will begin to absorb the taste of any drinks you swig from them. That said, the effect is pretty tame, so unless you have sensitive taste buds, you probably won’t care.

Collapsible Water Bottle Prices

You can get a reusable water bottle at pretty much any price. While some people might invest in a pricey model of around $30, you can easily find a good, reliable, durable collapsible water bottle for around $10. For all budgets, you can find a good collapsible water bottle. For something affordable, we recommend the Survivor Filter Collapsible Canteens Bottle.

Collapsible Water Bottle Maintenance

If you want your bottle to last you a long while, you should look after it properly. Treat it with care, store it dry (in a cool, dry place) and only fill it with stuff which you should.

You should also wash your bottle properly. Some are machine-washable, but it’s best to wash them all by hand. If you wash them by hand, you can do so gently and properly. Always make sure you use warm (rather than very hot) water.

If you treat your bottle well (which it’ll love you for), you’ll likely get plenty of life out of it. The best collapsible water bottles will probably last around a couple of years before you’ll need to replace them.

You should also buy accordingly. If you’re planning to hike and enjoy other outdoor adventures with your bottle, buy one which is up to the task.

Collapsible Water Bottles and the Environment

Collapsible water bottles are excellent for the environment. With a reusable bottle, you don’t have to keep buying single-use bottles again and again.

If you rely on single-use water bottles, you’ll use way more than you realize. In 2014, in the US, the average person purchased 315 plastic drinks bottles. You can hugely help the environment by buying a reusable water bottle, whether collapsible or otherwise. Water bottle use stats are all pretty shocking.

Where and When Can I Use a Collapsible Water Bottle?

Collapsible water bottles were – and are – built for usability. Initially crafted for backpackers, hikers and other outdoor adventurers, collapsible water bottles are built for packability.

Because they’re very light and collapse down to a very small size, collapsible water bottles can easily fit into a backpack, and they’re easy to carry around alongside your other hiking gear.

But while collapsible water bottles are mostly used by anyone wearing a backpack while out on an adventure, that’s not all they’re good for. They’re also usable by anyone who needs a water bottle, making them very versatile. If you have a collapsible water bottle, you don’t need to buy another non-collapsible water bottle for non-backpacking activities. So if you want a water bottle which is good for hiking and cycling, but equally good for soccer, commuting and the workplace, a good collapsible one can do it all.

Collapsible Water Bottle Capacity

You can buy collapsible water bottles in lots of different sizes, but most run from around 20oz to around 40oz.

To get a good idea of what capacity you should look for, you should consider what you’re using your collapsible water bottle for. If it’s just for use on the go in day-to-day life, a small one will suffice, as you’ll usually be close to a faucet, so you can always fill it up.

If it’s for long-distance hiking when you’ll often be far from a water source (or at least a clean water source), you should consider buying a bigger bottle. If that’s the case, we recommend buying the Nalgene Wide Mouth Canteen, which offers a hefty 48oz of hydration.

Final Thoughts

Collapsible water bottles are great. They’re lightweight and collapsible (if that wasn’t already pretty obvious), and they’re easy to carry around. They’re refillable, they’re great for the environment and they’re surprisingly affordable.

Whether you want a collapsible bottle for hiking, cycling, running or just using at work, they’re a brilliant buy.

No matter why you want a collapsible water bottle (and where you’re going to use it), we’ve included something in this guide which will be perfect for you. Get buying, get refilling, get collapsing and get swigging!