2022 WATER BOTTLE BUYER’S GUIDE
Did you know 480 billion plastic water bottles are used worldwide every year?
So before you go rolling your eyes at the fact that we actually researched a Buyer’s Guide for golf water bottles, think of the enormous impact plastic water bottles have on our fragile environment and what you can do to help.
There are many different types of reusable bottles to keep your liquid hot or cold. We have tested some of the leaders in the industry to help you find the one that best fits your needs.
Whether you’re looking to buy a golf water bottle today, want some buying advice or just a closer look at what’s on the market, this guide will help you find the perfect fit.
Winner: Hydro Flask Wide Mouth
If you’re looking for a water bottle that is durable and performs in all weather conditions, you need the Hydro Flask Wide Mouth. It has a robust outer shell with a stainless steel inner cylinder that keeps your liquid cold or warm for hours. It also comes with a straw to regulate the amount of intake to ensure you don’t get a face full of liquid. Throw in a carry loop and you have the Most Wanted Water Bottle of 2022.
- 3rd in durability
- 3rd in performance
- 2nd in drinkability
- 12th in portability
BEST WATER BOTTLE WITH A STRAW - Contigo Ashland
The Contigo Ashland is a water bottle for everyone. Its straw system is incredibly smooth allowing for a consistent amount of water to be distributed. The shape and size allows it to fit in most cup holders and golf bags. If it doesn't you can always clip it on to your bag instead.
The Best Golf Water Bottle – Features That Matter
Drinkability
The water bottles tested had either a straw or a wider spout for drinking. We found the straw was better as it controlled the amount of water intake. Bottles with wider, more open spouts don’t regulate the amount that comes out and, if there is ice in the bottle, can become blocked.
Water bottles that performed well in this category were the Contigo Ashland and Hydro Flask Wide Mouth.
Performance (Hot and Cold)
What’s the point of an insulated bottle if it doesn’t keep your drink cold on those hot days or warm on the winter nights? Most water bottles tested performed well in this category. It should be noted that not one bottle kept the water cold for the whole 24 hours but, let’s face it, who needs it to be cold for 24 hours?
If keeping your drinks hot or cold is a priority, check out the RTIC Water Bottle and Yeti Rambler 26 oz.
Durability
Whether you buy a cheaper or more expensive water bottle, you want it to last. Most of the water bottles tested were made from stainless steel. However, where we see differences is in the vacuum seal and toggle for portability reasons. Some come with a straw for easy drinkability which can play into the durability.
The Yeti Rambler 26 oz and Orca Hydra are great examples of high durability. Those who like water bottles with straws should consider Hydro Flask Wide Mouth.
EXPERT TIP - Insulated Water Bottles
If you want to keep your drink cold or hot hot a long period of time, you should consider water bottles that are insulated.
BEST WATER BOTTLE 2022 - FEATURES
| Product | Material | Colors | Sizes | Straw Option | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Coleman AUTOSEAL FreeFlow Check Price | Stainless Steel | 3 | 24oz | Yes |
 | Contigo Ashland Check Price | Stainless Steel | 9 | 24oz | Yes |
 | Corkcicle Classic Sports Check Price | Stainless Steel | 23 | 12-25oz | Yes |
 | Ello Cooper Vacuum Check Price | Stainless Steel | 8 | 22oz | Yes |
 | Hydrapeak Flow Check Price | Stainless Steel | 15 | 32oz | Yes |
 | Hydro Cell Check Price | Stainless Steel | 19 | 14-64oz | Yes |
 | Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Check Price | Stainless Steel | 10 | 32oz | Yes |
 | Iron Flask Wide Mouth Check Price | Stainless Steel | 24 | 14-64oz | Yes |
 | Mira Check Price | Stainless Steel | 9 | 24-40oz | No |
 | Orca Hydra Check Price | Stainless Steel | 8 | 22-66oz | No |
 | Polar Bottle 20 oz Check Price | Plastic | 3 | 20-24oz | No |
 | RTIC Water Bottle Check Price | Stainless Steel | 18 | 16-26oz | No |
 | Simple Modern Wave Accent Check Price | Stainless Steel | 12 | 40-128oz | Yes |
 | Stanley GO The Quick Flip GO Check Price | Stainless Steel | 3 | 24oz | No |
 | Takeya Originals Check Price | Stainless Steel | 9 | 18-40oz | No |
 | Taketau 32 oz Check Price | Stainless Steel | 12 | 32oz | Yes |
 | Tempercraft 22oz Check Price | Stainless Steel | 10 | 18-40oz | Yes |
 | Thermoflask Amazon Basics Check Price | Stainless Steel | 7 | 16-64oz | Yes |
 | Vessel MiiR Wide Mouth Check Price | Stainless Steal | 1 | 20 oz | No |
 | Yeti Rambler 26 oz Check Price | Stainless Steel | 13 | 26oz | No |
 | Zojirushi SM-SA60RW Check Price | Stainless Steel | 24 | 12-20oz | No |
BEST WATER BOTTLE WITHOUT A STRAW - Yeti Rambler 26 oz
The Yeti Rambler may not have a straw but it has what they call a Chug Cap. It allows water to funnel evenly without coming out too fast and ending up all over you. It is also dish washer friendly which makes all our lives easier.
More Tips
- If you plan to sip while exercising, you’ll probably want a model with an easy-open mechanism that you can operate with one hand.
- Those who carry their bag should consider a water bottle with a clip or loop to attach it to their bag but only if the golf bag doesn’t have a designated cooler or water bottle holder.
- The benefit of a larger water bottle is that you don’t have to refill it as often. The downside is it will be heavier than most standard-sized water bottles.
- Glass bottles are not recommended because they shatter easily.
- Whatever you use your water bottle for, make sure you check the specs so that it fits your bag, cup holder, etc.
- Drinking plenty of water is good for you. It helps with kidney function, makes your skin look healthy and helps maintain healthy bowel function.
How We Test
We're here to help you find the perfect water bottle to fit your needs.
To do that, we employ a thorough and fully independent testing process that leaves no feature unexplored, no detail unchecked, and no stone unturned.
Our Metrics
Water bottles are tested head to head using rigorous protocols.
The metrics we consider when rating water bottles include Durability, Performance (hot and cold), Drinkability, and Portability.
BEST WATER BOTTLE 2022 - RESULTS
| Product | Durability | Performance (Hot + Cold) | Drinkability | Portability | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Check Price | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 12th | 93.5 |
| Yeti Rambler 26 oz Check Price | 1st | 1st | 11th | 12th | 93 |
| Contigo Ashland Check Price | 20th | 6th | 1st | 1st | 93 |
| Coleman AUTOSEAL Check Price | 3rd | 6th | 8th | 5th | 93 |
| Corkcicle Classic Sports Check Price | 7th | 3rd | 6th | 11th | 92.5 |
| RTIC Water Bottle Check Price | 7th | 1st | 11th | 5th | 92 |
| Orca Hydra Check Price | 1st | 6th | 10th | 21st | 91.5 |
| Ello Cooper 32 oz Check Price | 5th | 6th | 6th | 20th | 91.5 |
| Vessel MiiR Wide Mouth Check Price | 10th | 6th | 11th | 4th | 91 |
| Takeya Originals Check Price | 7th | 16th | 8th | 5th | 91 |
| Taketau 32 oz Check Price | 10th | 14th | 2nd | 12th | 91 |
| Iron Flask Wide Mouth Check Price | 16th | 6th | 2nd | 12th | 91 |
| Hydrapeak Flow Check Price | 16th | 6th | 2nd | 12th | 91 |
| Tempercraft 22oz Check Price | 10th | 6th | 11th | 5th | 90.5 |
| Simple Modern Wave Accent Check Price | 16th | 14th | 11th | 1st | 90.5 |
| Zojirushi SM-SA60RW Check Price | 16th | 16th | 11th | 1st | 90 |
| Thermoflask Amazon Basics Check Price | 10th | 3rd | 11th | 12th | 90 |
| Stanley Go Bottle 24 oz Check Price | 5th | 16th | 11th | 12th | 89.5 |
| Mira Check Price | 10th | 16th | 11th | 5th | 89.5 |
| Hydro Cell Check Price | 10th | 16th | 11th | 5th | 89.5 |
| Polar Bottle 20 oz Check Price | 21st | 21st | 21st | 12th | 74.5 |
EXPERT TIP - Extra Features
Some water bottles have extra features . For example, some bottles have built-in fruit infusers that allows you to integrate fresh fruit with your beverage.
What Do I Need to Know About the Best Golf Water Bottles?
Q. Do I need an insulated water bottle?
A. Depending on where you live, or your personal preference for that matter, determines if you need an insulated water bottle. An insulated water bottle will keep your cold drinks cool and your hot drinks warm.
Q. Is my water bottle dishwasher safe?
A. Most are dishwasher safe but always check the specifications from the manufacturer before throwing it in the dishwasher.
Q. How much water should I drink a day?
A. It’s recommended that men should drink about 125 ounces a day and women around 90, according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Q. Should I get a water bottle with a wide or narrow mouth?
A. Whether you prefer a wide or narrow mouth comes down to personal preference. Wide-mouth bottles fill faster and the water comes out faster, too. Occasionally, it might come out too fast, causing you to spill it while you’re drinking.
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Mike
2 months agoMy course, like many of the courses around here, doesn’t have water jugs out there anymore (not that I would drink from them because I know they weren’t meticulously cleaned & sanitized daily).
I walk all my rounds and my links course has no shade, so I drink a lot of liquids out there. I use plain old plastic $1.99 24 oz water bottles, filling with ice & keep them in a pouch with an ice pack inside (the pouch being attached to my pushcart).. That has worked for me. I can’t imagine spending big $ for 4 or 5 of these water bottles.
And for me, forget the straw nonsense. They always break & if you’re sipping anything other than water, you really have to clean those straws out well to avoid bacteria buildup. Way too much effort.
Andrew the Great!
2 months agoExcept, after buying 15-20 $1.99 disposable 24oz water bottles, you would’ve paid for a Hydro Flask (or many of the others). And after 15-20, you’re *still* buying them. Perpetually. So very quickly you’ll end up paying *more* for those $1.99 bottles than if you’d bought a reusable insulated water bottle. And insulated, so no need for a pouch or an ice pack.
As for cleaning the straws, that’s easy. They make inexpensive bristle brushes that do the job well and quickly, and, if you’re only drinking water, the need to clean the straws is less than if you’re drinking other liquids. I almost think that Hydro Flask included the brush with the bottle (but I can’t be sure).
And no, the straws don’t break, at least not under normal use. They are durable and robust. Eventually, I presume (I haven’t broken one yet), but they’re inexpensive.
So over the long haul, IMO, it’s less expensive to buy a reusable insulated water bottle than to buy (and buy, and buy…) disposable water bottles.
Mike
2 months agoActually…NOT! I bought 4 water bottles about 7 years ago. Still have them all & they all still work great. My $8 investment has lasted me 7 seasons. Wow, you must be rough on water bottles!
I do carry 1 yeti insulated container in the winter if I want to bring out hot tea on the course but even in winter, I still bring my plastic water bottles with me.
Andrew the Great!
2 months agoOne more point. You say you drink a lot of liquids out there, and that you use 24oz plastic water bottles that cost $1.99.
For one round of golf I’d assume you use at least 2 of those plastic water bottles (because it seems to me 24oz wouldn’t equal “a lot of liquids”; it would have to be more than 24oz so more than one bottle).
If you’re drinking just two 24oz water bottles during a round of golf, that’s $4 worth of disposable plastic water bottles. My Hydro Flask 24oz widemouth costs $40 on the Hydro Flask website (might even be cheaper elsewhere). So in just 10 rounds of golf you’d’ve broken even by buying the Hydro Flask (or any other $40 reusable water bottle). And you’d be saving money *every* round thereafter.
After just 10-15 rounds after breaking even, you’d’ve saved the equivalent of a midweek green fee.
And I say all of this with ZERO regard for the environmental aspect of it, because I think the environmental aspect of it is bullcrap. If it made more sense economically and qualitatively to use disposable water bottles., that’s what I’d use. But it doesn’t.
Mike
2 months agoI probably was not clear enough in my original comment. I don’t use the plastic water bottles that come 24 or 36 to the case. That would be wasteful in my opinion. Rather, I bought a few sturdy 24 oz water containers & use those.
Doug Hansen
2 months agoGood to know. My club’s pro shop is pretty much standardized on Hydro Flask and Yeti. I guess it’s time to ditch my old plastic bicycle bottles…
Ian
2 months agoAnother year, another best golf water bottle with rankings but no actual testing… how did you actually test durability and performance, you haven’t showed any data?
Jerry Lane
2 months agoNow that you have covered water bottles, how about a review on what goes in them?
Personally, for years I had been using the Cytomax Cytosport Performance Drink mix in various flavors. A few months ago I learned that this product has been discontinued and now find myself experimenting to decide on a good replacement … so far unsuccessfully. Most of the products I have tried so far are not satisfying re hydration and some are just downright ugly tasting. All of the reviews that I have seen on-line appear to be designed to push a brand regardless of it’s qualities. An unbiased review is what is needed.
James R.
2 months agoThe only big thing I see missing from this is the effect of weight. If anyone walks or pushes a cart the metal insulated bottles add significant weight to the situation. I have honestly taken to using the full size Gatorade water bottles cuz they’re cheap hold 32 oz of water are easy to squeeze and don’t weigh a whole lot so once they’re empty and I’m filling up at the turn I don’t feel like I’ve pushed a bunch of dead weight around the course.
Andrew the Great!
2 months agoYeah, I think one more data point that would be helpful would be the empty weight of each reviewed bottle. I just picked up my empty Hydro Flask 24oz and there’s not much to it. I wouldn’t feel like I’m carrying around dead weight if it were empty.
Andrew the Great!
2 months agoI live in Puerto Rico and back in May I decided I needed to drink more water, not just on the golf course but every day. So I did my research and due diligence and all by myself I determined that the Hydroflask Wide was the best on the market for me.
Then by complete chance I learned that you reviewed water bottles a year ago…and you came to the same conclusion! And now here, you’re reaffirming that prior (and my) conclusion.
A couple of points. First, the Widemouth is better than the alternative, because it accepts larger ice cubes. That matters more than you might think. It’s better also because the wider mouth helps ensure a better cleaning in the dishwasher. Second, the smaller 24oz is better than the larger 32oz, because the 24oz is more versatile in fitting in cupholders. The 32 doesn’t fit most car cupholders, and almost certainly doesn’t fit ANY golf cart cupholders (even the 24 is a tight, but successful, squeeze). Third, 32oz of liquid is 33% heavier than 24oz, and of course the bottle itself is heavier. So that’s a lot of weight to be lugging around (especially if it inconveniently doesn’t fit in a cupholder). Fourth, unless you’re sweating profusely, 24oz of liquid s/b sufficient to keep you hydrated on the course until you can put another 24oz of fluid in the bottle.
Here’s what I do when I play in in the heat of PR: I bring a full 24oz of ice and water in my water bottle. I bring another 32oz of chilled coconut water (Kirkland) in my Yeti insulated “lunchbox”, and when I invariably empty my water bottle somewhere on the front-nine (empty of water, but most of the ice is intact), I replace it with the coconut water. Over a four-hour round I consume 56oz of fluids. That’s staying hydrated.
And just for everyday use, the Hydro Flask checks all the boxes.
Finally, I say this as a longtime (and still) Yeti fan. I have more than a dozen of a variety of Yeti products. They work, and so I don’t even consider other brands. But Yeti water bottles are not as convenient to use as is the Hydro Flask Wide 24oz, IMO.
Hope this helps.
KennyV
2 months agoOne important feature you neglected is size. It needs to fit in a cup holder or push cart beverage holder. If carrying it needs to fit in beverage pocket.
Harry Nodwell
2 months agoWe did take that into consideration and have mentioned them throughout the article regarding carts. Moreover, there are multiple different carts and push carts on the market with different size cup holders