I've Tried *All* The Trending Water Bottles — Here's Why I Chose This Old-School Bottle

The older I get, however, the less subtle my body is when it’s dehydrated. The headaches and muscle cramps have been enough to make me try anything to make me drink my frickin’ water. Recently, I resorted to buying the “It Girl” drinking vessel from my high school years, the ever-faithful CamelBak.

Like most of us, I have tried nearly every beverage container in my attempt to consume my daily eight cups. I have glass bottles and metal bottles, big ones and small ones, cute ones and sporty ones, and bottles I never use but cannot give away. I have trendy water bottles that are giant and metal and promise to keep your beverage icy cold for hours on end. And on a normal workday, I drink less water when I have a giant 40-ounce bottle staring me in the face.

When working at home, I’ve learned I prefer a smaller plastic bottle. It’s comfortable to keep in my lap, encourages me to drink the whole thing, and keeps my water cool, but not frigid (which I don’t want anyway).

On a recent trip to my hometown, I thought a lot about my teen years and suddenly remembered the popularity of the Camelbak. I vividly remember the cool girls carrying them in the hallways and biting on the straw head during class. Like today’s Stanley, they were as much of a fashion accessory as they were a functional container for water — and it occurred to me this might be the water bottle I’ve been looking for.

Clicking on Amazon, I saw those very same bottles in an array of gorgeous colors. I don’t know how much these bottles cost in 2009, but in 2024, the price (around $14) was right. After much deliberation, I went for the light blue-green shade called “Coastal” — it looked like sea glass and made me happy when I pictured drinking out of it.

The bottle itself is soft in your hands and easy to hold ― it’s not huge, and is available in 20, 25, or 32 ounces ― so you can carry it with a single finger through its handle. The straw cap is also made from silicone and provides a unique tactile pleasure that the hard plastic straws of Stanleys and Hydro Flasks cannot. And as the straw bends in, you can throw it in your bag with reckless abandon, knowing it won’t leak all over your stuff.

Through therapy, I’ve learned the power of gifting yourself both superfluous and significant things that you may have wanted as a kid. Though a CamelBak was never on the top of my wishlist, it was certainly symbolic of being in some “in crowd” I never felt I was in. All that aside, this thing has me drinking more water than truly any bottle or cup I’ve ever had. Try it out for yourself.

"Lost my old one (I’ve gone through a few over the years) and picked the dark teal color because everyone else in the family has a warm color, so no more stealing my bottle lol! They DON’T leak, they fit in cup holders on cars and on backpacks, and they are rugged. I have NEVER had to throw one away because it broke (and all the small pieces can be replaced, of course). No, they get lost or commandeered." —Nandini Terrazas

"This is my favorite water bottle to take to the gym. It holds a good amount of water and is easy to clean, plus offering so many color choices." —Candy

"Love this brand and this bottle. I use it at work every day, and it doesn’t spill even when I drop it. Holds plenty of water for me. And easy to sip. Would recommend this product to anyone!" —Andrea Gurley