If you are here, you are probably looking for a good gym water bottle. One that will help you stay hydrated during those tough workouts and long training sessions.
I have reviewed more bottles than I care to remember, and there are certainly good and bad bottles when it comes to working out and going to the gym.
Staying hydrated is actually a key factor in achieving your fitness goals. We will come to that later in this article as I point out some important studies and research done on the subject.
So far, it is enough to know that regardless of what your goal is – gaining muscle or losing weight – the last thing you want to be is dehydrated.
So without further ado, let’s take a look.
The Best Water Bottles for the Gym
- Blender Bottle ProStack System (click here to check the price on Amazon) – A great multi-purpose and versatile water bottle with extra compartments for supplements and multivitamins.
- CamelBak Chute Mag Water Bottle (click here to check the price on Amazon) – An easy to carry water bottle that is suitable for anyone that wants to stay hydrated with ease.
- Embrava Sports Water Bottle (click here to check the price on Amazon) – A beautifully designed sports water bottle with extra cover that protects the mouthpiece against dirt and dust.
- The Gym Keg with Case (click here to check the price on Amazon) – High-capacity and very durable insulated gym water bottle.
- FUNUS Big Water Bottle (click here to check the price on Amazon) – A sturdy and durable gym water bottle with high capacity.
Last update on 2024-09-08 at 11:28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What Makes These Bottles Great for Any Gym-Goer?
1. The Blender Bottle’s ProStack System
- ProStak system adds storage capacity for powders, pills, supplements and more
- Includes 22 oz capacity (measurement markings to 16 oz) BlenderBottle, 150 cc jar, 100 cc jar, pill organizer and patented BlenderBall wire whisk
- Interlocking jars can be used with or without the Bottle; expand capacity with additional jars sold separately
Last update on 2024-09-08 at 11:28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The main reason I like this bottle is that it offers not just a place to store your water in, but also it has additional storage space where you can keep your supplements like multivitamins, BCAAs, and protein powder.
This is a must-have for anyone who is seriously into working out and fitness. It is a great gym water bottle for both men and women. It is a plastic bottle, but it has been tested for BPAs and Phthalates, and it doesn’t contain any of them.
The capacity of the bottle is 22 oz., which is a decent size that should have you covered during your training sessions.
Two additional storage compartments are attached underneath the bottle, and these jars offer 150 cc and 100 cc respectively. And there is a removable pill organizer in case you want to store some of your pills.
Of course this is more of a protein bottle, so naturally, it comes with a wire whisk, which you can use to prepare your protein shake.
The lid seals nicely, and it is leak proof so you can safely place it in your gym bag and bring it with you to the gym.
I have used bottles like this one before, and I can attest to its efficacy, however, make sure to check the top cap always as sometimes it may not be properly closed.
One time I had the top pop cap not closed properly, and when I started shaking the bottle to prepare my protein shake, the whole thing ended up being a huge mess. And another time I placed it in my backpack but again didn’t check the top cap – it was yet another mess!
So, yeah, make sure the top cap is closed correctly as sometimes it may appear okay, but you may need to apply a little more pressure to it.
The best thing is that it will be easy to keep clean. We all know how smelly protein shake bottles can get if left unattended for a long time.
But you won’t need to do that. This bottle is dishwasher-safe. Just make sure to place it on the top-rack! And if you don’t have a dishwasher it can be easily washed with warm water and soap.
2. CamelBak Chute Mag Water Bottle
Last update on 2024-09-08 at 02:52 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
A very neat and simple looking water bottle at first. However, it packs some serious punch when it comes to what it can do for you. It is suitable for both women and men that maintain an active lifestyle.
The plastic materials on the bottle are free from BPA, BPS, and BPF.
This bottle is ideal if you want to stay hydrated while you are on the go, in the gym, or even training outside. It is made from durable, high-quality Tritan plastic.
What CamelBak aimed to achieve with this bottle is to provide a bottle which is easy to use.
The lid has a magnetic handle that will keep the cap in place while you are drinking from the bottle. And the sprout is designed ergonomically so it can provide a higher water flow while reducing the chances of water spillage to a minimum.
It does come in varying sizes so that you can choose the most suitable one for you.
The bottle fits nicely in the gym bag or backpack. It doesn’t take too much space, and since it is made from plastic, it is very lightweight.
The lid fits nicely, which is making this bottle leak-proof, so you don’t have to worry about your belongings getting wet.
It has a very convenient carry loop making it easy to bring with you.
The best thing is that it is very easy to clean thanks to the wide mouth. Just use some soap, warm water, and a suitable water bottle cleaning brush.
3. Embrava Sports Water Bottle
- Durable Design: Made from BPA-free Tritan plastic for long-lasting use.
- Sport-Friendly: Features a leak-proof flip top lid and fast flow drinking spout for easy hydration.
- Pure Taste: Provides the same refreshing taste as glass water bottles.
Last update on 2024-09-08 at 11:28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This sports water bottle is great for anyone that wants to stay hydrated while on the go or training. The bottle is perfectly suitable for use in the gym or outdoors.
It is a Tritan plastic water bottle, which is BPA-free and very tough and durable.
Embrava delivered a water bottle that is designed with the intention to meet the daily hydration needs of the most active among us. The lid is leak-proof and dust-proof for the best possible hygiene levels.
The capacity of this water bottle is 32-oz which can be considered the golden mean capacity-wise.
The lid has a narrow mouthpiece for easy drinking, and it has a top cover that protects it from dirt and dust. And you can drink from your bottle with just one hand. The top cover has an easy-open button which takes only the push of your thumb.
The profile of the bottle is tall and slim; it doesn’t feel bulky in any way, so it will fit quite nicely in your gym bag or backpack without burdening you in any way. It is a good gym water bottle for both women and men.
4. The Gym Keg With Case Water Bottle
- Large Capacity: Holds 74 fl oz of water for all-day hydration
- Durable Material: Crafted with premium Tritan plastic that is 40% more durable than standard bottles
- Stylish Design: Exclusive neoprene sleeve and carry handle for convenience and portability
Last update on 2024-09-08 at 07:20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Several things will definitely catch your eye when you look at this bottle.
First, it is big, and I mean really BIG. It is about 74 oz, which is a little over half a gallon. So it can last you a really long time. If your workouts tend to be a bit on the longer side, a bigger bottle will do you good.
With a bigger bottle, it will be much easier to stay hydrated, especially if you want to have your own water and not drink from the gym’s water fountain water.
On the other hand, the bigger the bottle, the heavier it is, right? Fortunately, this is a plastic bottle so that it will be as light as possible. But if you fill it up with water, it can get a bit heavy.
After crunching some numbers, 74 oz of water should be close to 5 lbs! So it really boils down to how and where you train and what will suit your needs best. Considering the size and weight of the water bottle, it is more suitable for men.
The other feature this bottle has is the insulation sleeve that is wrapped around it.
It comes with a neoprene case which provides superb insulation to the whole bottle. This means a couple of things:
The bottle will maintain the temperature of your water or beverages the same for a longer time.
If you keep cold water or you have placed a few ice cubes inside, the outside of the bottle is highly unlikely to start sweating; and
If you keep warm beverages, the outside’s temperature will remain relatively low, so there will be no risk of you burning your hands.
Last but not least, insulation offers higher protection against breaking.
The bottle comes with a handle which makes it easy to carry with you to the gym or outside.
I would consider the bottle easy to clean, although it is a bit big. And despite being plastic, it is BPA-free.
5. FUNUS Big Water Bottle
- [Stronger & Durable] Stronger and more durable than before but still lightweight as usual. 100% BPA free food grade plastic material.
- [2.2L Capacity & Wide Mouth Design] 2.2L big capacity water jug can replenish your moisture loss after exercises. A wide mouth allows you to add ice...
- [100% Leak-Proof] Lid with silicone seal, patented design, 100% leak-proof even you shake it vigorously! The gallon water jug comes with a variety of...
Last update on 2024-09-08 at 11:28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The super high capacity of this bottle makes it ideal for people that train or are on the go for longer periods of time. It can store a little over half a pound of water. It is a great gym water bottle for men that want to stay hydrated during a long workout.
If you are one of these people that prefer to bring with themselves a water bottle that can hold a lot of water, this one may do you justice.
The bottle is made from BPA-free plastic, which means that overall it is as light as possible. However, filling up with water can add a few pounds to its weight.
The lid contains a small silicone seal inside of it which provides additional protection against leakage.
The bottle has a wide mouth which is making it great for easy sipping. Additionally, you can easily add some ice cubes or fruit to your water thanks to the wide mouth.
And on the lid there is a small mouthpiece which is perfect for a quick sip while on the go.
The bottle comes with both a handle and a carrying strap that help with carrying it.
The manufacturer also recommends to not use the bottle for liquids warmer than 50 degrees Celsius (which is about 122 Fahrenheit) and in addition to that never to leave the bottle in the car on hot days.
On the negative side, I can mention that, unfortunately, the bottle is not dishwasher safe. This means you have to clean it using some soap and warm water and a suitable water cleaning brush.
How Important Is Drinking Water While Working Out?
As it stands, water is not just vital for your well-being, but it is also crucial when it comes down to your performance in the gym.
Even what may seem like very low levels of dehydration can have a huge impact on your performance. (1,2)
Just 1% decrease in the total body water can have an adverse effect on our mood and cognitive ability.
About 2%, can lead to a 20% decrease in physical performance; and
At 4% dehydration the reaction time is 23% slower.
And in addition to that, let me point out a very worrying statistic that shows nearly 75% of the Americas are chronically dehydrated.
1. Being Dehydrated Is Bad for Gaining Muscle
stay hydrated by drinking water
If you are working out regularly, you can clearly see that even small amounts of dehydration can cause a lot of problems.
You may not have enough strength and energy while working out. You will start feeling fatigued rather quickly compared to when you are drinking enough water.
This can affect your results negatively and may put your fitness and ideal body goals at risk.
2. Being Dehydrated Is Bad for Weight Loss
Unfortunately, people can get the wrong idea when being on a weight loss diet.
Frequently they will limit their fluid intake, which can lead to seemingly lower weight when they step on the weight scale, but that is not the case. They will gain all the lost weight back as their body will need more liquids.
In addition to that staying dehydrated can affect rather negatively your weight loss progress.
You see, when you are trying to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat each day. Thus having a faster metabolism is beneficial.
But being dehydrated is going to slow down your metabolism, resulting in fewer calories burned throughout the day. For example, one study showed that drinking 16.9 oz of water will increase the metabolic rates by 30%. (3)
So How Much Water Should You Drink in the Gym?
woman drinking water after exercise
As you can see, being dehydrated is just plain and simple bad and even low levels of dehydration can undermine your gym and dream-body goals.
So how do we avoid that? By drinking lots of water! But how much water exactly? Let’s find out.
The numbers may vary significantly, but I will get into that and the specific caveats in a moment.
Before we start, let me stress the fact that you need to stay hydrated throughout the whole day and not just while you are in the gym working out.
Also, by better understanding and anticipating your water needs while working out is important as this will help you in choosing the right size for your gym water bottle. Depending on your individual circumstances, you may need a larger bottle, or it may turn out you can get by with a smaller bottle.
After doing some research, I stumbled on the following recommendations:
- Drink 15 to 20 oz of water, one or two hours before going to the gym;
- Drink 8 to 10 oz of water before your workout or while you are warming-up; and
- Drink at least 8 oz of water while you are working out every 15 minutes or so.
As you can see it is recommended to try and keep your water intake consistent throughout the whole time, you spend in the gym.
So what does this mean for you?
Let’s say that on your training days you spend on average 45 minutes in the gym working out. While you are warming up or just before starting to train, you will need about 10 oz of water. And for every 15 minutes of working out, you will need at least 8 oz more. In total, this gives us about 34 oz.
A 34-oz water bottle is nothing unusual or really big. It can easily be taken with you, and it can fit in your gym bag rather nicely without taking too much space.
This is provided you don’t want to refill your water bottle with the water in the gym.
It is important to know that this is aimed at people training in a gym. If you train outside, and especially during the summer you may need to consume a lot more water than that.
What Are the Best Materials for a Gym Water Bottle?
women talking in the gym holding water bottle
What material is your gym bottle made from is going to be another important decision you need to take.
You will find that there are different materials that you can find on the market:
- Stainless steel;
- Aluminum;
- Glass;
- Copper; and
- Plastic.
Each and every one of these have some advantages and disadvantages you need to keep in mind and be aware of.
If you take a look at the bottles that I have recommended you will see that there is a good amount of variety capacity-wise, but they are mostly plastic.
This is because when I was doing my research, I had a certain goal in mind. I wanted to find out the best water bottles for the gym that can meet everyone’s requirements.
There was no need to give you several different that may end up being unusable.
I, for example, have been using glass water bottle in my home but they may not be suitable for the gym. So let’s take a look why.
1. Is a Glass Water Bottle Good for the Gym?
A glass water bottle can be considered dangerous as it can easily break. Even the best and most durable glass called borosilicate, which is used for the water bottles can be broken.
Because of this, you may need to get a bottle that has a protective sleeve on the outside which will give your bottle some extra toughness and in the rare event of it breaking the sleeve will keep the glass from shattering all over the floor.
However, keep in mind that not all gyms may let you use a glass water bottle on their premises. This is done as a safety measure as they cannot guarantee your safety. Somebody may break the bottle and injure themselves. So always check with your gym first.
– Pros:
- Will not alter the taste of your water;
- Will keep the water tasting fresh;
- Usually free from any chemicals;
-Cons:
- Prone to breaking;
- Not all gyms may let you use a glass bottle;
- Heavy;
- Transfers heat;
2. Is a Plastic Water Bottle Good for the Gym?
Plastic has been a popular choice for water bottles since, well, forever. Or at least since we found a way to produce plastic bottles, which was back in 1947. So not that long ago, now that I think about it!
However, they certainly do have certain advantages, which is why they are so popular.
For starters, they are super lightweight and very durable. We are all well aware of how long a plastic water bottle can survive on its own in the wild; hundreds of years. This is why plastic is so harmful to the environment.
But getting yourself a reusable plastic water bottle can be a great way to cut down on the plastic waste as well. Since they are so durable and long-lasting, you may not find any reasons to buy single-use plastic water bottles for a long time.
However, plastic water bottles can contain harmful chemicals which we need to make sure are not present in our bottles.
– Pros:
- Very lightweight;
- Durable;
– Cons:
- May contain chemicals;
- Transfer heat;
- Water may not always taste fresh;
3. Are Stainless Steel Water Bottles Good for the Gym?
Stainless steel is considered a non-reactive metal, so it is going to be safe for most drinks and beverages. There is a reason after all why a lot of our cutlery, cookware, dishware, and cooking equipment are frequently made from stainless steel.
What is more, is that stainless steel, in fact, is super tough and durable. You can quite literally expect it to last you a lifetime and then some.
Stainless steel water bottles are usually a great way to stay hydrated and save on some money, in the long run, thanks to the bottle’s durability.
The preferred alloy is 18/8 (304 grade). What these numbers mean is that the stainless steel bottle contains 18% chromium and just 8% nickel. This is considered the best and safest food-grade stainless steel alloy.
One of the great things about these water bottles is that they can come with double-walled insulation which is one of the best ways to provide insulation for your bottle.
The biggest downside to stainless steel water bottles, however, is that they are considerably heavier compared to plastic and aluminum. This may be a deal-breaker for some people that would like to go to the gym with a water bottle that has a higher capacity.
If you are interested in a great stainless steel water bottle, I would recommend this one from CamelBak on Amazon. It does come in varying sizes so you can choose a bigger or a smaller bottle according to your needs.
– Pros:
- Very durable;
- May have really good insulation;
- Corrosion-resistant;
– Cons:
- May contain chemicals;
- May give your water a slight metallic taste;
- Heavy;
4. What About Aluminum Water Bottles?
Last but not least, let’s have a word about these two.
Aluminum water bottles do indeed have some advantages. They are metal; however, they are also very lightweight. Aluminum can also help in keeping your water feeling a bit cooler during these hot summer days.
But aluminum has certain downsides which make it not a preferable option. In fact, despite being widely used for soda cans and drinks, you may have a hard time finding an aluminum water bottle.
Why is that exactly?
Well, aluminum is a reactive metal meaning it does react with acidic foods. As a result of that, manufacturers place a protective layer of epoxy on the inside walls. That way, they stop the aluminum from reacting with any of the liquids inside the bottle. But this epoxy has been found, frequently, to contain harmful BPAs.
Many people that are into sports and gym training may like the aluminum bottles for their sturdiness and light weight.
Granted, not all aluminum bottles have BPAs, but it is still a concern among many people. And even then if you happen to scratch or damage the protective layer while, say, cleaning the bottle, you may expose yourself to the metals that can leach into your drink.
As a result, I will not consider aluminum water bottles an excellent option for every gym enthusiast.
– Pros:
- Lightweight;
- Durable;
– Cons:
- The protective lining inside may contain BPAs; If the protective lining is damaged in any way this may lead to metals leaching into the water;
5. What About the Copper Water Bottles?
Let’s move on to the copper water bottles now.
Copper water has been part of Ayurveda for years and is believed to be very healthy, but the recommended amounts of copper water are low. Additionally, people that are more sensitive to copper may experience some stomach upset.
Copper water bottles have a purpose on their own where they can provide you with some great health benefits. But, they are not exactly suitable for a gym bottle.
– Pros:
- Antimicrobial and antibacterial properties;
- Durable;
- Increases the pH of the water with time;
– Cons:
- Leaves a metallic taste to the water;
- May potentially lead to copper toxicity;