How to Choose the Best Water Container for Camping: The Definitive Guide

With so many options available it can be difficult to choose the best water container for camping. There are so many options- some more expensive, but higher quality than others. As a camper myself, I know how important it is to have access to fresh water when you’re out in the wilderness! That’s why I wrote this definitive guide, covering everything you need to know about choosing the best water container for your next camping trip.

Camping is a great way to reconnect with nature and the outdoors! I remember when camping as a child, nothing was more exciting than pitching that tent and lighting the fire. It felt like it took me back to some primal instinct or longing for release from this world… but then there were those plastic water bottles that made the water taste stale and old, and quite frankly even just remembering it makes me want to hurl.

Thankfully there are some really high-quality water containers available these days, and in terms of what’s available for campers it is a far cry from the old plastic bottles I grew up with. There are now better options out there that won’t make you feel sick when drinking water from them,

Below Is a Summary Table of the Different Water Containers We Will Cover in This Guide.

How Do You Choose the Best Type of Container for Your Needs?

Before you decide what the best water container for your camping trip is, you need to think about a few things. I will cover the main things you need to consider and why they are going to affect your choice of water container.

How Long Will You Be Camping For?

This is the first question you need to answer as it may determine how much water will you need to take and thus the best suited size of the water container you will need for your camping trip.

The average person will need to drink 2 liters or 1/2 gallon of water per day, in normal circumstances. If you are going to be camping in high temperatures or if you are going to be doing lots of physical activity such as hiking, then this amount can be 2 to 3 times more.

If you are just going for a night, then the best water container to use is a backpack water container such as the Camelbak Hydrobak Backpack, it holds 1.5 liters of water and is easy to carry, it is more suited to lightweight hiking or trail riding because of its small capacity.

Another Option That Has More to Offer Is the Hydroblu Versa Flow Water Filter With Reservoir.

It has a slightly larger capacity, this is the best small compact water container for camping if you are able to fill up with water along the trail, because it also has an inbuilt filter in the straw, so you can safely refill it in the wild.

The downside to both is the sipping straw device. If you want to use the water while camping, for cooking, or making a cup of tea, it is quite difficult to get the water from these backpack water containers.

If you are going for a longer period, then you will need to think about size, weight and convenience of the container. The best water container for camping when you are on an extended camp trip is a container with a larger capacity. These are best because they can carry all the water you need.

Perfect if you don’t want to refill from natural sources along the way, youtube aware even though a large water container is best for long camping trips they take up more space in your pack or vehicle so make sure that you have enough room for this before choosing one. And remember that every gallon of water carried will weigh around 8 pounds.

Will You Have Some Access to Freshwater to Replenish the Water Supply?

If you are only going away for a night to two then this is not as important, but if you plan on camping out for a longer period, consider what is your water source going to be?.

If you are going to be somewhere remote and dry, then you will have little choice but to take all your drinking water with you. But in most cases you may be lucky enough to have a supply of freshwater nearby, this can reduce the size water container needed.

The best water container for camping if you are going to be camping near a water supply is  a water container with an integrated water filter, such as the HydroBlu Pressurized 15 Litre Jerry Can Water Filter.

Or the Rolls Royce of Water Container Filters, the Lifesaver Jerrycan Water Purifier.

Both are great water containers for camping. Because they are compact enough to take with you, you can fill them up before you go giving you a few days’ water supply.

But when you run low on water, they can be filled with water from any stream or lake and because they have inbuilt water filters to filter out 99% of nasty bugs and pollutants, you will feel safe drinking the water from them.

How Many People Will You Be Camping With?

If you are camping in a group then it is often easier to have one large water container shared amongst all of you. This saves space and it is easy for two people to carry the container to the campsite together?

If you are going to be somewhere remote and dry, then you will have little choice but to take all your drinking water with you. But in most cases you may be lucky enough to have a supply of freshwater nearby, this can reduce the size water container needed.

The best water container for camping if you are going to be camping near a water supply is  a water container with an integrated water filter, such as the HydroBlu Pressurized 15 Litre Jerry Can Water Filter.

Will your water container need to withstand freezing cold, high heat, or other extreme conditions

It is important to consider what extreme temperatures your water container may be exposed to as this may determine if the best water container for your camping trip needs to be made from plastic or metal.

If you are going to be exposed to any extreme temperatures, then it is best to look for metal containers, stainless steel is more expensive but is your best choice and will last you for many, many years.

Modern plastic containers are much better than those from my childhood camping nightmares, but they do still leave a slight plastic taste when left to get too hot.

Personally, I would never use a plastic water container again, but if I could not afford a stainless water container, then I would go for the Domaker 4.9 gallon Water Container.

What I like about this water container is it has a large screw tight removable cap that is easy to remove and fill the container, It has a small air vent that when opened allows air in for fast water flow from the drip-free spigot.

The container is soft, so it won’t crack, it is made from food-grade HDPE plastic so it won’t smell or leave a taste, and it uses food-grade silicon for all it seals, so it will last a long time and never give your water that rubber smell.

The Allentian Stainless Steel Water Can is a must-have for campers, hikers, and emergency preparedness.

Available in the three sizes, these stainless steel water containers offer versatility for storing water. The largest will be too heavy for one person, but is easy enough to carry with the help from a camping buddy.

The 3 different sizes they come in are – 5 gallon/20 liter (standard “Jerry Canâ€), 8 gallons/30 liters & 10 gallons 40 liters – so you have several choices depending on your circumstances.

We love the feature of three-handles too. You may take this small design feature for granted, it was first seen in German designs nearly 100 years ago. And what is so great about the three-handle design is it makes it easy for two people to carry the can together, one handle each. It also makes it easy to carry two cans together (when empty). As simple an addition that it is, once you notice how useful it is, you will never buy a water container with a single middle handle again.

The Allentian Stainless Steel Water Can take the best of the old technology and tweaks it for modern convenience. One of these water containers will outlast you and probably your grandkids too, so although they are a premium-priced item, they are a really wise investment.

Will the Water Container Need to Be Insulated and Leak-Proof?

Typically, you do not need an insulated water container when camping because you are still in the area that you’ve set up camp.

The best water containers for camping will be leak proof and should have a tight lid so no liquids can escape when being carried or transported by any mode of transportation. You need to make sure it has a tight seal that won’t rattle loose and risk spilling your water supply all over your other supplies.

If you are just going for a night, then the best water container to use is a backpack water container such as the Camelbak Hydrobak Backpack, it holds 1.5 liters of water and is easy to carry, it is more suited to lightweight hiking or trail riding because of its small capacity.

Additional Best Water Container for Camping Ideas

Sometimes it is best to carry a smaller rigid container that can be used to heat water in too, such as a standard military canteen. These are very useful if you are hiking and carrying a lot of your equipment with you, the downside is they don’t hold much water. What is a really great addition to your camping equipment is a collapsible canvas bucket, they take up very little room and allow you to collect more water and keep it handy for use at your camp.

Where Will You Be Storing the Water Container When Not in Use?

If you have room in your house or garage, then that is great, just make sure if you are using plastic containers they are stored in a dark cool place. Over time, even the best plastic will deteriorate when exposed to heat and ultra-violet rays. If you have chosen to go with stainless steel containers, then you can store them outside.

Conclusion

We hope this has helped you decide what the best water container for your next camping trip will be. There is no right or wrong answer and every trip will be different so you will probably find yourself with quite a few containers in your camping kit, each suited to a different time of year and length of the trip.

We also recommend you read https://watertechguide.com/best-water-purification-tablets/ as these are a great addition to your camping kit, there are tablets for purifying water and tablets to keep water tasting fresh while in a water container.