How to Choose a Safe Water Bottle
I’ve made my stance on bottled water quite clear before, but I’ll go ahead and reiterate: bottled water is a joke. It’s completely unnecessary, unless you’re in a nation with unsafe water quality, and the plastic bottles make for excellent landfill fodder. You could reuse the bottles, but then you’ve gotta worry about the plastic leaching into your water, especially the more you refill and reuse them (and don’t ever stick ‘em in the dishwasher). Poor taste is one thing – I can’t expect a person to happily drink tap water that tastes terrible – but tap is perfectly safe to drink, especially if used with a simple filter. And if it weren’t, most bottled water wouldn’t be any better, since it’s often just repackaged tap (check the label or cap – if it says “from a municipal source” or “from a community water system” or anything along similar lines, it’s tap water). Sparkling water in glass bottles is justifiable (tap isn’t bubbly, after all, although you could make it so at home, and the glass bottles are definitely reusable (I like filling them with homemade salad dressings).
But if you’re just after fresh drinking water, the tap will be fine. You can buy a filter if you like – I do, myself – or you could locate a nearby freshwater spring, if tap isn’t cutting it. The best water I’ve ever tasted came from a campsite faucet in Lake Tahoe. You could taste the minerals; it was like drinking from a fresh water stream before it got dangerous. I swear, if it didn’t mean a eight-hour drive each way, I’d get all my water from that tap. Oh well. I’m getting off topic. Just don’t buy crate after crate of water in plastic bottles is the essential gist of my spiel.
Still, bottled water is undeniably convenient, which is why it’s probably so popular (along with unfounded fears regarding tap water safety). I can’t ignore the convenience factor. I like it myself. Most people just reuse their old plastic bottles, those simple, unassuming polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. It’s an environmentally friendly gesture, but it’s one that may promote health issues, including the leaching of DEHP – a potent carcinogen – with repeated use. And, of course, there’s always our old friend, Bisphenol A, to contend with when plastics are involved. He turns up in the darndest of places, but that doesn’t mean you should simply throw in the towel. Avoid those old plastic bottles. Then there are the glass bottles. Safe? Yeah, but they’re also heavy and fragile – not the ideal water vessel for active individuals like our readers.
A better option is to go with a permanent water bottle expressly designed for the purpose. There are dozens on the market, but it usually comes down to a standoff between bottles made of polycarbonate plastics, aluminum, and stainless steel. Let’s see if we can find a clear winner.
Polycarbonate bottles
These are the “safe” plastic bottles; the permanent ones. They’re incredibly durable, and they exude an air of impermeability. They don’t wither under heat, like the PET bottles, and they maintain their shape. Plus, they often come in neat colors and attractive mesh shoulder slings. All the cool kids are using them, but should you?
I’d stay away. Polycarbonates have been proven to leach BPA into drinking water. There are no good reasons to take any chances considering the reams of animal data showing definitive deleterious effects outlined in the last BPA post.
But what about “BPA-free” plastic water bottles? Despite BPA-free claims I remain skeptical of plastic water bottles. With misinformation and the unregulated state of bioaccumulating pollutants, for my money there are much safer options.
Aluminum bottles
Aluminum is a solid choice. They’re pretty durable and very light, but they’re also expensive. Aluminum water bottles have become pretty damn trendy, if that weighs on your decision at all. Sure, trendiness can be annoying and all, but at least it shows people are becoming more aware of the folly of buying several plastic bottles of water a day – and that’s always a good thing. Is aluminum the way to go?
I hesitate to give my unequivocal affirmation. While the newest (post 2009) aluminum water bottle models from Sigg are claiming to be free of BPA, all their earlier stuff has it in the interior lining. So, the most recent Sigg bottles are probably safe, but as for the bottles from other, less reputable companies? I wouldn’t take a chance. Sigg is the biggest name in the aluminum water bottle game, and if they’re only just now ditching the BPA (a move momentous enough for the president to turn into a public statement) in their bottles, I’d be careful about buying aluminum bottles from other companies. And definitely avoid filling an aluminum bottle with acidic liquid (not that PB folks are big lemonade drinkers or anything), which can cause the aluminum itself to leach.
Stainless Steel bottles
Stainless steel wins, in my book. Sure, it’s a bit heavier, but it’s a proven material, and it won’t leach (and if it could, you’d have pure steel running through your veins – a net win, if you ask me). If you’re attacked by a mountain lion, your stainless steel water bottle becomes a dangerous weapon. You can fell the vicious beast, wipe the blood off, then immediately take a sip of refreshing water. You think polycarbonate and aluminum bottles could do that? Please. Wild animals in this country have (sadly) seen more than enough used condoms and faded cans of Budweiser to last them a lifetime. They’d laugh at your plastics and pseudo-metals (who ever heard of a metal that a ten year-old boy could crush underfoot?). If you tried to face down a big wild cat with a polycarbonate bottle, you’d better hope that feral felines are highly sensitive to trace amounts of BPA.
Seriously, though, stainless steel is the best choice, followed closely by reputable aluminum bottles. With steel, you don’t have to worry about weird chemicals, nor do you have to spend a ton of cash to keep up with a trend, making it the clear choice for anyone interested in a durable, reliable permanent water bottle. Kleen Kanteen appears to be a trusted manufacturer.
What do you use to transport your H20? Is there anything I’ve overlooked? Any additional safety concerns? Share your infinite wisdom in the comment board!
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
I might invest in a steel bottle someday… but in the mean time, I use a Live Saver Ultra Filtration Water bottle.
It filters out about 650 ml at a time, taking less than a minute. All water goes through a 15 nanometer filter, as well as a standard carbon filter.
The water going into the bottle is also pre-carbon filtered right from the faucet (typical store bought add on), so that type of filtering is happening twice by the time I drink it.
To store the water I either use a store bought plastic watter bottle (I buy a new bottle about once a week), or a BPA free plastic bottle.
Steel would replace the bpa free plastic.
good post
-Anthony/Dream
*Life Saver
Given that [most] bottled water is mineral water, and therefore containing many nutritious minerals that would have been part of the paleolithic water supply, and that tap water is generally very much de-minerilised (as can be observed from the lack of mineral taste), perhaps bottled [mineral] water does have it’s place?
For anyone that has a Kohl’s store near them…
Got a couple 100% stainless steel water bottles (guessing in the 30oz range). $9.98 normally, now 50% off. Not fancy or name brand, but economical!
I personally have switched to stainless steal. Its tough and easy to clean. I take it everywhere.
i here and AGREE 100% with this topic, and the primal lifestyle!!!! here is my current problem. i’m a professional musician who travels ALL THE TIME!!! i don’t have the great advantage to carry the steel water bottle around. but for my job i do require about 1gallon of water a day..MARK what do you think is the best solution?? also what do you do when you travel?? GROK ON PEOPLE!!!
Stainless steel is on my list for the next time I need a new water bottle. However, I haven’t ditched my old Nalgene yet. I’ve been drinking out of it for eight or nine years — is it really likely that it’s still leeching anything?
I’ve tried to find an answer to this question online and can’t seem to.
http://www.cheeki.net.au/
Australian SS Water Bottles.
Beautiful water.
We use Platypus bladder-type water bottles for traveling and outside the home. (Bonus, they collapse when they’re empty!) But, if we’re anywhere that glass is convenient, including home, that’s what we use. I’ve never had any problems with taste or leaking from the Platypus bottles, but I can’t stand drinking from anything metal and nothing beats glass for me.
We do buy glass bottles of sparkling water (haven’t yet had a chance to invest in a home water carbonation system since we travel around a lot) and those become our regular drinking glasses at home.
Aluminum has also been shown to increase the likelihood of developing dementia later in life. Even with the liner, the bottle can still leach into the water
As I live in Los Angeles with many trace drugs reported in the final water supply, I decided to be safe..I first filter the tap water, then run it through a home distillation machine. I keep the final product in big glass jars, and use it for all drinking and cooking. My friends comment on it when I share it with visitors ! I do note lots of sludge in the bottom of the still that I have to clean out very regularly. We use steel water bottles in the car and for work.
I use rain water in my distiller and there is hardly any sludge in the canister, as opposed to the smelly dark sludge from the tap water. I add Concentrated mineral drops to the final brew.
I have a ThinkSport water bottle and it keeps my water cold for hours!! It is the best and I have it with me all the time!!
http://www.thinksportbottles.com/
When trying to decide on cookware I bought xtrema (ceramic) because I was trying to stay away from teflon, aluminum, and stainless. I know it would be heavy (so is stainless), but it might be nice is they could make an internal compartment made of ceramic. Then there would be no leaching of chemicals at all The outside could be stainless and maybe a thin insulating/cushioning middle core???
Also I heard the only way to remove fluoride was reverse osmosis?? But It also removes minerals. Someone above mentioned mineral drops. Is that the way to go in adding minerals back? Any other suggestions?
I also read Prozac was 94% fluoride. That’s Not something I want to be consuming on a daily basis. I don’t need calm down, I need energy!!
I agree there is no reason to buy bottled water in the US. There are alternatives which will save waste and money.
It is Safe and Made Of High Quality Food Grade Stainless Steel- This means, it has no polycarbonates, and it is safe for you and your family! You do not have to put your health at stake.
I believe you’re making a huge error regarding “safe” water bottles. The plastic bottles currently assumed to be safe & BPA free, are most definitely NOT polycarbonate.
They are: high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and plain old polypropylene (PP)
-basically, the cloudy stuff.
I agree it’s best to err on the side of caution, esp since there may be other harmful chemicals besides BPA, yet undiscovered, but let’s get our facts straight.
The problem with stainless steel bottles is that you can’t see how much is in there. I can’t stand using them.
I have a Pur water filter. Stainless tastes nasty and I’ve tried half a dozen brands. They all have a metallic taste that sets my teeth on edge. As do the “new” Sigg bottles. Plastic will kill me and kill the environment. I got rid of my BPA containing bottles. So what am I supposed to put the water in? Mason jars?
It’s ridiculous that I can’t just walk in a store and buy a serviceable water bottle at a reasonable cost.
I’ve been using a Sigg Big Bottle for years. It’s unfortunate to now know that the liner has BPA. It’s time to start looking for another bottle. I hope I can find one as big as this one for the same price.
what’s wrong with mason jars? Apart from being breakable they are quite perfect for the purpose
Good advice Mark. Our bottles can definitely protect from wild animals.
I’ve been using a Sigg Big Bottle for years. It’s unfortunate to now know that the liner has BPA. It’s time to start looking for another bottle. I hope I can find one as big as this one for the same price.
GREAT post! I love how you brought up the issue of wild animals… I’m an animal lover and there couldn’t be more truth to the statements you made about wrappers, bottles, cans, etc. I use Klean Kanteen bottles because they’re sturdy, trustworthy, and verstaile- NO BPA! Woo! Some people don’t like the noise the Klean Kanteen makes… but I think it’s nice to have my bottle sing to me!
. Haha. Thanks for they article, keep it up! Let’s go, green!
Main supply of HOH is rain, have a 7.5 cubic meter tank to keep it in. I have not run put of plastic bottles to carry it about in, they last & last, then get lost. No water, no hope: don’t leave home without it, not only can one drink it, it is also good for Hygiene & First Aid.
I just got some glass bottles and like them a lot. They outside is covered with rubber. No guarantee they wouldn’t break, but the rubber will cushion them if are knocked over or dropped from a low height.
Got em from Lifefactory. Very happy with the taste of my water in them.
I have been buying and drinking Kirkland water from Costco for years. Recently, they have gone to new ‘green’ packaging that uses less plastic. I’m all for that, but what they did was remove some plastic from the base of the bottle, making it unstable. I have spilled half dozen bottles of water on my floor and carpet from the last 2 cases. These will be the last 2 cases I buy. Deer Park and other brands are just as cheap and have found ways to go green without creating an unusable product.
Hi, i feel that i noticed you visited my site thus i came to go back the prefer?.I’m attempting to to find things to improve my website!I assume its good enough to make use of a few of your ideas!!
Some proof of why excess fluoridation is harmful. http://www.fluoridealert.org/50-reasons.htm
Just 2 share ! I’m pretty sure that if u leave water to stand without a lid on, that the chlorine content evaporates at room temperature
I am pregnant and i have a stainless steel water bottle that i drink from all the time. Lately, after using the bottle for ~4-5 months, i began to feel a funny taste in the water, especially after i leave it in the bottle overnight. I am worried that the stainless steel, or any other material combined with it, can be affecting the water i’m drinking and consequently affecting my unborn baby!!!! Should i keep drinking from this bottle or not???
Thanks for your website. It just saved me a hell of a lot of research. If u were supporting one particular company it would’ve lost cred, but yep stainless steel. Cheers