Best water bottle for gym workouts

Regardless of whether you’re lifting weights or taking on a grueling HIIT session, arming yourself with the best water bottle for gym workouts is essential for keeping yourself cool and hydrated. 

However, not all water bottles are created equal. Whether you’re midway through a spin class on the best exercise bike, or trying to lift heavier on your deadlifts, you’ll want a water bottle that’s easy to grip and swig from, no matter how sweaty you’re getting. 

The best water bottle for working out should meet a lot of basic requirements, like being BPA-free. This refers to the absence of Bisphenol A, a potentially harmful chemical that can leach out of food and drink containers. BPA mimics the structure and function of the hormone estrogen, meaning it could bind to estrogen receptors and influence bodily processes, such as growth, fetal development, energy levels, and reproduction.

A high capacity is also key. The Aquafit 1 Gallon Water Bottle holds an impressive one gallon/128oz of liquid, making it a great option for those keeping an eye on their fluid intake.

If you like your gym water especially cold, the best water bottle for gym workouts is likely to be a thermal bottle constructed from stainless steel rather than rigid plastic, such as our top pick, the Takeya Actives Insulated Bottle. This also comes in five different sizes – 18oz, 22oz, 24oz, 32oz and 40z. 

If you’re concerned about leaks, or want to take little sips between sets, a squeezy design like the Camelbak Podium Chill Water Bottle might be best. Whatever your individual preferences, a gym bottle is an eco-friendly swap for single-use plastic bottles and a reliable companion for your gym routine. 

Prefer walking? Check out the best water bottles for hiking instead. 

The best water bottles for the gym you can buy right now

With a wide handle that boasts a sweat-free grip, the Takeya Actives Insulated Bottle is perfect for most gym goers. It has a double-wall made from stainless steel that keeps your drink cold throughout a workout – and the rest of your day.

The Takeya Actives Insulated Bottle also comes with a removable silicon base that protects the bottle from scraps and scratches, and helps to keep it in place in treadmill trays or cup holders. 

We loved the addition of the lid hinge lock to the drinking spout, which prevented it from flapping back and hitting us on the nose whilst we sipped between sets. You can unscrew the entire lid for easy cleaning, or if you want to add ice. You also don’t have to worry about hand washing this bottle either, because it is dishwasher safe.

If 18oz isn’t large enough for you, the Tekeya Actives Insulated Bottle is also available in 22oz, 24oz, 32oz and 40oz sizes, and nine stylish colorways. While we did find it slightly on the heavy side, we didn’t need to hold it during our workout, so we didn’t find this much of an issue. 

If you’re looking for a great value water bottle to take to the gym, the Camelbak Eddy+ is a fantastic option. It holds an impressive 32oz of water, so it’s ideal if you get particularly thirsty during a workout. If this is too much for you, the bottle is also available in 20oz and 25oz designs.

The water is delivered through a drink straw that you flip up and bite to release the liquid. But don’t worry about spillages - it’s designed to prevent leaks when closed and spills when open, however this does mean you’ll need a strong bite to get a good drink.

The bottle isn’t insulated, so if you want super cool water, you’d be better off opting for stainless steel over BPA-free plastic. Having said this, it’s great value for a solid design, and it’s available in over 12 different colourways too.

If you’re looking for an easy way to drink more water, the Aquafit 1 Gallon Water Bottle can help you to hit your hydration goals.

This hefty vessel holds 128oz of water, so you don’t have to worry about constantly going back and forth to the water fountain. If you’re wanting to keep track of how much water you’re drinking, there’s a time marker on the side to track how much you drink too.

You get two lids with this bottle: a spout lid and a straw lid, along with a handy carry strap (although the bottle itself is shaped for easy carrying, which we loved as we have to walk to our local gym). However, due to its large size it’s not the most convenient bottle to pack in a small gym bag, so make sure you have plenty of room! Also note that the bottle is not dishwasher safe, but does come with a special brush for cleaning.

Ah, filtered water. If only you could get it into your water bottle without awkwardly pouring it from a filter jug, missing the opening, and soaking yourself in the process. Well, you can. In this case, it’s Larq Bottle Filtered, a reusable water bottle made for workouts that filters water as you drink. 

It features a double layered filter, with activated carbon to trap contaminates like chlorine and VOCS, and Nano Zero technology to grab onto heavy metals. The overall result? Great-tasting water, which you drink through a low pressure straw. Sipping really did feel effortless, although we would have preferred the 25 oz version to the 17 oz, as you’re restricted by how much water you can actually put in the bottle due to the fact that the filter pushes the volume up. 

For portability, the bottle comes with a silicone-coated detachable carabiner so you can attach the bottle to a rucksack or gym bag. A double-wall insulated BPA-free stainless steel keeps your water cold for up to 24 hours.

Although, be warned: the filters need replacing every two months, and they’re not exactly cheap.

It’s happened to the best of us: you didn’t quite close the lid properly on your water bottle before throwing it into your gym bag. Before you know it, your wallet is soaked, your earphones are unresponsive and your back is left with a suspicious wet patch. This is where the Camelbak Podium Chill Water Bottle comes in.

To get liquid through the flow spout, you need to squeeze both sides of the bottle. The self-sealing design of the valve also prevents leaks or spills, although if you’re worried there is a locking mechanism too. We shook the bottle upside down for 30 seconds and didn’t detect any spillage, so this is definitely one you can chuck into any gym bag.

The Camelbak Podium Chill Water Bottle is designed to fit into most bottle cages, making it a great option if you’re a spin-fanatic or fancy a spot of cross training on the bike. It also comes apart for easy cleaning and is dishwashing safe, provided the temperature isn’t too high. This is because it contains a layer of insulation to help keep your liquid cool. Plus, if it’s style you’re after, the CamelBak Podium comes in a variety of colors and geometric designs.

How to choose the best water bottle for the gym

With a plethora of water bottles available on the market right now, it’s virtually impossible to sift through endless web pages and find which would suit you best. Thankfully, we’ve done the work for you.

Surprisingly, there's a lot to consider when buying a water bottle for the gym. One of the most important factors is size. If you’re planning to work out for a good amount of time, like a long distance run on the best treadmill, then you’ll need a higher capacity bottle (750ml and above) to supply you with enough hydration and prevent multiple trips to the water fountain. On the other hand, if you just need something to sip on during a strength session, then a 500ml bottle should do the trick.

Then there are other factors to consider. Do you want cooling technology to keep your water cold? Do you want to filter the water you drink? Or perhaps you’re looking for something stylish to feature in your gym selfies.

Whatever your reasons, there’s something for everyone, regardless of your needs and budget. From cheap and cheerful to super slick, above you can find the best water bottles for your workout.

Are water bottles BPA-free?

BPA stands for Bisphenol A, which is a chemical that is listed by the National Institute of Environmental Sciences (opens in new tab) as an endocrine disruptor. 

It’s considered to mimic the structure and function of the hormone estrogen, according to a study published in Chemosphere (opens in new tab). While this sounds innocent on the surface, there are concerns that it could potentially wreak some havoc when it makes its way into the human body. On top of that, BPA is commonly found in the coatings of tin cans, other consumer goods, and polycarbonate plastics – the exact material that’s used to make your standard, shop-bought single-use water bottle.

So, what about gym water bottles in particular? This same study put reusable plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel water bottles to the test to see whether your drinking water would be contaminated with BPA. Thankfully, it’s good news for gym-goers, because they couldn’t find any traces of BPA in the drinking water of any of the reusable bottles that claimed to be BPA-free – or at least, there weren’t any traces that were detectable.

That means that if you’re concerned about the BPA content in your reusable gym bottle, you should be in the clear. At the very least, you’ll be in a better position than if you were to roll up to the gym with a standard, polycarbonate water bottle from the chilled section of your local store.

Should you take a water bottle to the gym?

Most gyms and fitness centers have free water dispensers, so you might be wondering why you should take a water bottle to the gym, especially as you could easily buy a bottle from the venue or grocery store.

But pre-bottled water can be expensive, while refilling a bottle is generally free, particularly if you use the gym's water dispensers or a tap at home. Plus, reusable bottles are better for the environment than single-use plastic varieties.

Then there's the fact that water dispensers usually come with inconvenient paper or thin plastic cups without lids. So, you'd need to take a longer break or quickly down the drink and get back to your workout. 

The best water bottles for the gym are designed to help you stay hydrated throughout your session, whether you're grabbing a sip between HIIT moves or quenching your thirst during a cardio workout.