What we love: It’s safe to assume anything that leaves the house with a toddler will get dropped, scratched, or forgotten. So if you’re not into splurging on fancy kids water bottles, let me introduce you to the 12-oz. Nalgene Grip-N-Gulp. It may not look like much, but the lightweight, budget-friendly bottle is amazingly durable. The hard BPA-free plastic holds up to playground tumbles, deliberate hurlings, and of course, the dishwasher.
The simple, sippy-style cap makes it easy for kids to have quick access to water and a simple silicone valve that pops into the underside of the lid makes this bottle almost completely leak free. The bottle itself is narrow enough to slide easily into backpack pockets and car seat cup holders, and the lid’s built-in loop is perfect for little fingers or clipping to a carabiner.
Despite the sippy-style spout, it doesn’t scream “baby.” In fact, both of my sons used it well beyond the toddler stage without the valve. Speaking of the valve, drinking out of this with the valve in place does take a little extra effort, but this bottle can grow with your kids too; when the time comes, simply replace the sippy lid with one of Nalgene’s wide-mouth caps.
What we’d leave: If you’re going this route you probably aren’t expecting the kind of performance you’d get from an insulated bottle in terms of keeping things cold, but obviously that’s a sacrifice here. Also, like I said, it’s “almost completely leak free.” It will spill a few drops if you really try.
The best plastic water bottle for big kids: 20-Oz. Yeti Yonder Bottle with a Straw Cap (Customized)
Yeti Yonder 20 Oz. Water Bottle with Yonder Straw Cap
Pros
- Lightweight
- Customizable to prevent loss
Cons
- Straw cap requires more thorough cleaning
