Hikers always need items that are durable and portable. The Vapur Wide Mouth Anto-Bottle is a smart choice. It offers many features that make it stand out among water bottles. First of all, its collapsible structure makes it fit inside a palm when empty and becomes an ideal choice for saving space in backpacks. Secondly, due to its wide mouth, the bottle is considered a perfect option for hydration. Also, the BPA-free structure makes it durable and tough for rough use.
Apart from these great features, this bottle has an improper seal, which makes it not a suitable preference as a leak-proof item. The retention of residual odors also makes it less preferable. The price is affordable and perfect for a hiker who goes on 1-day adventures. It has a minimalist design; however, the hikers who prefer ultra-light backpacks may choose even lighter options.
Related: Best Collapsible Water Bottles
Vapur Wide Mouth Anti-Bottle: Testing Results and Analysis
Hiking Performance
I took this bottle along when I went for a multi-day trek on a rocky terrain. It offers convenience, particularly due to its collapsible size. It fits snugly inside the side pockets. A carabiner clip keeps it secure and folded.
The bottle’s wide mouth is convenient for spill-free drinking. I often use things roughly, and in the case of Vapur, it was absolutely durable and resilient even after being tossed onto rocks and rough surfaces.
For the hikers who are non-technical and novices, this bottle offers extended durability and an adequate amount of water for a day. Even though it is durable and puncture-free, make sure to use it carefully to avoid snags.
Collapsibility and Portability
Vapur has a comparative advantage over rigid bottles. On emptying, it collapses like a disc. It saves almost 50% of the space of the full bottle. I could slip it inside my jacket pouches or any of my bag’s side pockets.
Collapsibility makes Vapur a far better option compared to bulky insulated bottles.
In comparison to the hard bottles, it is 60% lighter, which makes it a preferable option for lightweight hikers. As a whole, it is a desirable option for hikers.
Water Flow and Drinking Experience
After a rigorous hike, I require gulping a large sum of water instead of sucking through a straw. Vapur offers a wide mouth, which allows the user to have an unrestricted water flow.
Unlike narrow-necked bottles with straws, Vapur is ideal for chugging during dehydration on a trail. Drinking from this bottle is like a cup but with minimal splash backs unless you overfill it.
Additionally, you can easily add ice cubes in it through its mouth. As a whole, this bottle might offend sippers as it offers speed, not precision.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Washing Vapur is simple if you have used it only for water. A simple brush will be enough. For flavored drinks, its silicone body sustains odor and demands a rinsing with soap or a detergent.
Vapur is a foldable bottle, and debris might remain inside the folds and cracks. Make sure to properly shake and juggle after using concentrated drinks.
Furthermore, air-drying inverted for a while in humid weather prevents the growth of fungus. If the grime doesn’t go off after washing, use a small amount of baking soda to see the wonders. Although it is easy to clean, make sure to keep a brush with your backpack for proper hygiene.
Taste Retention
As far as water is concerned, this bottle is ideal and doesn’t add any flavor to the water. It functions like a normal water bottle. However, things do change when it comes to sports drinks, fruit juices, or shakes.
When I washed this bottle with soap, it retained a soapy taste even after several washes. One important takeaway is that whenever I needed to wash this anti-bottle, it was easily washable without any complexities or difficulties. I primarily used it for water, and it was relatively easy for me to rinse and refill it for the next use.
Quality & Durability
There is only one test that comes to my mind regarding durability: the drop test. It is not uncommon to drop water bottles during hiking and trips. I also accidentally dropped the anti-bottle many times while taking it out of my backpack.
However, the anti-bottle turned out to be quite durable. I also dropped it intentionally but not from dramatic heights. The results were pretty cool. The bottle did not retain significant damage. The cap is the vulnerable part, as I noticed that it caught scratches on almost every drop.
Of course, if you drop the bottle from 100 ft, I doubt that any bottle in the world can survive it, especially if filled with water.
Pros and Cons of Vapur Flexible Water Bottle
Pros
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Collapsible
- Freezable
- Affordable
Cons
- Might leak if put under weight.
- Have to drink with both hands.
Comparison with Similar Bottles
If you compare this bottle with the Platypus Platy 2.0L, the platypus bottle comes out as a winner. The anti-bottle is easier to use than the Platypus due to its wide mouth. You can easily pour liquids and even ice cubes. However, when it comes to taste retention, the anti-bottle lags.
The Platypus comes with different options for the cap. It is available in a closure cap and a push-pull cap. The Platypus is a better bet to carry for hiking that is expected to last longer, especially the ones with higher capacity.
Vapur Wide Mouth is the winner when compared to Hydrapak Stash. The reasons are pretty obvious. Hydrapak is a good bottle, but it costs more (26$) than the Vapur (17$). The Hydrapak is a bit on the heavier side as compared to the Vapur Wide Mouth.
I also like the design of the Vapur Wide Mouth more than the Hydrapak. The taste retention situation is only slightly better than the Vapur. As I compared these two for everyday usage, Vapur is the obvious winner as it costs less and does more.
Final Thoughts
Vapur Wide Mouth Anti-Bottle is a durable, portable, lightweight, and hydration-efficient solution for hikers. With its perfectly shaped structure and minimalist design, Vapur becomes one of the most revered bottles among hikers. It is perfect for day hikers who prefer lightweight backpacks and space-saving over any other features like insulation and style. Even though it has flaws like imperfect sealing and occasional retention of odors, Vapur delivers the best service to its users. It performs flawlessly in rugged conditions and offers gulping when severely dehydrated. I recommend it for moderate adventures and day hikes. For hardcore mountaineers, Vapur might not deliver their desired services.
