Side by Side Comparison of: Nalgene vs CamelBak

Love this water bottle! I like to wear lipstick and hate those other bottles with the silicone mouth pieces. This bottle makes it super easy to wipe off. Can open with one hand and has a gripping handle to carry it with. Has an extra clasp to secure the lid down for when you want to throw it in your purse...I've never had any issues with leaking. I carry it with me every day- 24oz is the perfect size for me. I believe the instructions said it wasn't dishwasher safe (can't quite remember), but mine has withstood lots of top-shelf washes.

Great size and very convenient to use. No leaks ever. I got a CamelBak Chute also, but I liked this one much more - easier to open, and it never leaked. The CamelBak could leak if you don't screw the lid on correctly. I often but a carabiner on it and clipped it to my belt loop, which worked well, or else put it in the bottle pocket on my backpack.

I love my old Nalgene, but I needed something skinnier for my backpack. I was worried about the closure, but it works great, and no more water all over my face due to a wide bottle opening. I like the design on the latch, but I worry that's where bacteria, dust, etcetera will accumulate, and I don't look forward to scraping it out. But I still love it.

Nalgene's OTF is my favorite water bottle of all time. Easy to clean because the mouth is wide, good drinking spout that is also easy to clean. Pops on and off securely and makes a satisfying click; spout means that a reasonable amount of water comes out. Reasonable volume to carry around too.

My only two complaints:
Leaked when it was nearly full and I took it on an airplane. Now I know I need to leave it upright while we take off!
Some slight blackish mildew that I can't remove from the rubber seal on the handle, but I have had this water bottle with me for over a year...

I left this water bottle halfway across the US, and made my parents ship it to me instead of drinking out of the other water bottles that I have at home.

Perfect! This is the perfect bottle for my bicycling needs.
I had read reviews saying that the bottle is hard to close. It isn't. At all.
I dropped it from about 5 feet (accident) onto pavement right onto the moving part that closes the bottle and besides a few dings, the bottle is still in perfect working order. The only thing is that it doesn't pop! open now, it merely opens.
If you're considering it, just make the purchase.

I actually had this same bottle a few years back but I lose it. Ever since I had been refilling disposable bottles and finally got this again. For those who are worried that mold may build up, the easy and obvious solution is to clean the bottle and spout occasionally with dish soap. Do people think that this bottle will just be squeaky clean indefinitely? I would HIGHLY recommend this bottle for those of you who always need water on the go and are tired of buying disposables every day.v

I have paralysis in my hands and needed a water bottle that I could easily access and hang on to but that also wouldn't leak or spill if I dropped or knocked it over. This has worked perfectly for my needs. It's great for keeping ice water cold for hours and my husband even liked it so much that I had to get a second to keep him from hogging the original. XD

These are the only water bottles I buy and I have been a loyal Camelbak user for years. Nothing was wrong with my other ones, I just find that I like to have one with me at all times so I frequently add to my collection. My 12 year old daughter also is a loyal user of Camelback and takes one to school with her every day.As for the reviews suggesting mold develops in the mouthpiece, I can honestly tell you that out of the 10 or so Camelbaks I've owned this has NEVER happened. I wash my water bottles in the dishwasher weekly if not more often and have never experienced mold at all.Do yourself a favor and get a CamelBak!

Love these water bottles and my almost 2 year old does also. I bought him a kids bottle of this and he prefers to drink from mine. It has been dropped many times and still can be used. The top (part you drink from) is starting to not stay down but I guess that is to be expected when it has been abused like mine has.

It's a solid, reliable product like every CamelBak product I've ever owned. The thing is practically indestructible (although I'm sure you could break it if you really wanted to). I would consider this a must-have for anyone, whether you're backpacking or sitting at your desk. It just makes staying hydrated more convenient. I haven't had any problems whatsoever with leakage which was a flaw that older models of the water bottle seemed to suffer from.

This is a terrific water bottle. I use it for all my gym workouts. It does not leak, drip or create any mess even when filled to the brim. I drop in a couple hydration tables along with cold water to keep me going strong throughout my workouts. The bite-valve works great and makes it easy to drink from the bottle keeping me hydrated throughout my workout. Easy to clean. This is a well designed water bottle. The 0.75 Liter bottle is the perfect size! My review is purely voluntary. I did not receive any products or discounts for this review.

This review is based on owning a bottle less than a week. The bottle when properly closed does not leak. I took away a star because it is very hard to close properly. I do not know if I have a faulty bottle or if this is true of all of them. I am keeping the bottle and will update if things change.

This bottle is really nice and looks good. One handed operation is a little iffy because the lid pops open easily with one hand but really you need two hands to get it to click shut. Also the large lid is a little unwieldly when you drink. But for the price this is a great looking and functional water bottle.

I kind of have a Nalgene obsession but the design of this bottle is one of my favorites. It actually fits in the car cup holder and you can use it conveniently when driving due to its easy opening feature requiring only one hand. I think I love it just for that because I usually have one hand stuffing food in my mouth and one carrying/opening/closing the bottle and I can easily eat and drink at the same time when on the go instead of having to screw the cap open or closed.
One of the negatives I have experienced with this bottle however is the rubber stopper in the cap. Twice, the rubber has come loose from the top of the cap and gets lodged in the drinking way. Not really a problem because you can just stick it back up BUT this allows water to leak out if it is not upright. Really a bummer when it gets your entire backpack wet. Other than that circumstance however, the rubber stopper is very effective at preventing leaks and doesn't leak a bit if the cap is functioning as it was intended.

This is a very solid mug. I bought one for my mother; she uses it every day. The sole reason that i am not giving a 5-star review is because on the underside of the cap, there is a circular piece of a gel-like substance that is used to seal the top. It works quite well; with the lock, it is almost entirely spill proof. However, i noticed that overtime, despite my regular cleanings, a blackish green substance began forming on the gel. I could scratch it off at first, but has since permanently stained the gel. It is displeasing visually, though i use it everyday. This did not, nor has not yet happened to my mother's.

I love these bottles, they are very useful to use, open and close with one hand, and carry with the integrated loop / cap. However, there is one flaw, one which has made 1 of the 3 bottles useless to me. There is a white rubber stopper piece that fits into the cap and makes a good seal. However this piece tends to fall out all the time, usually it falls out if you put ice water in and then later open it. This creates some suction and stopper stays on the bottle instead of remaining on the lid. You need to then pull it off the bottle opening and stick it back into the cap, sometimes difficult and not very sterile. Also, sometimes when washing them the stopper piece will fall out. This has happened a few times and I didn't realize it when I closed the lid, heard it click, and then put it into my tennis bag. When I noticed the wetness on my back as I was carrying the bag I realized what had happened. Luckily nothing has been permanently water damaged during these mishaps. However one of the stoppers seems to be permanently lost, maybe somebody cleaning up in the house threw it away. Anyway, I'm thinking of possibly gluing the remaining useful bottles stoppers on so it doesn't happen again, maybe Nalgene should consider a design change here. Other than that a good design.

Very well made, great size (25 oz), and works great. I just do not prefer but valves, which take some getting used to. I find they are harder to clean and the soft material eventually discolors and looks dirty. Replaceable valve/cover.

Excellent. It took over an older model bottle for me. The only complaint I have is it doesn't have incremental measurements on the side like my last one did. I made a couple marks with my sharpie but they've already rubbed of. The color is lovely.

Great water bottle, but the nozzle is hard to clean and mine stopped being able to hold the nozzle in the closed position after about 6 months. My kids also chewed through a nozzle on their which presented a potential choking hazard.

I've been using this about a month now. It is just the right diameter to carry comfortably on a short run (I have big hands, so keep that in mind), is well made and actually stays sealed if you carry it running. I also carry it as back-up water in my hydration pack for longer runs, where is also reliably stays sealed. The only thing about it that I don't like is that the nozzle byte opening is difficult to use while running, however, a sharp pair of scissors solved that problem without causing it to leak afterwards.

I do love these waterbottles. They're durable, make me drink more water because of the mouth piece.Unfortunately you need to watch out for things growing inside the mouthpiece every couple of weeks! I think because of the natural oxygen, water, and airflow of the mouthpiece it starts to grow some black mold so you NEED to keep an eye on it and wash it.It's pretty easy to clean by shaking some hot water in it and a few q-tips scraping the mold out tho.

It is much cheaper than buying bottled water! The bit cap works great, and there are never any leaks. the cap / straw come apart for easy cleaning and they are dishwasher safe as long as you keep them on the top shelf away from the heating elements.I have a few of these that I keep at home, and I prefer the classic cap. My daughter and my fiance prefer the bit caps. I know that one of these water bottles I have is over 3 years old. Maybe a little scratched up, but it works perfectly still!It would be great if the bottom of the bottle was tapered enough to fit in a cup holder in a car. It fits in some, but not all of the cup holders. For example - it will fit in the door of a suburu forrester, but not in the center console. Forget about this fitting in the standard cup holder of a mustang. If it has a removable rubber insert, it may fit but not tightly.

I have bought 10 of these as they are my families favorite water bottle. The last 2, in this green color are very hard to close and clasp, and they often leak. I'm out of the return window so I'll have to replace them and hope the next 2 dont have the same problem.

Great size but it's VERY hard to get the spout open.

I bought this for my girl friend since her old water bottle was leaking. I bought it because of the good reviews, but even more so because it was made in USA. That was the primary factor when looking for a new one. The bottle is in fact made in the USA, but the plastic top is made in CHINA!!! Very disappointing. Why is the part people put their mouths on made in China? This is advertised as made in USA, but it's not completely. I was pretty upset about that when I was looking at the labels on it.

Despite the China top, my gf loves it. If you don't mind what I mentioned above, it's a nice bottle. Otherwise, keep looking.

I purchased two of these (one for my husband and one for myself) to take with us on walks and just to have around the house and I'm a little disappointed. I searched for a long time trying to find a water bottle without the spout you pull up or the one you have to bite and settled on this version because of the reviews. They do work and seal well (no leaks even when upside down in a backpack or diaper bag). However my bottle top has molded! I saw the review where the person complained about their top molding and I thought "no way that person regularly washed that bottle" but I'm no longer feeling that way. I have the beet red version and my husband has the blue and even with regular washing (by hand and dishwasher) his still looks the same and my cap has developed ridiculous mold that no amount of scrubbing/bottle brushes/soaking/etc. will get rid of. The bottles perform well but I am definitely giving them only three stars because of the mold problem. I've included a picture so you can see what I'm talking about (it's after being in the dishwasher, hand scrubbing, and letting it soak). Maybe it's the color I chose (I sometimes use my husband's and it's never gotten moldy so it can't just be me lol)?

I was searching for the perfect water bottle for use at my desk and to carry with me off-site. This one is OK.

The pros: It is a nice size, seals tightly with no leaking, and is BPA-free. I like the wide mouth, so I can drink out of it like a big girl, not suck on it like a toddler.

The cons: the "one hand" flip top doesn't work as well as it should. You can pop open the cap with one hand, but you need to use some part of your body to lift the cover away from the hole. I've used the other hand, my cheek, my tongue, my leg, whatever. Also, the cover, once it's moved away from the opening, tends to slowly droop back toward the opening while I'm drinking. It hits between my eyebrows and slides down my nose, and it's usually wet when it does that.

Overall, I'll keep using it, because I spent the money and hate to waste it. It works at my desk or on the go, but not as well as I expected.

 When I bought my bottle it was amazing. It worked great every time I used it and I really enjoyed it. This has become my go-to bottle for drinking water throughout the day. In 4 months of use, however, the bite valve won't stay down and I need to replace it as it drips constantly. Maybe it's not intended to be used on a daily basis; I thought they were more resilient than that.

Pros: Shipped on time and undamaged, works like I wanted... It's a water bottle. I like the style of it, too.Cons: I thought the color was going to be a darker red - this is bright red, the mouth piece has been difficult to "break in" - have to really bite to get water but that's probably expected with new bottles, and it says it's not supposed to leak... But MINE LEAKS! So.. I guess just be careful.

This is a beautiful color, great size, and sturdy construction.I just didn't realize that the rubber "spout" required a bite to open. I didn't enjoy the experience of biting and then sucking on the "spout" to get a sip of water.If you like doing that, this would be a fabulous purchase for you.Otherwise, keep looking.

My daughter wanted this bottle because they are popular among her volleyball time. While the bottle looks nice, we've had problems over time on two separate bottles with the seals leaking. Additionally, the spouts are difficult to remove and replace for cleaning compared to other bottles we've tried. They do seem to withstand falls pretty well compared to some other bottles, so if the leaks don't bother you, maybe this is for you.

Great bottle. Works perfectly, just highly disappointed in the shipping of this item.I ordered one bottle and it showed up at my door just fine and in perfect shape. Had to order one for my fiance because he loved mine so much! Placed my order and it arrived quickly. However, the water bottle is covered in huge scratches and scuffs. Basically it looks like it went rock climbing (or falling) before we even got to go ourselves.Really is a fantastic water bottle. The mouth piece is awesome, it never leaks and the handle is perfect. Really just wish my brand new bottle that I paid for, looked brand new.

A friend of mine had one, and I ordered my own, since hers worked so well. At first, this product was great. But, within a few months it began to leak every time it wasn't upright. It has now soaked bags and rugs several times. It's only useful if you keep it in a cup holder, which is fine most of the time for me, but still very annoying. Hers, though, is older than mine, she treats it rougher, and it has never leaked. So, I'm going to rate it 3 starts, as I believe this is an issue of quality control and not product design flaw.

Had to return the first bottle because the lid would not lock on. I kept the second one only because I felt bad returning that one too. The lid does not release and latch easily at all and it takes way too much effort for a water bottle. I love my standard wide mouth Nalgene bottles and was hoping to get to use this one for my bike and short hikes. Even bought the neoprene sleeve to go with it. Unfortunately it's just sitting in my cabinet, didn't even fully use it once.

The clasp on these bottles just doesn't work well. You really have to push hard on the top and due to the design this can cause the bottom to slip out. The metal clasp is equally as difficult to squeeze on and this just isn't made for a quick drink of water

I liked this bottle a lot at first. The diameter is perfect for fitting into a car cupholder without sliding around or wobbling. The cap is easy to open and easy to close and it's clever how the cap is also the carrying loop. I did notice immediately that the cap did not seem very robust, to put it *very* nicely. But I found that it is, indeed, very fragile. It takes very little impact to cause the cap to explode into pieces, like 2 feet onto a vinyl floor and pieces of the cap were 10 feet away, although to be fair there was a spring involved.

My previous bottle, a Thermos Intak, lasted over 10 years through *many* drops. This bottle didn't last 10 weeks. Going back to Thermos Intak.

I had (and lost) the old version of this Nalgene water bottle so I bought this as a replacement. More or less it is the same, I definitely like the snap closure lids better than the straw option which other reusable water bottle manufacturers offer. This one however is significantly more difficult to snap shut than the older version. You have to put it on a table and press down forcefully with weight before you hear the snap close shut. My kids cannot even close this thing (they were able to close the last one just fine). Overall it still serves its purpose, just not quite as convenient.

So I got this water bottle back in March and I really like everything about it EXCEPT that the little rubber piece in the flip cap that keeps it sealed so that it won't leak got really dirty looking within just a couple months of having it. Now only 7 months later it looks really gross and no amount of cleaning or scrubbing can get it clean.

I really liked this when I first got it. It was a good replacement for my old water bottle. The only thing I didn't like was the straw, I cant get the last inch of water out without having to take the lid off. However, this is partially my fault because I had never tried a water bottle with a straw and its just not for me. But anyway, It lasted well for maybe 2 months? not even? It has started to leak and its not due to air pressure I make sure to release the pressure when i'm done drinking from it. The lid just leaks now. Also, the part that you bite and drink from has a hole in it already which also causes that part to leak and not work as well. It also looks like the inside of it is getting gross already. I knew this would happen eventually but not anywhere near as soon as it did. Just honestly not worth the money, i'm already looking for a new one.

basically it's good and does what it promises. i only wished the mouth piece was more protected. i mean, you flip it down to close it, but it's totally exposed. and you do have to bite it and suck on it, so it's not very hygienic (precisely because the mouth piece is so exposed). the good side though is that you can put it upside down and it doesn't spill, even it the mouthpiece is open (bc you have to bite down on it.if you wash it every day or just keep it in your locker or on your desk, it's fine i guess, but i carry it around all day, so it gets gross. It's the kind of product you know already that you're gonna have to replace in a few months

Wow. For more than $10 I was expecting some good quality. The straw is horrible. I try to get water and it doesn't come smoothly. I mostly get air! I had a camelbak previously but my recent ex gave it to me and so I accidentally dropped and stepped on it. Had to get a new one. And it was a total let down. Love the color though.

+ Easy one-handed operation+ Nice handle+ Bite valve is kinda fun+ Very high water throughput means minimal sucking- THE HINGE WEARS OUT REALLY FAST AND CANT BE REPLACED- THE BITE VALVE GROWS MOLD VERY EASILY

I love the look and use of this water bottle. Great for the gym.BUT. I hate the mold. Yes: mold.Please note: I clean the Eddy regularly – probably twice or three times a week (which I'm assuming is more often than most people) – washing each of the parts separately and thoroughly I let each part dry before reassembling. If the bottle is filled, I store it in the fridge. And I only put water in the bottle.**And yet** I still have found MOLD growing hidden on the inside of the rubberized bite way too many times. Might just be me... except when I told a few friends who have the same bottle about it, several of them checked... only to find the same problem!!So gross. And a reliable water bottle shouldn't require such a high degree of maintenance to trust that it's not molding on you.

After one year of use, I've given up on this bottle. Though I love the bite concept and carabiner hook, I have found that its overall utility is limited. There are two major flaws with the bottle design:1. Requires Frequent CleaningIf you use the Eddy on a daily basis, you can expect gunk to build up in the nozzle every 1-2 weeks. This is because after you are done drinking the bite valve retains a few drops of water that just sit until you use it again. This is easy enough to clean assuming that you have a pipe cleaner style tool.2. LeaksThis bottle will leak through some flaw in the design around the bite valve. If I place the bottle in my messenger bag or camping backpack, it is an absolute guarantee that it will leak onto the items around it. I believe the problem stems from the transition between the top of the straw and the bite valve. Every time I take the bottle out of a bag it is wet around the nozzle and thread area.In my opinion, the leaking issue should deter anyone from purchasing this bottle unless you'll only be using it upright on a desk and don't mind cleaning it frequently.

The bottle leaked on first use and the design wasn't very good. It's not easily possible (if at all) to use this with one hand.

Poor design that is too easy to bump open. The latch is very small and easy to damage. I wouldn't trust this cap to hold water *outside* a bag, much less inside.

You'll notice this thing has a little lock on it to keep it from popping open. It's an extra step to open and close, which is a little annoying, but you MUST use it, which is more annoying. I destroyed my old Kindle when it opened in my bag.

I'm also noticing that the rubber (?) piece inside the cap that keeps it from leaking is developing the discoloration some other reviewers mentioned. Mildew? :(

So yeah, clearly I'm going to be replacing this at some point soon.

This is the second nalgene bottle I've gotten this year. This one has a different cap with spout. The first one got moldy and was impossible to clean with the rubber. When I don't like about this one is the cap flies back at your face if you don't remember to have it turned to the side. Also, the cap does not close and "lock" easily even with force. I have to hit it or try to close it just right for it to actually snap. This is just poor design I think. Disappointed.

I must have a defective bottle, because most reviews I've read have not stated any issues with leakage. My bottle leaks quite rapidly either placed on it's side or even at an angle where water is in contact with the stopper. Even with the metal clasp engaged, it does not prevent water from dripping out.
Since I'm unhappy with the bottle, I might as well nitpick. Not thrilled with the design, the hinged top makes it awkward to drink if not fully opened all the way. As you drink the water you go cross-eyed staring at the stopper. Also, if your index finger isn't holding the hinged stopper it will easily swing forward and hit your nose, especially if trying to take a sip during activity such as walk/jog/run.

You'll probably blow blood vessels trying to suck the water through this.

After a few months using this bottle and washing it every night it's growing black mold in the valve.

Within a month the product has mold growing in the nipple and straw. I washed my CamelBak every other day with hot water and soap and I even pulled the nipple off the top and pulled the straw from the bottom to really scrub all the parts of the water bottle. However, within a months time, and despite my obsessive cleaning, mold grew inside the nipple and straw and I just threw the entire bottle away. Not a great water bottle.

I will not purchase CamelBak products again. This is the second bottle that after a couple months of using consistently, water leaks out from the lid and the water spout will not stay down by the lid when I'm not drinking out of it. Great color of water bottle, though. Just wish it would've lasted longer.

Read the other reviews with one star because they describe a systemic problem with fluid passing between the rubber bite valve (nipple) and cup lid. It may take a few weeks before leaking becomes a problem but it will leak. I'm replacing it with a model that has a simple hole and screwcap; the design of this model is inherently flawed if you want to invert and drink.

 I loved this for about 6 months and then it started leaking. It leaks incredibly fast and even while in an upright position regardless if the straw is popped up or down. Im so bummed.