The best insulated flasks for hiking reviewed (2023)

With the benefit of keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, an insulated flask will earn its place in your rucksack all year round.

LFTO Gear Tester using an insulated flask

by Chris Williams |

There are few luxuries and accessories that dedicated hikers afford themselves, but an insulated flask is one of them.

Insulated flasks all work in the same way, using a vacuum double-wall design to create a thermal layer. But they vary in terms of size, efficiency, and weight.

For hiking, you want the lightest possible option. But bigger, bulkier models can keep liquids hotter or colder for much longer. We've curated our top-rated insulated drinks flasks to help you choose the right one for your next trek.

The best insulated drinks flasks

Best insulated flask
YETI Rambler Bottle 1065ml
Price: £39.95
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

An insulated flask should prioritise the job of insulating, in our opinion. Weight saving comes

Pros

  • Several volumes available
  • Very tough plastic parts
  • Wide and narrow drinking

Cons

  • Heavy
YETI Rambler Bottle 1065ml

2. 360° Wide Mouth Insulated Bottle 750ml

Best Value

Description

This vacuum insulated bottle will keep drinks cool for 24 hours. Combined with its convenient sip

Pros

  • Wide and narrow mouth options
  • Magnetic attachment for cap
  • Good value

Cons

  • Other have better insulation
360° Wide Mouth Insulated Bottle 750ml

Best flask for day walks
Stanley Classic Neverleak Travel Mug 0.47L
Price: £36.99
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

If all you need is something in which to carry a single serving of hot drink – be that a mug of

Pros

  • Compact
  • Stanley tough
  • Leakproof mug

Cons

  • Smaller volume than others here
Stanley Classic Neverleak Travel Mug 0.47L

Best for two
Aladdin CityPark Thermavac Twin Cup Bottle 1.1L

Rrp: £26.49

Price: £22.97
AmazonAmazon Prime

Description

When tea for two is on the cards, this is the perfect solution. Cleverly storing two cups in its

Pros

  • Ideal for two people
  • Includes two cups
  • Not too heavy for its size

Cons

  • Stanley Master Unbreakable Thermal Bottle has better insulation
Aladdin CityPark Thermavac Twin Cup Bottle 1.1L

5. Thermos The Revival Flask 500ml

Retro and effective

Description

Brimming with nostalgia – a Thermos just like your granny used to have – the retro Revival (also

Pros

  • Memory lane looks
  • Still durable
  • Pretty good insulation

Cons

  • Only one volume size
Thermos The Revival Flask 500ml

6. Camelbak Chute Mag Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle 750ml

Best lightweight insulated flask

Description

Camelbak's Chut Mag bottles come in insulated and non-insulated varieties, many colours, and

Pros

  • Relatively lightweight
  • Clever magnetic top
  • Many volumes and colours

Cons

  • Others have better insulation performance
Camelbak Chute Mag Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle 750ml

7. Hydro Flask Wine Bottle

Best for summit celebration

Description

This flask will keep your sauvignon blanc chilled or your mulled merlot hot for hours. It's

Pros

  • Great for celebrating a tough hike
  • Goes nicely with Hydroflask Wine Tumber
  • Doesn't retain flavours of previous contents

Cons

  • Hardly essential
Hydro Flask Wine Bottle

Best for toughness
Stanley Master Unbreakable Thermal Bottle

Rrp: £61.68

Price: £59.99
Amazon

Description

A proper traditional beefy flask that, unlike traditional flasks, is almost unbreakable. Big and

Pros

  • Excellent insulation
  • Bulletproof

Cons

  • Heavy and bulky
Stanley Master Unbreakable Thermal Bottle

What to look for in an insulated flask

Volume: Do you need something to keep a takeaway latte warm, or do you want a day’s worth of cuppas in your pack? Is it just for you, or will you be sharing the contents? These factors, along with how much weight you’re prepared to carry, will decide the volume of liquid you need to fit in your flask.

Weight: Remember, one litre of water weighs one kilogram. A flask will only get heavier when full, so consider the empty weight of the flask and its volume to avoid overburdening yourself.

Drinking method: Some flasks come with a separate cup, while others are intended to be drunk from directly. The latter of these may have different openings, and some will be better suited to cold drinks than hot, lest you risk burning your lips.

Robustness: Most modern flasks are less breakable than the traditional glass insulated models, but some are better than others. If you tend to chuck your pack around with gay abandon, it’s worth making sure you choose a tough one.

Level of insulation: Good insulation comes at a price, both in terms of actual cost and weight. Cheaper, lighter flasks may keep the contents warm for a few hours. But if you want your last sip of the day to be as hot as the first, you may have to spend a little more and tolerate the extra grams.

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