Best flasks: we recommend our favourite insulated drinks receptacles

There are few luxuries that dedicated hikers afford themselves, but an insulated flask is one of them, along with something perhaps as decadent as a hand-operated espresso maker (check out our article on camping gadgets to see what we mean).

We've put together a collection of our top-rated insulated drinks flasks to help you choose the right one for your next trek.

What to look for in an insulated drinks 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.

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this page, we never allow this to influence product selections.

The best insulated drinks flasks

This vacuum insulated bottle will keep drinks cool for 24 hours. This, in combination with its convenient sip cap (although it also has a wide mouth opening for filling and cleaning), make it ideal for cold drinks on the hill.

The V8 is simple, robust, and fairly capacious. We like that it comes in a load of colours (this green being our favourite) and that it'll genuinely keep beverages hot for about 12 hours (cold beverages cold for 24 hours). However, it's mouth isn't as wide as the 360° flask, but it's still fairly easy to clean.

The TrailBreak comes with two stoppers – one for pouring convenience or direct drinking, and one for maximum heat retention – and an external lid which doubles as a cup. A silicone sleeve offers a comfortable grip, while the tapered shape makes it easier to fit in a pack.

This flask will keep your sauvignon blanc chilled or your mulled merlot hot for hours. It may be designed specifically to swallow the contents of a whole wine bottle, but it works equally well for non-alcoholic tipples. We do of course say that if you're taking alcohol on your trek, be sensible and drink responsibly.

An insulated bottle screws into the base that also doubles as a large cup. It can serve you coffee pre-walk, carry your water all day, or hold your beer post-walk. It also offers storage space for tea bags, snacks, and a rubber roll-and-fold lid which fits onto the mug to keep contents warm.

A proper traditional beefy flask that, unlike traditional flasks, is almost unbreakable. Big and heavy it may be, but if you need to keep tea on hand for the troops (or your walking buddies) this 1.3-litre bottle will keep its contents hot for up to 40 hours (or cold for 35).

Don't forget to subscribe to the Live For The Outdoors newsletter to get expert advice and outdoor inspiration delivered to you inbox!

For the latest reviews - including extra photos and kit that won't appear online - pick up a copy of the current issue of Trail magazine