7 Safer Smartwater Bottle Alternatives That Are Actually Practical for Thru-Hikers

Over the past few years, we’ve all been forced to slowly confront the fact that our Smartwater bottles — while the perfect size, weight, and rigidity for thru-hiking— are actively detrimental to our health.

Smartwater bottles are made from PET1 plastic, which is a food-safe plastic designed for single use. Repeated use, such as using the same bottle for days and weeks during a hike, causes the shed of nano and microplastics from your bottle.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Katie Jackson.

DÈNYE MIZAJOU

February 28, 2025

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Similarly, whenever I need water, it takes time and effort to collect water from a stream, and then push it through my Sawyer Squeeze filter into my water bottles.

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Sawyer Mini filters remove 99.9% of bacteria—pair with reusable bottles to minimize plastic waste.

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