Water bottles

Are you a water bottle person?

I sometimes read articles about water bottle usage as an odd fad, a trend behaviour that will surely pass with time. You know the sort, those that remind us that we grew up without owning water bottles, and that we used to be able to last more than 15 minutes without having a drink.

I grew up without owning a water bottle, and I used to be able to last more than 15 minutes without having a drink.

Somewhere along the way, though, I became a water bottle person. I think it was around the time I started university, when I was spending full days on a large-ish campus that didn't always have water fountains where I wanted them. I also joined a gym for the first time that year, which may have further contributed to water bottle usage.

Whatever the origins, I am now quite dependent. So much so that I own not one water bottle, not two water bottles, but three water bottles. And for a very short time before I do a clearing out process, I own four water bottles.

Let me explain.

Firstly, I have a gym water bottle. 

This is a 1L camelbak and I blame it for my ability to drink 1L of water before breakfast.

I've had it for several years, and it was originally a (well-chosen) birthday present from my brother.

But even though it's great for the gym, it's not so good for running. It's too big and too hard to carry.


So, secondly, I have a running water bottle.

750mL with a pop-top lid and an easy to hold middle.

I got this free when I bought my outrageously priced, don't-let-my-feet-roll-in running shoes, so it seems fitting that it comes with me on my runs.

However, it doesn't go in my handbag. Because as with the camelbak, the top is exposed. And the interior of my handbag is not, shall we say, suited to touching anything that will subsequently go in my mouth.

Ick.

Thus, thirdly, I have a handbag water bottle. 

This comes to work, on shopping trips, to football matches, and on any outing over 15 minutes.

This category has a high turnover rate. In fact, this year I have had three handbag water bottles.

The first was delightful. It had a clever spring-opening lid. You pushed a button and it sprang open. If it's appropriate to love water bottles (and I know it's probably not), I would say that I loved this one.

But then I dropped it, and the spring-opening feature stopped working properly. It was a sad day.

So I replaced it with a sturdy metal one.

Still quite attractive. 750ml, but streamlined.

Except then, despite its supposed BPA-free status, it started leaching little metal sediment bits. Into my mouth. The first time, I gave it the benefit of the doubt. The second time, it was retired. Immediately.

And so, I am pleased to welcome the latest addition to my water bottle family. The third handbag bottle for 2011:

It's called Fuel, apparently. Please don't hold it against it. I'm sure it didn't ask for the name.

700ml, with an easy grip and a non-spring but probably sturdy lid, it's already brought me a lot of joy for something that has yet to be used.

Now I just need to throw out the black metal version that it is replacing, so my collection doesn't grow to unsustainable numbers...

Because even I can see that four bottles may be too many.

Are you in the water bottle camp, or the "surely you can last 15 minutes without a drink!" camp? 


If the former, do you have bottles for different occasions?

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