What’s the Best Way to Haul Beer (and Other Beverages) into the Backcountry?
Five containers for your out-of-bounds drink of choice
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A hot cup of coffee or a little nip of whiskey on a snowy day in the backcountry is pure magic and a nice reward for all your hard work on the skin track. Thankfully, there are a lot of options for hauling your drink of choice. Here are five of my favorites.
Stanley Adventure eCycle Flask 7-Ounce ($15)
In addition to the feel-good materials story (all recycled plastic), I like this flask because the entire top pops off, making it easy to clean. This means I can haul sticky sweet pre-made cocktails knowing that I’ll be able to get all the residue out before I fill it with whiskey for another trip.
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Water Bottle 32-Ounce ($34)
The Wide Mouth is tough, easy to grip with gloves on (thanks to the powder-coated exterior), and works well as a standard water bottle. Often, I fill it with boiling water and two scoops of Skratch Labs Apples and Cinnamon Exercise Hydration Mix for a mid-morning treat that tastes like hot cider but hydrates like a sports drink.
Vapur Incognito Flexible Flask 10-Ounce ($7)
This is the flask for ounce counters who travel fast and light in the backcountry. Made from BPA-free plastic, it weighs less than comparable metal options but doesn’t leak and won’t taint the taste of your favorite spirit. Empty, the wallet-sized flask rolls down to the size of a large tootsie roll.
Avex 3Sixty Pour Thermal Bottle 24-Ounce ($30)
There’s nothing worse than spilling coffee all over the spare puffy in your pack. To make sure that never happens, I transport my java in the 3Sixty Pour thermal bottle, which has never leaked a drop of liquid, even after getting jostled around all day long. That, plus the double-walled construction, keeps everything hot for hours.
Jetboil Minimo ($130)
On backcountry hut trips, you often need to bring your own heat source if you want coffee or tea. My favorite option: the Jetboil Minimo because it packs down to half the size of a football, only weighs 14.6 ounces, but will boil one liter of water in just over two minutes. Bonus: the stove has a simmer feature so it’ll cook dinner, too.