Ever had to twist and reach to grab your water bottle? Ever had trouble slipping a canteen back into your pack without having to take the backpack off?

Hiking Tip: Use a bottle clip.

The green clip you see in the pictures fits snuggly around the necks of water or soda bottles. Look closely and you can see a thick black elastic, which keeps the container secure. I’ve hiked thousands of miles with this clip, and I love its convenience; my water hangs right from my pack belt, at my side.

In the PCT desert areas, I had four plastic water bottles clipped to my pack belt. For hikers who use a different hydration system, such as CamelBak, the clip may not be appealing, but I’ve seen even these folks carrying a spare bottle. I think most long-distance hikers go with plastic bottles to reduce pack weight. Other hikers may stick with canteens, or use wide mouth Nalgene bottles. Use whatever works for you, but the clip is light, inexpensive, easy, and convenient. That’s also true for the common plastic bottle.

You can order these “Quick Draw Bottle Clips” in different colors on the Internet.

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• Breakdown: Bottled Water Vs. Tap (becausewater.com)