While we at ThisNext are quite fond of our bottled water - especially the much-beloved Glaceau Smartwater - there’s a certain case to be made for investing in a water bottle rather than hitting the disposable plastic every time you need to hydrate. Particularly valuable to the outdoorsy-sporty types, water bottles can help you cut back on waste and may even be healthier for you (since plastic bottles could leach chemicals into your water).

That water-bottle classic, Nalgene has won the loyalty of ThisNexters Joe (who still hearts his “old-school” Nalgene bottle after years of use), Laura Cestone (“4 of these a day, and I eat less, and stay hydrated,” Laura says), and Gordon (“They are virtually indestructible and carry enough water to keep you hydrated when you are adventuring in the great outdoors,” writes Gordon in his shopcast. “Plus they don’t make the water or tea taste funny.”). Even the wee ones are getting in on the Nalgene craze, according to Roger at BloggingBaby. Roger reports that “the Mercedes-Benz of water bottles” now offers the Nalgene Grip-n-Gulp, a bottle designed just for little tikes. (“I got this image of a bunch of hippie-esque backpackers, now all grown up and trying to figure out these ‘children’ that have suddenly invaded their lives,” says Roger of his first time spotting a Grip-n-Gulp ad in Camping Life magazine.)

Perhaps just as popular around ThisNext, Sigg water bottles are “tough, light, and healthier with no chemical leaching like plastic bottles,” says Shea. What’s more, Leisa points out that “tests show that this is the only bottle with an inner coating resistant to fruit acids and isotonic drinks,” which she attributes to “Swiss high-tech production at work again.” After discovering Sigg while “on the hunt for COOL stainless steel bottles,” Jen Boulden says that now “everyone is jealous, but I tell them where to get one as bottled water is one of my pet peeves.” Romi Lassally, on the other hand, loves Sigg bottles because they’re “perfect for the lunchbox,” while Heather Stephenson names Sigg “one of my favorite green accessories.”

Also good and green, Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel bottles are “beautiful, practical, simple and safe to drink from,” says shopcaster/rock-climber Steph Davis Potter. “Very durable, and they are the perfect gift for anyone too.”

Linda T.’s favorite, meanwhile, is the Polar Insulated Bottle, designed to keep cold liquids colder more than twice as long as conventional bottles.

And, giving us an alternative to its ever-popular hydration pack, CamelBak offers what Jessi Pacetti calls “a sippy cup for adults” (“I consider myself very well versed in water bottles, and this is BY FAR the best one out there,” Jessi insists). And our Jean, who demands that we “HYDRATE OR DIE!” points out that the CamelBak bottle “has no moving parts and cleans in a dishwasher with no problems… even fits in my cup holder!”