Nalgene Wide-Mouth Water Bottle
by Nalgene
13 endorsements on r/BuyItForLife first recommended in Feb 2025
A wide-mouth co-polyester plastic water bottle used for hiking, camping, and everyday carry, backed by Nalgene's lifetime warranty program.
Added Jul 5, 2026, Updated Jul 5, 2026
Why it's buy-it-for-life
Owners report bottles surviving 10-25+ years of drops, freezing, and rough handling, and Nalgene has a reputation for honoring warranty replacements on the rare occasions a bottle does crack.
What redditors say
Recommended on reddit as recently as June 2025
Show 22 more mentions
- 8r/BuyItForLife comment
I have some which are more than 20 years old and seem more durable than the newer ones. My step son shattered two on rocks... Even if new ones aren't as durable as the old, I'll still buy and use the heck out of them. Love them.
- 7r/BuyItForLife comment
After a while tho you can really taste the microplastics.
- 6r/BuyItForLife comment
Hopefully those are manufactured after 2008. Prior to then they contained BPA, a nasty "forever chemical."
- 4r/BuyItForLife comment
Litterally the same ones i have lol. The glow in the dark one is great for camping
- 3r/BuyItForLife comment
I've beat the snot out of them but they will eventually break. They do have lifetime warranty, they sent me an entire case of 6 after I sent a photo of the broken one. Awesome customer service.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
like others have said, get the xl nalgene, the old kind with the blue lid and opaque plastic.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
I've had my Nalgene bottle since 2014. It's banged up, but otherwise perfect condition.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
Every single Nalgene I've used has developed a smell that won't be fixed with denture tabs, dishwasher, vinegar, etc.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
I used to like them before the whole knowledge of plastic being bad came out. They get stinky too and difficult to get fully clean.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
They shatter quite easily. I am a fan, but they're hardly buy it for life.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
Customized naljene with a better lid
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I have broken too many of them. From small falls. All of them have been made from the new "safe plastic".
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I dropped my 1L bottle from second floor of a library onto the concrete parking lot... The bottle was completely fine... I still have the bottle which is now like 10 years old
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
A Nalgene is practically indestructible until it isn't, and then it will shatter in the most dramatic way possible
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I have 4 of those Nalgene bottles from REI that are 9 years old and have been abused every which way... I noticed the plastic "flexed" in several spots. I did not purchase a new one.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
When i started highschool in 2002 you could run a nalgene over with a car and nothing happened. Then they realized that BPA was bad for us so nalgenes shatter these days.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
they are have not been made from polycarbonate since 2005 or so. The co-polyester is notch sensitive and can crack. I had the same thing happen to me in 2012, they replaced it though!
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
We literally ran one over with a diesel f250 one day...on purpose!!!....it was mangled/flat but still didn't leak! Never had an issue with any of mine and I have about 5.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I have Nalgene bottle that are over 25 years old and still perfect.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
Yea they truly honor their warranty policy.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I've had 2 Nalgenes since 2002. The first one lasted till Jan 2015... Bought a new one June 2015 and it's still going strong.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
Once for me and they sent a replacement. Cracked after freezing






Dropped 5 year old Nalgene from 24" and this is what happened. Just submitted the warranty claim, but man I'm bummed
The nalgenes Are just short of indestructible... I've replaced a few caps over the years, but that was for more wear and tear than it actually breaking.
I've had two break from dropping when it was cold out... not quite as indestructible as I was led to believe.
I bought mine in 2015 and I still use it. Crazy durable.
I've been using my Nalgene since at least 2008... the bottle itself is rock solid. Easily in the top 1% of oldest, continually used things that I own.
I encourage everyone to switch away from Nylons/Plastics... Nalgene bottles are on the list.