The Nalgene Wide-Mouth Ultralite bottle will not win any UL Catechism points, but it earns a place in our cold-weather kit.
Joan uses the Nalgene Ultralite as her primary bottle on colder trips.
Since I usually handle the hot drink ritual, I end up using it by default as well.
At about 3.5 oz / 100 g, it weighs roughly half of a traditional Nalgene. That still makes it heavier than a narrow-mouth Smartwater bottle at about 1 oz / 28 g, but this bottle works better for our cold-weather use.
How so?
- Easier to pour hot water into the bottle
- Handles boiling water without melting
- Works well as a hot water bottle in the sleeping bag
- Pulls double duty as a mug for hot drinks
- Resists leaks thanks to a secure lid that I can manage with gloves
- The printed measurements come in handy, especially for our 2025 Gear Pick of the Year
We still use other bottles in our kits, and we choose different containers depending on the route and conditions. But this Nalgene bottle fills a specific role in our toolbox.
Overall?
We do not use the Nalgene Wide-Mouth Ultralite bottle all the time, and we do not need to. In cold weather, it works well as a hot water bottle, mug, and liquid container all-in-one. And at $12, an affordable piece of kit, too.
That makes it a solid and practical tool in the kit, even if it is not the lightest option for your theoretical LighterPack.