Most short camping trips, long outdoor camping trips, or even an overnight car camping trip requires one essential piece of camping gear to make it a happy camping trip – a camping water storage container. As well as your tent, food, and sleeping gear, of course.
You can never guarantee that you’ll be near a safe water source to provide you with a clean water supply while on a camping trip, hence the need for a camping water container.
With a great water container for camping you can bring enough stored water to ensure you have clean drinking water, and water for cooking, for your whole trip.
At A Glance: Our Top 3 Water Containers For Camping
But, not all camping water containers are made equal, some are a lot better than others and collapse for storage or make pouring water as easy as can be, for example. Join me as I take you through the best camping water containers on the market so you can buy the best camping water container for your needs.
![]() | Best Collapsible Water Container For Camping
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![]() | Best Value
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![]() | Best For Backpacking
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One of the best water containers for camping around is the WaterStorageCube Collapsible Water Container.
This camping water container is a plastic water container that is made from a durable and safe material, BPA free plastic which ensures no harmful chemicals get into your water supply. You can store water in it for days at a time without any worries.
It’s also made with a single piece design which along with the durable material ensures the camping water container is leak free and can handle being stacked or even used as a seat.
Unlike most camping water containers, this water container comes with a spigot attachment which means you can pour water with ease. Simply turn the water container on its side, pour water into a cup, saucepan, or even use it to wash your hands.
This is also a collapsible water container which means it folds down to a small size making it easier to transport and therefore a very portable container. You can hike with this in your backpack with ease and then fill it with drinking water or cooking water from a stream when you arrive.
The water container also comes with a handle for easier transport when full of gallons of water and with different volumes to choose from. This means you can ensure you have the right camping water container size for you, with enough water for drinks for longer trips or short ones too. .
Cleaning the water container is quite easy but the hard part is drying it out after and it might take a day or two to fully dry. Otherwise, this is one of the best collapsible water containers on the market that will ensure you have a fresh water supply for every
The Coleman Water Carrier is the best value camping water container around in my eyes as it comes in at a low price while delivering all the most important factors one needs from clean camping water containers.
Firstly, this water container is built from heavy-duty FDA-approved materials that are also durable meaning the container is BPA free and the water tank won’t affect the water quality or taste. It also comes with a spigot which makes for a spill-free transfer and the water flow is slow so when campers drink they don’t waste any.
The water container has a large opening, more than most water containers so you can easily add ice to it and keep your water cool. Cooler water is always more refreshing, especially for campers.
The water tank comes with two handles, each is a built-in handle, which is handy for carrying it as it holds 5 gallons of water or 20 liters of water, which means it’s heavy when full. But with such a high capacity you will have more water which is ideal for big trips or short ones with lots of campers.
To top it all off, this is a collapsible water container meaning you can save space when car camping before it’s filled with water. It is folded easily into a tiny lightweight package and then opens to full capacity with ease too.
The one downside to these collapsible containers is that cleaning them isn’t easy, but that is the case with most other containers too.
The MSR Dromedary is a heavy duty water tank that is perfect for camping when you’re going off for a short period and want to carry enough water just for you.
With sizes ranging from 4 to 10 liters, you would need one per person and they are the perfect choice when used in this manner for long backpacking camping expeditions or any outdoor adventure.
Unlike hard plastic or soft plastic containers, these are not made from plastic at all and consist of a 1000D fabric exterior with a waterproof BPA-free food-grade lining for better-tasting water on the inside with no odors.
This not only makes them incredibly durable but also ensures the water stored inside isn’t affected by UV rays, the water stays the ideal temperature, and that it is sturdy enough to handle any environment. This means you can take it on serious adventures without worrying about leaks.
It’s a full collapsible water container that you can fold into any shape and stuff into your bag even when there is limited space left. Filling the water bag couldn’t be easier, simply fill it with the pressure fit lid open which has a wide opening, and then keep filling until it is full, after which close the lid.
Pouring is simple too as you can hang the bag and it comes with a hideaway spigot so gravity does the work and you won’t waste any of it.
The only camping cons to these quality water containers for camping is the number of liters or gallons you can fit in as they old have a max capacity of 10 letters or 2.3 gallons. This will affect how many days you can spend camping without finding more water unless you have a water filter.
Unlike the other plastic containers featured so far, the Reliance Products Aqua-Tainer is a rigid water container which doesn’t collapse.
This means that it will take up more space in your vehicle when transporting it to your campsite, but it doesn’t mean you’ll have less space, as if you have to travel with a full container, it’s the same.
These water containers are made from durable and completely safe polyethylene and feature a one piece design so that they can handle regular use without any wear. They are an excellent choice when heading to a campground with no water supply as they have a huge capacity of 7 gallons so you will never run out of water.
Other great features include a hide away spigot so you can stand the unit up and just open the spigot and pour. The cap is large so you can add ice to make the water cooler and they stack so they are easier to store. Larger openings also mean it is easy to fill and you can even use a hose.
Overall this is a great option as a drinking water storage container that is perfect for frequent use when camping with a car, RV, or camper.
The Scepter Water Container is a rigid 5 gallon water container that is designed to military specifications. This means it is not only tough and durable but is designed to slot in seamlessly to any vehicle such as a car, camper, or RV for easy transport to your campsite.
These hard sided jugs, or water jugs, as they are often referred to, are made from safe clean FDA plastic to ensure your water is safe to drink. The design of the water jug ensures no dirt gets inside and that the sun doesn’t heat it up and turn it into a jug of hot water.
It comes with a large cap with a smaller built-in spout which makes filling a pouring with zero waste very easy. There is also a small spout on one side for air pressure to escape so you can get a good flow.
The water container also features a lightweight design but it is not as compact to pack as a collapsible water container and therefore will take up gear space in vehicles.
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The containers come in one size, 7 gallons which means you can carry enough water for a multi day trip and while they don’t fold, their narrow design takes up less space than other similar sized containers.
Each container is built from high-density polyethylene plastic which is 100% BPA free. This not only ensures your water stays safe to drink but also means that the container is rugged and tough for any adventure. You won’t find any leaks coming out of these containers.
It comes with a large cap for quick filling with an added spigot which makes filling water bottles, cups and saucepans at camp easy. There is also an air pressure valve to ensure that the flow rate is quick.
You’ll also find two handles which makes carrying the container and pouring it easy. You can also stand it vertically or horizontally on a table to make things easier.
The Reliance Fold a Carrier is the most affordable water container featured in the article and if you’re looking to spend as little as possible, this might be the one for you.
It’s made from high grade polyethylene that is also foldable for storage when not in use. The material is excellent but it’s very thin and some people don’t trust that it can hold 5 gallons while others love the product.
It comes with a built-in handle with an ergonomic grip, an on/off spigot, and a large cap. This makes filling it with water, and desineping into bottles or cups easy.
Overall, it has a solid design but whether to trust the thin walls to last is a bit of a gamble.
The Igloo 6 Gallon Portable Water Container is an awesome water container to purchase as it’s super versatile and features a lightweight design that makes storing water and dispensing it very easy.
It has a water storage capacity of 6 gallons, two handles, and even a built-in/removable hose so you can pour with zero wastage. The container also features a rigid design and is built from durable and safe polyethylene so it will last for years.
You won’t find any horrid plastic odors in this container. The only downside is that you will need a vehicle to get it to your camping spot as it is not collapsible.
The REDCAMP Portable Water Container is another rigid water container that is designed to make taking water camping as easy as possible.
It’s built from HDPE that is food safe and therefore will not contaminate your water with chemicals, odors, or bad tastes. The HDPE is also tough and will last a lot of days out in the wild.
The container comes with two lids, one large opening for filling which you can also get your hand inside for cleaning, and another with a spigot. This design makes pouring easy but it comes with some flaws.
Expect the spigot cap to leak if it’s not screwed on properly and sometimes the caps can just fall off. Despite this being affordable, with a good design and including a warranty, it still spells wastage and disaster due to the built quality of the caps.
The Gowithwind Collapsible Water Container is a super affordable and portable option that will be reliable on the road.
Made from food grade PE it doesn’t affect the taste of your water and it does well when it comes to durability too. You can fold it with ease and slide it in a bag and then blow it up when it’s time to fill.
It comes with 2 lids, one without a spigot to stop leaks during transport and one with a spigot so you can fill things easily. The water flow is slow though as there is no air hole, so be aware of this.
Overall it’s a super-portable easy-to-use option that will last and is very affordable.
The first check box on a water container buying guide is picking the right type of container for you, and you only have two choices: rigid or collapsible.
Rigid containers are usually more durable and have a larger capacity but they take up a lot of space and are only good options when camping with vehicles.
Collapsible options are great for slotting in a backpack when not in use but tend to be made for thinner materials and thus may wear out faster.
Water is heavy, much heavier than fuel, and thus you need to pick a container size that holds enough water for your health and survival but not so much that you can’t move it. Now, it doesn’t matter so much when camping with vehicles as they do the heavy lifting for you.
Generally, around 2 gallons or 10 liters is enough for a solo camper for a few days, but if you go in big groups, a 5 or 7-gallon container is better.
You have to purchase a BPA Free Food Safe PE container as it guarantees you water will be safe to drink without a weird taste, just make sure it’s tough enough from a durability standpoint.
When it comes to ease of use, think about filling, dispensing, carrying, wastage and cleaning. A large opening with a spigot that doesn’t leak makes life easy in every direction and with some solid handles to boot, you’re on to a winner.
The all-around best camping water container featured in the article is the WaterStorageCube Collapsible Container. Being a collapsible water container, it’s extremely light and packs down small when empty so you can easily carry it in a backpack making it a very portable option.
When full of cold water there is a handle for carrying it, plus a spigot for easy dispensing. To top it all off, it’s made from quality materials, won’t leak, and will ensure that you have a reliable water system for any short or long trip.
The best water containers, if you’re on a budget, are the Coleman Water Carriers. These water containers are collapsible for portability, durable, have a higher capacity, and come with a large-cap for easy filling and adding ice, plus a spigot for controlled flow and no wastage.
They offer complete convenience at a low price, are super durable, and are an overall awesome camping container for water.
The best water containers for backpacking are the MSR Dromedary Bags as they are perfectly designed to be incredibly portable. Their slim design will easily fit in a backpack, provide easier storage for water, are simple to carry when full thanks to the shoulder strap, filled and refill with ease, plus are super convenient to pour as they hang too.
They are also incredibly durable so you won’t ever have to worry about leaks when doing adventurous activities in the great outdoors.