Yeti Yonder 25oz water bottle review: ditch weight not water

Meet the reviewer

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.  

Yeti Yonder 25oz water bottle: first impressions 

Yeti, the brand known for its big, burly and bulletproof coolers and water bottles has finally shed some pounds with the Yeti Yonder. This hiking water bottle is made using shatterproof, BPA-free plastic which is friendlier on the planet as well as on rough trails. A streamlined cylindrical design is easy to hold in one hand and slide into a backpack, and while it's not the lightest water bottle we've tested, we wouldn't think twice about bringing this on a hike.

A two-part screw cap lets you unscrew it totally for cleaning and filling, then screw it back on without worrying that it's going to spill inside your backpack. When you're thirsty, just quickly unscrew the spout and chug without pouring water down your shirt. It's easy to carry in one hand and throw in the dishwasher when it's time to clean it.

This is a straightforward water bottle that carries water without spilling it, and does it well, but won't keep your drinks hot or cold, which might make you question the high price (though it won't if you're already familiar with how expensive Yeti is). It is great quality, however, and with no plastic taste and some recycled materials, we were more than happy with its performance in the field, and with the fact that it fits in our cup holders.

Screw tops are always a bit more fiddly but this one operates well and while we'd like to see more recycled content, there's really not a lot to grip about as long as you're not looking for a vessel to carry hot drinks.

Yeti Yonder 25oz water bottle: in the field

Like a lot of hikers, I want to find a great water bottle and just use it for the rest of my life. My previous test of a Yeti bottle was with the Rambler 26 oz and as soon as I got it, I knew it would be far too heavy for hiking. For about a year, I've been carting my Contigo Cortland Autoseal water bottle around with zero complaints, but I must say that in the Yonder, I've found a worthy opponent for it. I first took it away with me on a city break to Lisbon, and since returning home I've had it up a Munro, a Yorkshire Peak and on a few country walks.

Here’s how it performed:

Ease of use

Water bottles should all be easy to use, but this isn't always the case, so I was glad to see this is super straightforward. Just unscrew the lid entirely to fill or clean, and unscrew the spout to drink. I don't love screw tops because they can be a bit fiddly (and leak) but this one is as easy to get and I can carry and drink from it one-handed, though the lid sometimes knocks against my face when I do so, which is mildly annoying.

Sustainability

The most sustainable option is definitely a glass or stainless steel bottle, but I was pleased to see this uses 50 percent recycled plastic in the body of the bottle and is 100 percent BPA-free. I'd like to see it fully recycled and recyclable for full marks here, however.

Weight and capacity

The light weight of this bottle is the big story here and it isn't as light as comparable plastic bottles we've tested, but it is substantially lighter than Yeti's typical bottles and definitely appropriate for hiking. It easily fits in the side pockets of all my hiking backpacks and the cylindrical design makes it easy to slide into the main compartment or lie sideways.

Desired capacity is quite a subjective factor, but 25 ounces is as much as I ever want to carry in one go, since more than that starts to get too heavy.

Taste and cleaning

I have no time for water bottles that taste of plastic and luckily, this one doesn't. It's also easy to clean, with an opening that doesn't trap grime and of course, it goes in the dishwasher because I also have no time for hand washing bottles.

Durability and versatility

Because this bottle doesn't have any insulating properties, it's not the most versatile and you can really only use it for cold, uncarbonated beverages, so it's not the most versatile (but I have a flask for hot drinks anyway).

It's a robust, hard-wearing piece of gear which I've confirmed by dropping it on a few rock surfaces and crossingmy fingers tightly. So far, it's survived without any dents or cracks and I can see this holding up and looking brand new for a long time.

Yeti Yonder 25oz water bottle: the bottom line

If you're already a Yeti devotee, you won't need much persuading to buy this bottle, and its practical, durable and lightweight design makes it a solid contender for anyone seeking an everyday water bottle that works well for hiking and travel too. The Contigo Cortland Autoseal is a similar design with a slightly more user-friendly spout (which does trap dirt) at a lower price, while a Nalgene delivers a BPA-free bottle that can hold hot liquids for half the price.

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