38oz Wide Mouth Steel Standard

My two reasons for getting this was the great ease and satisfaction of opening a nalgene bottle lid, and wanting something non-plastic and safe to drink out of. This bottle accomplished both:

There is a very creatively designed, thick, shoe-string like cord that never gets in the way; it is even better than the original nalgene design. The threading is also very easy to open and close, like the original (and unlike many other twist-to-close bottles). The size of the bottle also fits perfectly in the hands, unlike other bottles in this size, largely due to the nice flat lid.

Secondly, I’m used to seeing the 18/8 stamp on the bottom of stainless steel (SS), and since there is no stamp and this is “Made in China” (per removable sticker), I was suspicious about this being aluminum and not SS. I then saw that the item description says it is surgical grade 316, and assuming the manufacturer for nalgene is legitimate, I’m quite happy with this.

There is a great description on the Unified Alloys blog about the difference between 304 (18/8) and 316 SS, so go find that online.

Lastly, shipping was fast and free, and it was cheaper than Amazon (and shipped faster than Amazon).

Oh, and if you see any reviewers complain about the SS not being magnetic and therefore not SS, they are ill-informed; 316 is the least magnetic SS due to the nickel content. If you really want to test you must use hydrochloric acid, which I will leave to someone else to do!

The only con is that I wrongly equated “wide mouth” with “mason jar wide mouth”, in that I expected the mouth to be flush with the body, but it is in fact very similar to a regular, non-wide mouth mason jar in size. This will make it more difficult to clean and dry than a true wide mouth.

I suppose to have a what I had expected with regard to the mouth size would mean a lid that is wider than the base, which would likely break from drops and probably not very durable. And this bottle feels extremely durable.

Lovely bottle at a great price point. FYI this bottle is designed for outdoor enthusiasts who need a vessel to carry and boil water. If you’re looking for an insulated bottle to keep items cold/hot, this is not the item for you.

I bought this bottle because i was willing to pay a little more for a bottle i would use for the rest of my life. I bought because i expected it to be durable and corrosion-resistant – lierally made of steel.
Within the first 8 weeks of usage the weld between body and neck of the bottle cracked in multiple spots making the bottle leak water and therefore unusable.
I used the bottle only for tap water. I carried the bottle to and from work in my bagpack without even the slightest impacts. It turned out to be a commonly reported failure. Has anyone at nalgene actually tested these bottles before distributing? This is very poor quality.
Theres plenty of other manufacturers of stainless steel bottles. Just by another one, theres no way it will break as fast as this one.

The bottle is wonderful. But the thread itself still needs to be polished a little. Well, the main disadvantage is the lack of spare parts. Klean Kanteen has all the parts and caps and o-rings for their metal bottles. I wrote to the manufacturer about this but they did not even answer.

Dropped mine full of water on a cement floor. It dented on the bottom radius even though it was inside its Maxpedition case. Could have been worse I suppose. Anyway, I beat it back into shape from the inside. I read one comment about a crack on the upper radius. I used a mirror on the inside. And it looks like it’s welded all around the inner circumference. Mine hasn’t leaked yet, though. But if yours has, it could be a weld failure and therefore a factory defect.

The Nalgene has thick walls, is heavy and seems well constructed. If you plan to boil water this probably the one you should buy. I just purchased this 38 oz stainless steel Nalgene water bottle so I don’t have much to say right now. But I did wash and sanitize the bottle with hot soapy water. It cleaned up well and there are no odd odors as some reviews have mentioned. There are no labels on the bottom though so I wonder if this is authentic Nalgene.

The image of the the bottom of the bottle with media on it is from a five star review by Josh February 26, 2012,
“This is one very well-made bottle which I believe might be discontinued or otherwise no longer available from the manufacturer. The tapered-bottom design is easy to find, but not this standard version. An internet search for details will bring up many reviews and mentions of this product in camping/bushcraft/survival blogs and forums, but very few (if any) sources for purchase. I’ve added a photo of the labeling on the bottom of the bottle to reassure anyone who might be wondering…”.

The majority of stainless steel bottles are made in China and should at least be 18/8 stainless steel, Once the process to produce the raw material is monitored it should be safe.

They crack because they are made in China.

I have had mine for several years. I love it. I carry one of these on my wilderness canoe trips to drink from. It is also my backup plan for sterilizing (boiling) water if my filter breaks. It is single walled, so it is going to sweat, but I can’t sweat that because I knew what I was buying.

This bottle is great – as long as it lasts.

Mine started leaking after 2-3 years of moderate use. Not from the plastic part of anything, but from a hairline crack in the bend of the metal below the cap. I can’t fathom why.

If only they had said in the description that it was non-insulated. Oh. Wait.

“Made from surgical grade 316 (18/10) non-insulated stainless steel, this versatile bottle is designed to take the heat.“

Best bottle for a pack.

I’ve had one for a couple years now, and it rides in the exterior pocket of my laptop bag. It’s never been used for anything else but hydration in the office. Today I noticed the bottom of my bag was wet. I looked at the bottle and it’s not leaking from the top, it’s actually got a crack in the stainless steel just below the shoulder of the bend at the top of the sidewall. Seriously? Stainless steel that cracks without being stressed? That’s some shoddy steel in my mind.

This is an incredibly well-built, tough-as-nails water bottle that is also light enough for any backpacking expedition. It’s single-walled, so you can actually cook or boil water in it over a campfire. Perfect for camping, survival kits, or for anyone who prefers an indestructible, no-frills bottle.

Great product. This is non-insulated so expect this to sweat with cold fluids in it. I saw Jeremy Houtz’s review below. You can heat this up in an emergency to boil water or contents. Great survival bottle. You can’t heat up insulated bottles.

Great water bottle.
The quality is slightly worse than the original Guyot design version released many years ago (the lid and the cord are a slightly cheaper material), but is still an excellent and durable water bottle.
It’s steel so it dents when dropped, but that just gives it character. It’s easily cleaned in the dishwasher or by boiling on the stove (without the lid!).
Because the lid is connected to bottle by a cord and not a piece of plastic, you will likely never have to replace it! 5 years in mine is doing fine.

This is not insulated in order to serve a water boiling option for wilderness survival situations. This is a great bottle for this situation, but yes, it sweats as the first review stated.

Being stainless and given today’s standards I thought this was an insulated water bottle. This IS NOT INSULATED! It sweats everywhere, a lot. Very unsatisfactory.