Time out, the coach sketches the next system on his tablet and the whole team grabs their water bottles at the edge of the pitch: one sip, one breath, and we're back to serving.
On this page, sports water bottles are chosen based on the length of your session, how you drink, and the space you have left in your bag.
The type of cap matters as much as the capacity. A wide mouth fills up quickly at the gym tap and accommodates ice cubes, that's the idea behind the Nike Big Mouth. A soft squeeze bottle, like the Sideline Squeeze from Under Armour, delivers water with just a squeeze of the hand, without having to unscrew anything during a short break. Straw or pipette models can be drunk without tilting your head, handy when you're catching your breath after a long rally.
For a workout of an hour and a half, a bottle around six hundred millilitres is often enough, filled during the break. For a tournament or a day of beach-volley in the sun, aim for a larger capacity, like the Big Mouth versions approaching a litre, or the Sideline Squeeze. A small bottle is the easiest to fit in the side pocket of a sports bag.
Soft plastic bottles are lightweight, easy to squeeze, and cheap to replace when they get lost in a locker room. Metal models keep drinks cooler and withstand impacts, at the cost of being heavier. The titanium Snow Peak bottle, very light for metal, is mainly for hiking and the outdoors, for a player who also goes to the mountains. An insulated model is a good ally on the sand, when the water in a regular bottle warms up in just a few minutes.
Nike is at the top of the list with the Big Mouth, available in many colors and sizes, and the Refuel bottle. Proact offers simple models for training. Hummel has a black six hundred millilitre bottle, sleek and easy to match with club gear. Kempa features a white bottle in the brand’s colors. Under Armour focuses on the Sideline Squeeze, its soft bottle for the sidelines, and Jako rounds it off with team bottles.
Sharing a bottle among teammates spreads germs from one season to the next. The solution is a simple rule: everyone has their own, with their name or number on it. Bottle carriers, like the Select pack on the page, neatly store an entire team’s bottles and bring them to the bench in one trip.
Rinse it with hot water after each session, let it dry open, and wash the cap separately: that's where deposits tend to build up. A bottle brush reaches the bottom of narrow models. If you use a sweet drink, rinse it the same day to avoid smells.
To finish off the sports bag, check out the sports towels to grab after the session, or the headbands and elastics that keep hair and sweat in check. All accessory ideas are gathered on the accessories page. For a cheaper bottle, the special offers equipment page features promotional models year-round, and the Black Friday accessories page takes over during the event before the sales.
A bottle of around six hundred to seven hundred millilitres covers most indoor matches, refilled during breaks. For a day-long tournament or beach-volley in the bright sun, opt for a large capacity or two bottles. It's better to drink regularly in small sips than to gulp down a lot at once.
It depends on the model: some can handle it in the top rack, while others may warp in the heat. The product sheet or the bottle's label will specify. When in doubt, a sponge and hot soapy water take no risks.
Wash it before the first use, then fill it overnight with warm water and a spoonful of baking soda. Rinse thoroughly and let it dry open. The taste usually disappears after a few refills.
This isn’t recommended in a squeeze or straw bottle: the pressure from the gas can make the cap leak. Some screw-top bottles can handle it, as the product sheet indicates. For sports, water or a non-carbonated sports drink remains the usual choice.
A lightweight bottle that’s easy to open with one hand and not too big for their bag. A flip-top or squeeze cap prevents losing a screw cap at the gym. Choose a bright color or label it with their name, so they can find it among the team's bottles.