The best way to carry wine while hiking is with an 800ml Platypus Wine Flask, which makes an excellent present for hikers.
But that’s my opinion, and what I use.
There are lots of different ways to bring wine hiking, so I’ve covered them here in this post including the pros and cons of each.
And yes, while wine may not be essential while hiking, being able to have a sip of wine after a long day out on the trails is a dream. And you’ll make your hut mates jealous.
Although they won’t be jealous if you decide to take a Yeti Wine Tumbler filled with wine in your backpack. You’ll just be left with wine all over your stuff.
p.s. as mentioned, I use the first option as my go-to solution for hiking with wine.
1. PLATYPUS WINE FLASK
No, this is not a traditional flask you put hard spirits in, because you need more capacity for carrying wine while you’re hiking. I was stoked when I discovered these and now take one on all of my multiday adventures. And yes, that usually means red wine.
- You can put anywhere up to 800ml of wine inside
- The flask takes up very minimal space once you’ve finished the wine
- A sturdy construction, yet lightweight
- Apparently they preserve the taste better than corked wine
Pros
- It’s annoying to clean out afterwards
Cons
YETI WINE TUMBLER
These are great to take camping, but a Yeti Wine Tumbler isn’t a great idea for hiking. You’d need to be hiking with the tumbler in your hand, which isn’t practical…
- Looks classy
- Keeps your wine cold
Pros
- The lid is spill-proof NOT leak proof
- It’s less than 300 ml of capacity
Cons
IN A BOTTLE, AS IS
In theory, this could work. Pouring wine straight from the bottle straight into your thirst-quenched mouth sounds like a great idea, but there are too many downsides…and the risk is high.
- You don’t need any decorations
- You can choose any wine you want and know it’s not going to be sour when you open it
Pros
- The glass bottle is heavy and not that practical.
- If you forget the bottle is there and breaks, have fun with that
- Once the bottle is open, you’re committed to drinking it all
Cons
WINE IN A SACK
A.k.a. Boxed wine in NZ.
This is the most convenient option and is certainly a great value.
- After you finish the wine you can blow the bag up and use it as a pillow
- You have a new way to store water once you’ve finished
- If you only care about volume for your dollar, this is the best value wine
Pros
- People really dislike the hangovers from
- There’s a reason the top
Cons
DEHYDRATED WINE
Apparently, this is a thing? Ugh. I guess I’d give it a go, but the expectations would be low, low. And it’s probably something that should be in the hiking etiquette guide :p
- Lightweight
Pros
- It’s hard to find anyone who says good thing about it.
Cons
And there you go, a little rundown on what some of the worst and best ways to carry wine hiking are.
For me, I can’t go past my Platypus Wine Flask. To whoever came up with the invention, thank you.
If you have any questions/concerns/suggestions about hiking with wine, let me know in the comments below or email jub@churnewzealand.com
Some of the overnight adventures my flask has joined my on include:
Hey, it’s Jub here. I’m the guy behind Chur New Zealand, helping you have the best time hiking, trekking, walking…whatever you want to call it…in NZ. I’m based in Queenstown and am always out and about exploring trails, old & new. If you have any questions, reach out.