Outdoors head-to-head
Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 ozvsOwala FreeSip 32 oz
Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz vs Owala FreeSip 32 oz, scored side by side on all 4 Outdoors axes. Overall 8.0 to 8.4.
Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz
Nalgene
8.0
No insulation, no pretence, and effectively unbreakable — the durability floor for everything else.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.
Owala FreeSip 32 oz
Owala
8.4
The lid solves the actual problem: drink without unscrewing anything, still fit ice.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.
Where they diverge
Two products can average the same and still feel different, because the shape of the scores differs. Left of center is Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz, right is Owala FreeSip 32 oz.
Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz
Axis
Owala FreeSip 32 oz
- 6.4Performance8.2
- 9.6Value8.8
- 9.6Durability7.8
- 6.4Design8.8
Which one to pick
Take the Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz
Leads on Value and Durability.
- Weight and cost matter more than temperature
- Measuring water for cooking or for filter systems
- Backcountry use where a dented vacuum bottle is a dead bottle
Take the Owala FreeSip 32 oz
Leads on Performance and Design.
- You drink at a desk, one-handed, all day
- Ice cubes need to fit through the opening
- A lid that locks shut inside a bag
What each one gets wrong
Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz
- You want a cold drink to still be cold in four hours
- Condensation on the outside will be a problem
Owala FreeSip 32 oz
- Fewer moving parts is your definition of reliable
- You want a lid you can fully dismantle to clean
Specs, side by side
| Spec | Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz | Owala FreeSip 32 oz |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Single-wall Tritan (BPA-free revision) | — |
| Markings | Volume graduations on the side | — |
| Weight | Under 180 grams | — |
| Lid | — | Sip spout plus wide chug opening |
| Insulation | — | Double-wall vacuum |
| Lock | — | Push-button lid with lock |
Rankings they both appear in
Questions
- Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz or Owala FreeSip 32 oz — which should I buy?
- Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz takes Value and Durability; Owala FreeSip 32 oz takes Performance and Design. Neither leads on more axes than the other, so it comes down to which of those you care about.
- How far apart are they overall?
- Nalgene Wide Mouth 32 oz scores 8.0 and Owala FreeSip 32 oz scores 8.4, a gap of 0.4. The total is the plain average of the 4 axes used in Outdoors.