Which Stanley bottles are best for hikers? | We’ve tested the full range to find out

If you're looking for a big, bombproof flask that looks like it could survive being run over for a tank and will keep your drink either hot or cold for multiple days, this is your answer. The fact Stanley have used the words 'Classic' and 'Legendary' in the title of this flask tells you a lot of what you need to know about it. It's the biggest bottle they've ever made, fully leakproof, easy to clean, and the double-wall vacuum insulation will (in our experience) keep your drink warm for more than 24 hours. The insulated lid also doubles up as cup, and the whole thing is dishwasher safe, making it very easy to clean. It's a fairly substantial bottle to carry with you on a mountain hike, but there are also 1.0L, 0.70L and 0.47L versions in the range if you fancy something a bit smaller and lighter.

The Stanley Quick Flip sits in the middle ground between a water bottle and travel cup, and we use it for both. The official stats say it will keep drinks hot for 8 hours and cold for 12 hours, but in our opinion it's best as a cold drinks bottle because there are better options in the Stanley range for hot drinks. The bottle itself is tough and sturdy, fits well in the side pocket of a backpack, the opening and closing mechanisms are well designed, and it's never leaked on us. Our only small complaint is that the locking ring has popped off a couple of times. It's simple enough to put back on, but it would be easy to lose.

At 600g this is a serious beast of a bottle, with a built-in flip straw that forms part of a chunky plastic lid that feels built to last the most severe of bashings. It's fully leakproof (and we've really tried to shake water out of it when closed), keeps drinks cool for up to 12 hours, and has a big folding handle on the lid so you can grab it and carry it like a lantern. We take the Iceflow on plenty of short hikes but it isn't something we'd choose to drag up mountains. The fact it sits comfortably inside car and bike cup holders tells you more about who it's aimed at. It's fantastic for camping trips too.

Stanley's Trigger Action Travel Mugs are about as multifunctional as insulated mugs get. We use ours for hiking and camping trips, work commutes, on our desk in the office, and everything else in-between. When we first got our hands on it, we thought the lid looked over-engineered and expected it not to live up to its leakproof promise, but we're pleased to report we were wrong. We love it for hot drinks on the move, because the simple trigger button lets you take small sips whenever you need to, rather than gulping the whole drink down at once.

The USP of this leakproof travel mug is that it weighs 33% lighter than Stanley's standard stainless steel metal drinkware, thanks to the brand's 'Aerolight featherweight insulation'. The Aerolight certainly feels more stripped back than other similar Stanley products, and weighs in 130g lighter than the Trigger Action Travel Mug (above). But that's not to say it's flimsy either. This mug is still made from 18/8 stainless steel with double-wall vacuum insulation, and we couldn't resist bashing it against a few rocks to make sure it retained Stanley's trademark durability. And of course, it did. We're big fans of the lid too, with its quirky locking mechanism that allows you to sip through it while your drink stays hot inside.

This mug is exactly what it looks like – a superb and highly durable camping mug for hot and cold drinks. There's nothing overly fancy about it, but it has all the hallmarks of quality that run through Staney's entire range. It's made from 18/8 stainless steel, with double-wall vacuum insulation, a dishwasher-safe design, and a secure lid that you simply push in place and sip through. Our only slight grumble is that it doesn't fit in car cup holders, but that's also not its intended use so we shouldn't really complain!

Usually, if you want to eat hot food on a hiking or a camping trip, that means lugging a stove along with you. And if you're carrying a stove, that means you have to carry fuel, and water, and bowls, and cutlery, and all the food you need to cook. So imagine our delight when we first started using this handy little insulated jar, which keeps food warm for up to 7 hours. This means you can heat it up before you set off, then take a break and scoff it without having to get all your cooking kit out. We've found it perfect for things like porridge or soup, and our only wish is that there was a way to shut the lid with the dirty spork inside once we've eaten. But it's a couple of millimetres too long!

Do you really need a stainless steel beer mug with double-wall vacuum insulation that can keep drinks cold for up to 4 hours? Of course you don't. But do you want one for sitting around campfires so you can say goodbye to plastic cups and (let's face it) look like a bit of a legend at the same time? If you're reading this article then we're guessing you do. Like all Stanley products, it's very durable so you can be confident it won't shatter or rust, and it's light enough at 230g that you could even take it on wild camping trips if you don't mind carrying a bit of luxury in your pack.

Despite what the name suggests, the Go Everyday Tumbler is hardly an everyday essential. But it does add an element of luxury to a camping trip if you're sipping wine or cocktails by the fire, or watching the sunrise with your morning latte. It won't keep drinks warm or cool all day (Stanley claim 1.5 hours hot, 5 hours cold) but it will certainly do the job for a quick morning brew or a chilled evening drink. There are a couple of nice touches too, with a press-fit lid that insulates your drink while also allowing you to sip it, plus the rubber ant-slip pad on the base so your drink won't slide about when you put it down.

There's not a great deal to say about this stainless steel set of 4 shot glasses that you can't see in the pictures. They're tough and durable, and come inside a compact and leakproof carry case so you can slip them inside your backpack and forget you're carrying them. Then, once you've reached a mountain summit or set up camp, you can sit down with your friends and toast your adventure. And it doesn't get much cooler than that.