CamelBak Chute Mag Renew Water Bottle Review

Bottom Line

Staying hydrated shouldn’t break the bank, and the CamelBak Chute Mag Renew is a reliable water bottle at an affordable cost. One of the least expensive bottles in our best water bottles guide, this CamelBak puts a straightforward and lasting design well within reach. 

Though we found some practical elements of the bottle awkward to use, we tested the Renew during a day of hiking near Canyonlands National Park in the desert of Southeastern Utah. It proved a lightweight yet sturdy choice that’s well-suited for outdoor usage. 

The CamelBak doesn’t have the trendy aesthetics that might make it worthy of an Instagram post. But it’s a dependable bottle that provides easy and efficient hydration. For those looking for a budget-friendly bottle to keep them hydrated, the Renew is a great all-around option for everything from daily use to your next hike. 

How We Tested

Gear analyst Marion Tucker researched 35 water bottles and tested the top 13 in the field while hiking and climbing in Southeastern Utah. She conducted drop tests to evaluate their durability and ranked each bottle’s ergonomics, insulation, weight, and features after side-by-side comparisons.

Durability

Stainless steel bottles are our pick when it comes to longevity and eco-friendliness. However, plastic bottles can still be a lasting option, especially when stainless steel bottles are above your budget. 

The CamelBak Renew is made with BPA-free plastic, featuring a semi-conical design that is free from seams that could pose a threat to long-term structural integrity. We put the bottle through numerous drops onto varying terrain to see how it would endure falls during trail use. The bottle came away from these tests with some scratches, including a few deeper gashes from a particularly hard drop onto a rocky edge. 

Although it withstood our array of tests without any significant impact, the single layer construction of the Renew is thinner than the Nalgene. This makes us believe this bottle could be more prone to damage given the right – or wrong – circumstances.

Ergonomics

The Chute Mag separates itself from other similar plastic bottles with its lid design. It features a spout covered by a protective lid that stays in place via an internal magnet when flipped open. The magnet holds the spout cover in place, keeping it from flopping back and hitting you while drinking. Though thoughtful in premise, the design is somewhat clunky. Plus, the spout cover is awkward to unscrew and tighten. However, when sealed, we found that the lid and spout cover fit snugly in place to stay leak-free. 

The spout itself has a built-in contour to fit to your lip better and funnel water into your mouth. This subtle yet practical design element is something not present in any other water bottle we tested – a little detail that adds comfort to the experience of drinking from the Renew. 

Although the bottle’s wide bottom prevents it from fitting into a cuphold, the CamelBak Chute Mag Renew has a handle built into the lid to provide for convenient in-hand carry. Made from rigid plastic, the handle juts out the side of the lid. It’s wide enough to hold comfortably, but we prefer pivoting handles that offer flexibility in their range of motion. The horizontal orientation of the handle also extends the bottle’s overall width, which makes it trickier to squeeze into the tighter corners of a pack.

Insulation

The CamelBak is not insulated, so the single-layer plastic construction makes liquid contents susceptible to external temperatures. Although not insulated, we still tracked how our drinks’ temperatures shifted over the course of the day. We tested the bottle in the desert of Southeastern Utah, carrying it with us in the side pocket of our backpack for a full day of hiking. Exposed to the sun’s rays, the cold water in the bottle became lukewarm in an hour. 

Though the Renew won’t keep beverages cold on its own, sun exposure only expedites the warming process. For those wanting to preserve the coolness of their drink for as long as possible, we suggest keeping the bottle tucked inside a bag or in the shade as conditions allow.

Weight

We found the CamelBak Chute Mag an easy, comfortable carry. Weighing only 7 ounces, the Renew is one of the lightest bottles we reviewed. Its fully plastic build and pared down design enable weight to stay at a minimum. 

The durability and the lower weight of the CamelBak make it a solid choice for longer-distance hikes and backpacking trips. We carried the bottle during a day of hiking and hardly noticed it in our pack. For those who don’t necessarily need an absolute ultralight option and prefer something a bit sturdier than a single use plastic bottle, the Renew is a worthy choice.

Features

CamelBak keeps it simple when it comes to features. The bottle isn’t equipped with anything out of the ordinary and doesn’t fall into any special use categories. 

This bottle only offers a modest array of color choices with minimal personalization options. The Renew also comes in 25 ounce and 50 ounce sizes – the higher volume being particularly useful for extending time between water refills while on the trail. For some, the limited selection might fall short when compared to the seemingly hundreds of customization options offered by other bottles. 

Though this bottle may not appeal to someone looking to control the look of each element of their water bottle, CamelBak does make an alternative lid option that’s wholly unique. The MultiBev Pak Cap is less a lid for drinking and more a lid for snacking. A top cover with a built-in handle twists off to reveal a small compartment that can hold a stash of trail mix or a few hydration mix tablets. Since the Pak Cap doesn’t have any sort of spout, you simply remove the lid and drink from the bottle’s main body. 

We didn’t test the Chute Mag with the Pak Cap. Although we think it’s a clever idea, we’d rather have a specialty lid that offers a different style for drinking and just carry our snacks separately.

Should You Buy the CamelBak Chute Mag Renew?

The CamelBak Chute Mag Renew is one of the cheapest bottles we tested, and its price is reflective of its value. It’s higher quality than a single-use bottle, but the Renew doesn’t offer any extra features or provide any specialty use. Among affordable plastic bottles, the Nalgene Wide Mouth edges out the Renew with its lighter weight and more durable build. However, this Camelbak is light and sturdy enough to toss around on a backpacking or camping trip while also being fairly convenient to carry along to the gym or office. The Chute Mag Renew isn’t breaking any new ground, but it’s a bottle that gets the job done at a price you won’t have to think twice about.

What Other Water Bottles Should You Consider?

For more options, please browse our full guide to the best water bottles.

Nalgene Wide Mouth Review: Another plastic water bottle that won’t break the bank, the Nalgene Wide Mouth is a classic water bottle perfectly suited for the toughest backcountry adventures.

HydraPak Flux Review: Lightweight and flexible, the HydraPak Flux is a soft shell bottle that’s designed for flexibility and compact storage. It’s a hydration system that’s tough and packable, ideal for travel and backpacking use. 

Takeya Actives Insulated Review: When insulation is important but the budget calls for something less pricey, the Takeya Actives offers quality insulation for hot and cold beverages at an affordable cost.