Breast may be best, but when it comes to feeding active babies on the go, there are plenty of occasions when it’s smart to bring a bottle as back up (ski tours, climbing trips, river running, any and all daddy outings). Until now the choice was plastic or breakable glass, but thanks to Klean Kanteen, backcountry babies can now sip from durable, 18/8 food-grade stainless steel that’s free of BPA, phalates, lead, and other toxins, doesn't retain food flavors, and is and sturdy enough to withstand repeated flingings (why do they think that’s so funny?).
Kid Kanteen’s Baby Bottles come in two sizes, 5 ounces and 9 ounces, with medical-grade silicone nipples in slow, medium, and fast flow options designed to reduce air intake and minimize gassiness. That means less fussiness—always a plus, whether you’re on a trail or a transatlantic flight. The bottle’s hourglass curves encourage baby to hold his own, and the wide mouth makes for simple cleaning and filling (bonus: they’re dishwasher safe). Each bottle is etched with easy-to-read measurements in ounces and millimeters, inside and out, and comes with a drip-proof lid and threads that fit all Klean Kanteen wide caps, so they can transition to big-kid bottles as baby grows. And these bottles are light: empty, the 9-ounce bottle tips the scale at a mere 4 ounces. That frees you up to schlep the diapers, extra layers, and the not-so-small mountain of gear baby needs for next her backcountry expedition.
5 ounce Kid Kanteen, $18.95; 9-ounce, $20.95, 2-pack of extra nipples, $6.95. www.kleankanteen.com.
—Katie Arnold