Nalgene has launched a cycling friendly bottle that is totally watertight, vey hard wearing and can be opened with one hand.

I am a keen cyclist and I take a water bottle out with me on almost every ride. The bottle sits in a bottle cage attached to my bike frame. But over the course of the year I reckon I get through at least a dozen bottles.

Some bottles end up leaking because of a broken spout or become too squashed and battered to be of further use. Others become not-fit-for-use after being left forgotten on my bike filled with juice. (Nasty smell!)

I am sure that our dishwasher also eats bottles. Or perhaps LittleMiss steals them and takes them to school only to leave them there.

Water bottles also turn up in unlikely places in our house, such as under the bed and in office desk drawers. I often find old bottles under the seats of my car, too.

So, all in all, I have been looking for a bottle that can stand the test of my life.

So far, the new Nalgene On The Fly (OTF) bottle has worked a treat.

What is the Nalgene OTF bottle?

The OTF bottle carries 650ml  of fluid and is made of BPA-free Tritan material, which allows you to taste what is in the bottle rather than the plastic of the bottle itself.

It also boasts a nifty 100% leak-proof and watertight top, which has been designed with a locking bale and bush-button mechanism.

Brilliantly, the top can be opened with one hand, so it’s perfect for cyclists on the go.

The history of the OTF bottle

In 2005, Nalgene launched the OTG (On the Go bottle). Customers had demanded a hard-sided bike bottle. The bottle needed to be opened with one hand so cyclists could carry on riding and have a drink.

But while the OTG was a success, customers again asked for an improvement: A Leak-proof top.

While bike bottles normally stay upright in the bike cage, when you remove them and throw them on the back seat of the car etc, it helps if they do not leak.

And so the On The Fly bottle was developed. The OTF bottle would also be very handy for walkers and other outdoors fans.

Why I like the Nalgene OTF bottle

It is hard sided, which is a huge bonus. This means it can’t be squashed and ruined. It also means that in hot weather it remains rigid, unlike other bottles made of softer plastic.

Surprisingly the bottle is easy to get in and out of a bottle cage. I had imagined it would be a bit tricky but it wasn’t.

And the leak-proof top really works. I have used my bottle for cycling, walking, kayaking and throwing in the campervan on long, hot journeys. So long as the top is properly secured it remains 100% watertight.

I love the one-handed mechanism. This is perfect for cycling and also while driving.

The bottle also looks good and is easily identifiable in our home. I have told my family members that no-one must touch that bottle. It is easy to identify and can’t be mixed up with the many other cycling water bottles that litter our home so, so far, no-one has “borrowed” it.

Because it has a wide top, it is easy to clean, or I can put it in the dishwasher, which means it remains good-for-use.

The OTF bottle is available at leading outdoor retailers nationwide in a wide variety of colours and retails for £10.99.  The product is available on www.firstascent.co.uk  See First Ascent Nalgene. You can also buy new button-flip lids for £5.99.