YETI Yonder 20 oz Water Bottle Review

YETI is known for keeping your drinks cold, but their Yonder series of bottles is significantly lighter and more sporty than other models from the cooler brand. We’re curious whether these changes dramatically affect usage or whether it’s just as durable and easy to use as other YETI bottles we’ve tested in the past. Let’s dive in!

The Rundown

The YETI Yonder comes in four different capacities and six unique colorways at the time of writing. You can snag it at 20, 25, 34, and 50 ounces. With such a wide variety of options, there’s something to meet everyone’s needs and hydration schedule. It’s worth noting there isn’t a smaller option, like 12 or 16, which some folks might prefer.

There are two cap options, and we’ve tried them both. First, there’s the Chug Cap, which is the standard option. There isn’t much to discuss here—the cap screws onto the top of the bottle, and there’s a wide opening to drink from. It’s not crazy big; however, it’s large enough that you might dribble a few drops of water down the sides of your mouth if you’re really chugging down fluids. This cap isn’t attached, so you can set it down and wash it away from the bottle. If you like to drink fast, this is the topper for you.

The other option is the Yonder Tether Cap, which remains attached to the bottle. In addition to hanging on by a piece of plastic, the Tether Cap makes the drinking width smaller, which is less likely to spill. It’s a little wider than a standard plastic bottle you’d buy at the corner store, offers slightly more flow, and is reusable, which we dig. Overall, this cap is easier to drink out of than the Chug Cap.

One note on the Yonder Tether Cap is that when you undo the cap to fill up the bottle, the 20-ounce model can’t hold itself up due to the cap’s weight. This makes refilling the bottle challenging. It may not be an issue for the larger capacities; however, for the 20-ounce, it’s annoying.

There’s also more to clean with this cap, as it has two attachment points. There’s the spot where the Yonder Tether Cap attaches to the bottle and the spot you unscrew to drink out of. This isn’t a huge deal, and you have a tethered cap that’s easier to drink out of to show for it.

Now that we’ve reviewed the cap differences, let’s discuss materials and design. The bottle is BPA-free and is crafted from 50% recycled plastic. The cap isn’t recycled plastic, which is a bummer, but at least the bottle is.

YETI claims this bottle is 100% leak-proof, and we can vouch for that. Sometimes, if you get the side of the screw cap wet while loading water inside, that can dribble out when you take a drink. However, that’s the fault of the user, not the bottle.

This bottle is easy to clean, even with the extra areas on the Yonder Tether Cap. If you don’t already own a travel water bottle brush, we highly recommend one. After all, you use this thing every day. You should be cleaning it regularly!

Another feature of this bottle is that there’s one flat side. This makes it sit better in the water bottle pocket of a travel backpack or daypack, which is handy. It also makes it easier to hold onto, which we dig. Getting used to holding it at first can be challenging, but it’s a good addition in the end.

Packability

As far as size and weight go, this bottle does well. It has an excellent weight-to-capacity ratio, which you won’t get from insulated bottles. The 20-ounce option is a solid size to fit inside your water bottle pocket or to hang off the front of your bag with a carabiner.

The bottle measures 3.1 by 9.7 inches, or 7.9 by 24.6 centimeters, which is a small but capable size for a water vessel. It feels like it could have been smaller and still held the same amount of water; however, thinner materials would have meant lesser durability and slightly worse insulation, so it’s a game of give and take.

This bottle comes in at 8 ounces, or 226.8 grams, which is a little heavy for a plastic bottle but is far lighter than others in the YETI line.

The YETI Rambler 18oz Bottle has two fewer ounces in capacity but weighs more than double what the YETI Yonder does. It has better insulation, but as far as weight goes, this is the move.

Quick Comparison

As far as semi-transparent water bottles go, is anything more iconic than the 32-ounce Nalgene? We’ll answer that for you—no!

Although the YETI we’re testing has a significantly smaller capacity, the Nalgene isn’t much larger than it. The latter measures 8.25 by 3.5 inches (21 by 8.9 centimeters), whereas the Yonder is 9.7 by 3.1 inches (7.9 by 24.6 centimeters). With both caps, the YETI is taller but skinnier.

The Nalgene weighs 6.25 ounces (177.2 grams), and the YETI comes in at 8 ounces (226.8 grams). Although it has a larger area, the Nalgene is lighter.

The top on the Nalgene is removable and replaceable, but the standard cap you’re used to seeing isn’t as convenient as the Yonder Tether Cap. The Chug Cap is slightly skinnier than the Nalgene, which makes drinking easier. However, marginally so.

Both bottles are excellent options for those who love staying hydrated while on the go and come in different sizes to meet your needs. However, at the time of writing, the YETI comes in at $22 (without the special cap), and you can often find Nalgene bottles on sale for under $10 and retailing for $16. That said, both are excellent deals, and you can’t go wrong with either.