The Best Dog Travel Bowls in 2024
A dog travel bowl is an essential item that every dog owner needs. Whether you’re going for a camping trip or just traveling to the grocery store, your dog is sure to get thirsty or hungry at some point on the journey. If you live in a hot weather area and take frequent walks, having a portable bowl is especially useful.
What you want is a lightweight and collapsible product, not necessarily a beautiful one. We go on a lot of trips with our dogs and have reviewed the best portable bowls on the market this year. Let’s get into it!
Our Top 6 List
Last update on 2024-11-20 at 21:53 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Ruffwear Bivy Bowl – Collapsible & Waterproof
Campers know that it’s important to eliminate unnecessary weight wherever you can. If you’re going camping with your dog, this Ruffwear bowl will add a mere 2.96 ounces to your pack. Holding 1.8 liters of water, the collapsible bowl is large enough to satisfy your thirsty dog after a long hike.
Built with adventurers in mind, this bowl features reflective trim so that it can remain visible at night. The welded fabric is as strong as a tent so it won’t get any holes even when it’s placed on rugged rocky ground. With a stable shape and a convenient grip bottom, this bowl won’t tip over and spill even while your dog is frantically lapping up water.
Takeaways
- Ultra light, collapsible design perfect for camping.
- Reflective trim can be seen at night.
- Holds 1.8 liters of water.
- Single-wall design is easy to clean.
2. Ruffwear Quencher
The Quencher is another great design from Ruffwear that has many of the same features as the Bivy at a lower price point. The fabric on this bowl is slightly less tight than the Bivy and there is no grip bottom. Although it’s a more casual bowl, the lightweight, foldable design is still excellent for shorter camping trips.
This bowl is designed with an extra wide bottom that gives it a lot of stability even without the grip bottom. It comes in three different sizes and four different attractive colors. The waterproof lining is easy to clean after each use, and the entire bowl can be thrown into the washing machine. The same reflective trim that I love on the Bivy is also featured on this bowl.
Takeaways
- Available in .75, 1 or 2.5-liter sizes.
- Reflective trim for nighttime walks.
- Wide bottom for stability.
- Machine washable.
3. Lixit Travel Water Bowl
If you and your dog like to take a lot of long road trips, the Lixit travel bowl will be perfect for you. Specially designed for use on RVs, SUVs and boats, the Lixit features a spill-proof design so that you don’t need to pull over to give your dog water. This ingenious bowl can be filled with 3 quarts of water, and it won’t spill even when it’s flipped over.
Made in the USA of BPA-free plastic, the Lixit is a quality product that has earned its popularity through a lot of word-of-mouth advertisement at the dog park. Many of the loyal customers say that they freeze some water in the bowl overnight and then fill the remaining area with water the next day for a chilled drink.
Takeaways
- Spill-proof design.
- BPA-free and made in the USA.
- Fits 3 quarts of water.
- Can quench dog’s thirst without stopping the car.
4. Fozzils Solo Pack
Elle Woods’ Chihuahua will be jealous when you break out one of these chic bowls for an Evian water break. These aesthetically pleasing bowls won’t force you to sacrifice style while you walk your dog, and they’re practical to boot. Made of super lightweight and durable BPA-free plastic, these bowls are easy to store and clean.
The pack of four bowls weighs just 4 ounces combined, and chances are you’ll only need to bring one or two of them on a trip. With foldable sides, these bowls can become totally flat for easy storage in a backpack or purse. The nonstick surface is coated with a “No Slip Grip.”
Takeaways
- Cute fish fossil design.
- Folds flat for easy storage.
- Super lightweight.
- BPA-free, nonstick plastic.
5. Dexas Collapsible Travel Cup
This simple, collapsible bowl pops open super fast with no unfolding necessary. The attached quick release clip is included with the bowl so that you can attach it to your backpack, purse or dog’s leash. When it’s collapsed all the way, it is less than half an inch in height and weighs less than an ounce.
A full 16 ounces of water or food can fit into the large version of this funnel-shaped bowl. Because of the shape, this bowl is best suited to dogs with smaller snouts that are comfortable eating all the way to the bottom. You can choose between two sizes and four different bright colors. The BPA-free plastic is dishwasher safe.
Takeaways
- Comes with attached carabineer clip.
- Available in four fun colors.
- Large bowl fits 16 ounces of food or water.
- Collapsible and lightweight.
6. Kurgo Collapsible Bowl
Kurgo makes another collapsible dog bowl that also comes with a convenient carabineer clip for attaching to your hiking backpack or dog leash. This bowl can be collapsed down to a skinny .875 inches and then popped open to hold 14 ounces of food or water. Take this lightweight bowl on a hiking trip or bring it to the dog park.
One thing that makes the Kurgo bowl different from its competitors is the lifetime warranty that’s included with your purchase. The food-grade, BPA-free silicone material used to make this bowl is guaranteed to last for a lifetime by the manufacturer. If your bowl gets a hole in it, you can call the Massachusetts-based company to get your money back.
Takeaways
- Collapsible and lightweight.
- Made of food-grade silicone.
- Comes with lifetime guarantee.
- Carabineer clip included.
Verdict & Review
Ruffwear Bivy Dog Bowl
Pros
- Very light
- Collapsible, perfect for camping
- Holds 1.9 quarts (1.8 liters)
- Easy to clean
Cons
- We haven't encountered any cons.
These are all excellent bowls for traveling with your dog whether you are a big shopper or a big hiker. When deciding which one to get, think about the size of my dog, the size of his snout and what kind of trips you are planning to take with him. That being said, the Bivy from Ruffwear is our top choice by far.
The Bivy bowl has all of the best features that we’re looking for in a travel bowl. It is lightweight, collapsible, easy to clean and large enough to fit plenty of food or water. We also really appreciate that it t is made with a slightly wider bottom so that big-snouted dogs can eat or drink comfortably. Plus, it looks good!
Buying Guide
Dogs are adventurous by nature, and traveling is one of the best ways to bond with them. If you’re planning to travel with your dog, you’ll need to pack a couple of portable bowls for your dog’s food and water. Whether they’re for a short hike at the local park or a week long camping trip, your bowls should have a few key features that we discuss below.
Lightweight
While you might love the stainless steel bowls you have at home, they wouldn’t exactly be convenient to bring on a hike. A good travel bowl needs to weigh as little as possible so that you can focus on hiking, not weightlifting. Luckily, most such bowls weigh less than a pound, all the way down to as little as 2 ounces.
If you’re going for an extended hiking trip, every item that you bring is going to add up in your pack. Choose an ultra light bowl for hiking and put it in your dog’s backpack. After all, he can carry his own weight, right?
Collapsible
In terms of easy packing, the shape will be just as important as how much it weighs. Many dog bowls are designed to collapse or fold down when they’re not in use. Apart from the obvious size advantages, I’ve made the experience that collapsible bowls are a lot more durable and last longer than rigid ones.
Easy to Pack
A dog bowl will be easier to pack if it collapses down to a nice flat shape. That way, it can slide into just about any crevice of a bag or backpack. Pay attention to its width when it’s collapsed because the thinner it is, the easier it will be to pack.
Another feature that makes them easier to pack is the addition of a carabineer clip. This little extra is worth paying for. A carabineer clip can be attached to a backpack, purse, dog collar or dog backpack when the collapsed bowl is not in use.
Reflective Trim
Reflective trim is a feature that most people forget to think of until they are looking for their water bowl at night. Whether you go on a lot of camping trips or you and your dog just like taking nighttime walks, reflective trim is a really convenient feature to look for in your bowl. A reflective trim catches the light of your flashlight, the moon or a streetlamp and make a bowl more visible.
Good Size and Shape
How hungry or thirsty is your dog, usually? And how is that going to increase after a long hike in the woods? These are questions that you need to ask yourself so you have enough food and water with you. Many bowls fit a reasonable 16 ounces of food while others can fit a 3-quart-sized feast. The size doesn’t really matter in this case since you can always refill a small bowl. Portability and weight matters more.
The shape can be incredibly important. If a dog has a large snout, a funnel-shaped product is going to be awkward for them to eat or drink out of. I recommend one with a larger bottom like our top pick because it is more stable and easier for all dogs to use.
Quality Material
Now that people understand the health hazards of BPAs, nearly every plastic product that is made for humans is labeled BPA-free. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of dog products on the market that contain the harmful chemical. So make sure the new bowl doesn’t contain it.
Another important thing to think about with material is its durability. Some bowls are made of inferior plastic that gets worn easily and breaks. Better choose one that is made of a strong rubber like silicone or a welded fabric. It’s usually pretty easy to find out how durable a bowl really is by checking the product reviews. If you go with one of our top picks, you won’t have any problems with material quality.
We are the Pet Dog Pals, a group of avid pet owners, bloggers, product testers, and writers for all your canine needs! We own a collective 16 dogs and 21 cats to help us test and review pet products. Our top lists and tips come from experience to help you be the best dog owner you can be!