The 14 Best Hip Flasks For Everyday Carry
A nip at the office may not be apropos, and you certainly don’t want to be caught drinking and driving, but there are plenty of occasions during the average day when you might be glad you have a shot of courage at the ready. Like when you cut yourself preparing steaks, your in-laws show up unannounced, or you sneak off to watch the latest episode of “This is Us”. That show is for everyone. Don’t judge.
Whether you’re seeking a classic beauty molded to fit your back pocket, a slim model you can hide in your suit jacket, or a covert and multifunctional creation that lets you keep your best booze to yourself, there is no shortage of flasks to choose from. Men don’t necessarily get the wide range of accessories women enjoy, so you have to make the most of the things you carry, whether you’re looking for low-cost utility or you’re willing to drop a little more skrilla on a statement piece.
Choosing a hip flask is a personal pursuit, and you’ll want to explore all your options before settling on a Beefeater Betty, Smirnoff Sally, or other trusty little lady to offer you a drink when you need it most. Here are a few of the best hip flasks to consider for your everyday carry needs.
Best Overall: Stanley Classic Flask
You may already be familiar with the classic, muted, hammertone green of Stanley thermoses, which hold up admirably under hardhat conditions and camping abuses alike. Now you can get the same durable construction and familiar hue in leak-proof, 8-ounce sizing. This retro hip flask is made from sturdy stainless steel and features a wide mouth opening for those times when nothing but a giant gulp of liquid fire will do the trick. It also comes with an integrated lanyard so you don’t accidentally lose your cap. It may be rugged, but that doesn’t mean it’s not smart.
Best Copper Flask: Jacob Bromwell Vermonter Flask
As you can probably guess from the name, this simple sauce-slinger in copper is made in the “freedom and unity” state, Vermont. It’s 3×1.5×4 inches of pure copper that holds up to nine ounces of liquid courage in sleek, minimalist style. It features hand-soldered construction, a signature stamp on the bottom, and a comfortable, rounded body that’s easy to lift to the lips or store at the hip.
A heavy machined screw-top cap guarantees nary a drop will escape to stain your clothing, and this heirloom quality liquor canteen is produced in small batches, so you won’t have to compromise your singular style or risk the social snafu of sipping from the same flask as a fellow tippler. Comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Best Titanium Flask: Snow Peak Titanium Flask
Flasks come in a variety of materials, but the most resilient tend to be metal. What would possess you to bypass copper or stainless steel in pursuit of pricier titanium? The high cost isn’t without merit. This metal is both lightweight and strong, making it perfect for utilitarian, EDC items that you want to last a lifetime. Even better, it won’t imbue your Laphroaig or Dickel with any metallic tang that could disrupt the delicate flavor profile.
This alone makes it worth its weight in gold if you have a discerning palate. The looks aren’t bad, either, thanks to hand finishing that makes each and every flask unique. The 4.5x3x0.75-inch dimensions hold 4.7 fluid ounces of spirits – just enough to get you comfortably numb.
Best Outdoor Flask: VSSL Compact Camp Flask
Suppose you want to pair stealth and utility with the option to get inebriated at a moment’s notice. This is where the VSSL Camp Flashlight Flask shines – pun intended. At about the size of a water bottle, this unobtrusive, army-green cylinder packs away 10 ounces of liquid and 2 collapsible shot glasses, not to mention a bottle opener, a compass, and an LED flashlight. It’s a must for anyone who likes to get lost in the woods…or a parking lot full of tailgaters at night games.
Best Everyday Flask: Stanley Master Flask
You’ll see a lot of similarities between Stanley’s Master Flask and its cousin, the Classic Flask (listed above), including the 8-ounce capacity, steel construction, and a wide mouth opening. Where the Classic comes in the gray-green color we know and love, though, this bad boy is made of cold-rolled steel that’s been finished with matte powdercoat as black as the lump of coal you got in your Christmas stocking. If Wyatt Earp lived in this day and age, you’d imagine he might carry this understated, no-frills, and somehow completely necessary sauce-slinger.
Best Leather Flask: Orvis Blaze Trim Leather Flask
Function and discretion are frequently high on the list of priorities when it comes to a hip flask, but sometimes what you really want is to sip your booze in style. This option definitely delivers with distinctive classic styling in stainless steel wrapped in Wicket and Craig’s premium vegetable tanned leather.
Although it measures only a bit over four inches in diameter, it’s a bit too bulky to go unnoticed in a pocket, but that’s kind of the point. You definitely want to put this objet d’art on full display as conversation starter or simply a signature style accessory. Sadly, it only holds six ounces of liquor, but the good news is, you can show it off every time you go for a refill.
Best Ergonomic Flask: GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Hip Flask
Serious drinking seems like a contradiction in terms, but you only have to glance at this rugged, stainless-steel hip flask to know it means business. The timeless design is simple and streamlined, with a clean construction that’s neater than a marine barracks on field day. Two available sizes hold six or eight fluid ounces, with dimensions of 4×1.2×5 or 4×1.2×6 inches, respectively, and the gently curved, ergonomic design ensures a comfortable fit in your back pocket.
The mouth is uncharacteristically wide for a flask, which makes for easy filling, and a polyethylene leash tethers the cap. All in all, it’s a simple, yet thoughtful design suitable for everything from attending a wedding to kicking back at a campsite. Includes microfiber storage bag/cleaning cloth.
Best Design: Misc. Goods Ceramic Flask
A ceramic flask may sound like a dangerous proposition to anyone who likes to get three sheets to the wind, and considering this one stores 11 ounces of liquid, the average drinker could easily get buzzed to the point of becoming butterfingered. However, if you’re a measured merry-maker, you’ll definitely get style points for this black beauty, which looks like the cool kid brother to your old-timey moonshine jug. Whether you proudly display it on your backbar or you cart it along for lazy picnics, it’s one fancy container for your personal store of booze.
Best No-Mess Flask: Vargo Titanium Hip Flask
Once in a while, you come across an idea so obvious you have no choice but to facepalm harder than Henri Vidal’s “Cain”. This flask features a silicon spout that folds down over the neck of the bottle and pops up to easily pour in liquor. No muss, no fuss. The solid titanium hip flask is sleek, simple, and food safe, not to mention incredibly durable, and it holds up to 8 ounces of liquid. As a side note, titanium is easy to engrave – just take it to a local jewelry shop.
Jacob Bromwell Great American Flask
At 200 dollars, this flask is pricier than most, but it does come with a level of distinction you won’t necessarily find with more commonplace products. Let’s just start with the fact that it’s made with pure, solid copper, and the construction consists of lead-free soldering. That alone is enough to warrant the price, because copper isn’t cheap. Then you add in the provenance. Known as “the world’s original flask”, this simple design was created by Jacob Bromwell in 1819 and it remains in use today, holding 9 fluid ounces of your favorite bourbon.
Snow Peak Titanium Curved Flask
It may or may not be bulletproof, but it’s certainly titanium, which means this flask is strong, durable, and lightweight. It also happens to be round. You can’t stand it upright, it’s a little awkward to hold, and sadly, it only houses 6.4 fluid ounces, but damn, it looks cool.
As an added bonus, titanium leaves zero metallic finish on the contents of your flask, so your Laphroiag tastes just as rich and peaty months later as the day you poured it in, which P.S., you can accomplish neatly with the help of an included plastic funnel.
Best Party Flask: The Original Shot Flask
The originally designed Shot Flask has all of the same perks of any other high quality and reliable hip flask, but what sets it apart is the stealthy travel shot cup for pouring 2 ounce servings when you’re on the run. Using a collapsible technology, the cup can be stored flat and brought out anytime you’re ready to get the party started. It is a great social tool and is a fantastic gift for any adventurous (and perhaps slightly mischievous) bachelor or dad! Wrapped in black bonded leather, the Shot Flask can hold up to 8 ounces of pure fun.
Best For Sporting Events: Nalgene Hip Flask
A simple minded and low maintenance drinker doesn’t want to mess around with fancy contraptions or accessories that require more work than actual drinking. This is why the Nalgene Flask is the perfect option. The BPA-free slender container comes in two basic colors —- red and blue -— and can hold up to 10 ounces of liquid at a time. What attracts people the most is the lightweight and pocket-sized characteristics, which allow you to get your drink on at the twist of a cap.
Best For EDC: Mini Keychain Flask
This keychain-friendly drinking vessel looks more like a prop than a functional flask, but this EDC flask in stainless steel holds an ounce of your favorite bourbon for your private consumption. It will leave you wanting more, no doubt, but if you’re not keen on looking like a boozehound by toting tiny bottles of liquor around, this could be a suave alternative. Of course, you’d have to snap two on your keychain to get the same amount of liquor as one of those little bottles. Is it worth it? When you need it, you’ll be glad you have it on hand.
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