Love taking your pet dog with you on your outdoor trips? But, worried about how to address its food and water needs and feed it while on the go? Then this article is just for you. In this article, we look at some of the best pet feeding travel bowls available in the market.
Pet travel bowls are specially designed ultralight containers that provide easy-to-carry bowls that you can carry with you conveniently and use as per the needs of your pet. There are many travel bowls available in the market made from plastic, silicone or fabric. Because of the health challenges posed to the pets by plastic travel bowls, we will primarily focus on silicone and fabric dog travel bowls.
We will also look as some of the factors to consider while picking the best option for your needs. It is worth stating that while we would list out standard size models, you can often get smaller or bigger bowls from same manufacturers based on the dog breed and your requirements.
Best fabric dog travel bowls list
Some of the best fabric dog travel bowls available in the market are listed below:| Picture | Product | Capacity and weight | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Ruffwear - Quencher Collapsible Dog Bowl | Capacity: 25 oz., 35 oz. and 80 oz. Weight : 0.6 oz. for Small 1.6 oz. for Medium 2.4 oz. for Large | - Wide-bottom, the original fabric bowl made with 210D Nylon with 600D polyester lining. - Comes in 3 sizes and 3 vibrant colors with reflective trim. - Machine washable. - Also has a Cinch top version which has a drawstring. | |
  | Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl Collapsible Dog Bowl | Capacity: 24 oz. and 48 oz. Weight : 0.3 oz. for small 1.6 oz. for large | - Bestseller dog bowl - Wide-bottom design, made with waterproof nylon. - Comes in 2 sizes and 5 colors. - Can be shipped in certain countries outside the US. | |
  | Alfie Pet Collapsible Fabric Bowl | Capacity: 50 oz. Weight : 4.8 oz. | - Zippered large size travel bowl with waterproof lining. - Single size with 6.25 cup capacity. - Also comes in a set of two with a bonus microfiber cloth. | |
  | TETON DOG Collapsible Fabric Bowl | Capacity: 20 oz. for Small 40+ oz. for Large Weight : 0.2 oz. for Small 1.0 oz. for Large | - Made in the US, with naturally waterproof Nanopore fabric. - Comes in two custom sizes, trekking(large) and trail running.(small) - Extremely ultralight and compact. - Comes in 4 color combinations. | |
  | YouThink Collapsible Dog Travel Bowl | Capacity: 45 oz. each. Weight : 4.2 oz. for the set | - Set of two double-layered fabric pet travel bowls. - Made with waterproof material with nylon lining. - Single size with 4 cup capacity - Comes with a cotton carry bag. | |
  | Sunny Beginning Travel Pet Bowl Set | Capacity: Around 28 oz. each Weight: 3.2 oz. for the set | - Set of two bowls made with waterproof fabric. - Each bowl is 6.5-inches wide and 2.5-inches deep. - Can be used as single unit or separately as two bowls. - Come with two clips to attach to leash or belt. |
Best silicone dog travel bowls list
Some of the best silicone dog travel bowls available in the market are listed below:| Picture | Product | Capacity and weight | Features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl | Capacity: 40 oz. Weight : 0.4 oz. | - High quality, silicone travel bowl with BPA-free plastic rim. - Adjustable to a height of 2 inches or 5-inches. - Top shelf dishwasher safe. - Comes with a carabiner clip and a bonus water bottle holder. - Backed by one-year hassle-free warranty. | |
  | Prima Pet Collapsible Silicone Travel Bowl | Capacity: 12 oz. and 40 oz. Weight : 0.3 oz. for small 0.8 oz. for large | - Silicone travel bowl with a BPA-free plastic rim for better stability. - Can fold to only 0.7-inch disc. - Top rack dishwasher safe. - Comes in two sizes and 5 vibrant colors. - Comes with a carabiner clip for transportation. | |
  | Kurgo Collaps-a-Bowl Pet Travel Bowl | Capacity: 24 oz. Weight : 0.4 oz. | - Food-grade silicone travel bowl with a tall design. - Angled sides make it easier for dogs to access contents. - Comes in three vibrant colors. - Backed by hassle-free Kurgo Lifetime Warranty against manufacturer defects. | |
  | Alfie Ros Silicone Travel Bowl | Capacity: 12 oz. for small 24 oz. for medium 36 oz. for large Weight: 0.3 oz. for small | - Dishwasher safe Silicone travel bowl. - Collapses to 0.5-inches thick disc. - Comes in three colors and three sizes. - Comes with a carabiner for easy transportation. | |
  | Northern Outback Travel Pet Bowl Set | Capacity: 16 oz. set of two small 40 oz. set of two large Weight: Around 7 oz. with carrier | - Set of two silicone travel bowls with a zippered carrier. - Has extra space in the carrier for additional items. - Comes in 2 sizes and 3 vibrant colors. - Comes with two carabiners and a bonus collapsible water bottle. | |
  | Comsun Collapsible Dog Bowl Set | Capacity: 12 oz. for small 16 oz. for large Weight: 2.2 oz. for small set 2.6 oz. for large set | - A set of two silicone travel bowls with BPA-free plastic rim. - Comes in two sizes and two vibrant color combinations. - Dishwasher safe. - Carabiners included for easy transportation. |
What is a pet travel bowl and why do you need one?
A pet travel bowl is an inexpensive, lightweight and durable feeding bowl that provides an easy way to feed or hydrate your dog or cat while on the go. Travel bowls are so compact that they can easily fit in your purse, pocket or backpack. They can also be carried by tying them to the leash or backpack through a carabiner. The major benefit of these travel bowls is that you can use your own stored drinking water to feed your pet, without having to be concerned about hygiene.
The only downside of travel bowls is that they are generally smaller in size, so you may have to fill them a couple of times for large pet breeds.
While domestic bowls can also be made of materials such as stainless steel and ceramic, travel bowls are made from plastic, silicone or fabric. These types of travel bowls are discussed in more detail below:
Plastic travel bowls
The most popular and commonly used material for pet travel bowls is plastic. However, plastic bowls are not very safe for pets to use. These feeding bowls have the following major disadvantages:
- Hard plastic bowls often become another chew toy for dogs, who can attempt to chew on the bowl and destroy it.
- Scratched plastic bowl can provide friendly breeding ground for bacteria which can harm your pet.
- BPA, BPS, and Phthalates used in making plastic are as harmful to animals such as dogs as they are for humans. Moreover, even food grade BPA-free plastic bowls are found to contain traces of lead- another dangerous chemical. These harmful chemicals can leach into food and harm your pet.
Fabric travel bowls
Fabric travel bowls are the lightest and most portable of all travel bowls. Such bowls generally have waterproof nylon or polyester liner and fabric inner. When not in use, they can be folded into the pocket or backpack. They are odorless and safe to use. Fabric bottles, however, do take some time to clean and dry after use. Moreover, since they can crinkle a little, and can move or trip if you have a fast feeder dog, so some dogs do not like eating in them.
Silicone travel bowls
Collapsible Silicone based travel bowls are the newest and probably most popular alternative to plastic feeding bowls. Silicone is a polymer made from a combination of silicon and carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and occasionally other elements. Silicone travel bowls are lightweight, non-scratching, heat-resistant and relatively safe to use, considering silicone is chemically inert as a compound. Because of these characteristics, these travel bowls are a suitable option to consider for lightweight feeding bowls.
You can carry a silicone travel bowl in your purse, backpack or tied up to the leash through a carabiner clip. The major advantage silicone bowls have over fabric bowls is that they retain their shape pretty well and do not crinkle. Moreover, because of the bucket shape with a smaller bottom and a wider top, they are comfortable for small as well as large dogs. The only drawback with these types of travel bowls are that silicone has a propensity for dirt and hence you have to ensure that no muck gets stuck on the bowls when using the bowls.
As you can see from the discussion above, fabric and silicone feeding bowls are the best options for lightweight, portable travel bowls. Henceforth, in this article, we would focus on these two categories of travel bowls only.
How to pick the best travel bowl for your pet?
With so many options available in the market, picking the best travel bowl for your pet can often be a challenging task. Since your pet dog would need hydration at almost all times and consider the fact that pet travel bowls are not very costly and have a nice return-on-investment over time, it would probably be a good idea to opt for more than one travel bowl to meet your different requirements.
In this section, we list out some of the major considerations to keep in mind while picking the best reusable pet travel bowl for your pet. These major factors are listed below:
- Building material of the bowl
- Size and Capacity of the bowl
- Weight and Portability of the bowl
- Additional Features and Considerations
Building material of the bowl
As discussed in detail earlier, the building material of the bowl is an important consideration. Unless you have specific needs, you should go with silicone or fabric travel bowls, as opposed to plastic travel bowls. The silicon-based bowls are pretty safe because they are BPA, BPS, and Phthalate free and have all the benefits that a plastic bowl could offer. These bowls can be collapsed to a height of less than 1 inch and can be carried in handbag or backpack or tied to the belt or leash with the carabiner.
The fabric travel bowls are lighter and more compact that silicone travel bowls. They fold quite well. However, unlike silicone bowls, they can crinkle so some pets may not like to feed or hydrate from them.
Since the travel bowls are not very costly, you can try out a specific type and see if your pet dog or cat is comfortable eating or drinking from it.
Size and capacity of the bowl
The dimensions of the bowl generally govern the breeds of pet a travel bowl can support. Fabric travel bowls such as Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl Collapsible Dog Bowl and Ruffwear – Quencher Collapsible Dog Bowl come in various sizes. Smaller travel bowls are less than 5-inches high while the larger bowls can be as high as 7 inches. Small bowls have a capacity of around 24 ounces, which is suitable for a small dog breed, cat or even rabbits (off course, you would not be taking your rabbits on an outdoor trip!). Large travel bowls with a capacity in excess of 40 ounces are most suitable for big dog breeds.
Silicone bowls such as Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl come in a single size of 7-inch diameter and 5-inch height. However, the benefit with such silicone bowls is that they are adjustable to two levels of height – the shorter 2-inch height for small dog breeds and most cats and the larger 5-inch height for large dog breeds.
It is worthwhile to note that the travel bowls generally do not come in sizes big enough for extra-large breeds, because of the compactness and weight advantage they offer. So you may have to fill them up multiple times to meet the food or water requirements of such a dog.
Check the size and capacity of the travel bowl as per your needs and breed of your pet.
Weight and Portability of the bowl
By their very design, the travel bowls are generally pretty lightweight and portable. Silicone travel bowls tend to be lighter than fabric bowls, with Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl weighing as little as 0.4 ounces, against a weight of 1.0 ounce for Ruffwear – Quencher Collapsible Dog Bowl. However, the fabric travel bowls are more portable as you can fold them and carry them even in your pocket or purse. Silicone travel bowls, on the other hand, can collapse to a disc/Frisbee shape and hence can be carried in the backpack, handbag or tied down to the leash or belt through a carabiner.
Travel bowl sets such as Northern Outback Travel Pet Bowl Set tend to be heavier because of the zippered carrier, but they are more portable and multi-functional, as you can choose to carry one bowl for food and one for water.
Based on your weight requirements and purpose, you can pick the best combination for your need.
Additional features and miscellaneous considerations
In addition to the three major factors discussed above, there are some other miscellaneous considerations that can make a particular model more suitable for your needs.
One such factor is additional accessories that come with the travel bowl. For example, Northern Outback Travel Pet Bowl Set not only comes with an oversized zipper carrier but also a collapsible water bottle.
Almost all travel bowls listed above come with either a metal or plastic carabiner or a fabric loop to make it easier to carry the bowl with you while on the go. The exception to this is the PETLESO Pop-up Pet Bowl Travel Bowl which also has a cheaper carabiner/clip free version as well.
Finally, you can make out the durability of travel bowls by looking at the satisfaction guarantee or warranty provided with the travel bowls. Most of the models we have listed above are durable and would not show wear-and-tear if used properly. Popular travel bowls such as Ruffwear – Quencher Collapsible Dog Bowl and Kurgo Collaps-a-Bowl Pet Travel Bowl are backed by lifetime manufacturer warranty. Similarly, Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl is backed by a one-year hassle-free replacement warranty.
You can look at all these features to determine if they make a specific travel bowl a better choice for your needs.
Which are the best pet travel bowls and what our picks are?
Ruffwear Quencher Collapsible Dog Bowl – Editor’s pick for the best fabric pet travel bowl
Advertised as the original travel dog bowl, the Ruffwear Quencher is a lightweight, packable and extremely durable fabric travel bowl. Each travel bowl is made from waterproof PU coated 210D Nylon fabric, with a Nylon webbing. The outer shell of the Quencher is made from 600D polyester, making the travel bowl durable yet lightweight. Due to its fabric construction, the Quencher travel bowl is washable in the washing machine in a light wash, cold water cycle.
The Ruffwear Quencher travel bowl comes in three sizes – small (4.5-inch diameter; 25 oz. capacity), medium (5.5-inch diameter; 36 oz. capacity) and large (7-inch diameter; 80 oz. capacity). It has a unique design with a wide bottom and a smaller top. This design makes the bowl stable and hence easier for your dog to feed or drink from. Moreover, the travel bowl has a reflective trim making it easier for the dog to locate the feeder in low light.
The Ruffwear Quencher comes in three vibrant colors and also has a Cinch top version which has a drawstring to keep treats and contents securely stored while traveling.
- High quality construction with 210D waterproof PU coated Nylon and 600D polyester liner.
- Machine washable in a light wash cycle.
- Comes in 3 sizes and 3 vibrant colors.
- Reflective trim for easy identification even in low light.
- Costlier than many other fabric travel bowls.
Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl – Editor’s pick for the best silicone pet travel bowl
With many great silicone travel bowls available in the market, picking the best travel bowl for outdoors was much more difficult. After careful analysis and evaluation, we picked the BonzaCollapsible dog bowl as the best option for outdoor travel bowl. It slightly edged out close competition from other popular brands such as Prima Pet Collapsible Silicone Travel Bowl and Kurgo Collaps-a-Bowl Pet Travel Bowl.
The Bonza travel bowl is made from best grade FDA approved silicone, with a 100% BPA, BPS and Phthalate free plastic rim for extra stability. The Bonza travel bowl comes is standard size with a 7-inch diameter and is adjustable to a capacity of 2 cups (26 ounces) for small dog breeds and a massive 5 cups (40 ounces) for large dog breeds.
The travel bowl is extremely durable and packable – it collapses to as low as 0.75-inches when not in use. It comes with a bonus carabiner clip that can be used to attach it to handbag, backpack, belt or leash. You can even carry it like a disc in the bag. As a bonus, the travel bowl comes with a silicone water bottle holder, though you would most probably not need it many times.
Each Bonza travel bowl is backed by one year 100% money back guarantee, making this silicone travel bowl an excellent buy.
- High quality travel bowl made with Silicone, with BPA-free plastic rim.
- Adjustable to two capacities
- Dishwasher safe
- Backed by 100% money back guarantee for one-year
- Heavier than some other travel bowls and most suitable for medium to large dog breeds.
- Comes in a single size.
Northern Outback Travel Pet Bowl Set – Editor’s pick for best travel bowl kit
If you are looking for a twin bowl food-and-water travel bowl kit, then look no further than the Northern Outback Travel Bowl kit. This travel kit comes with two collapsible silicone bowls, enclosed in a heavy duty zippered carrier. The kit comes in two sizes – small bowls with a 5-inch diameter and 2-inch height and supersized bowls with a 7-inch diameter and 3-inch height. The small travel bowls are perfect for small breed dogs, cats and even pets such as rabbits, while the large bowls are fit for large sized dog breeds. You can use these travel bowls at full or half height based on your requirements.
The travel bowls are made with FDA approved BPA-free silicone and can be compactly placed in the twin bowl carrier which is only one inch high. The extra storage space in the fabric carrier allows you to store additional things such as treats, waste bags and food. The bowls are fully dishwasher friendly, though you are better off by washing them with hand using mild soap or detergent.
Each set comes with two carabiners, which you can use to clip the travel bowls with a backpack, handbag, dog leash or your belt. What’s more, each pack comes with a collapsible water bottle that you can use to carry water for your pet while on the go.
Moreover, the Northern Outback Travel Bowl kit is backed by 100% customer satisfaction guaranteed and you can return the kit at any time if you do are not satisfied with it.
The Northern Outback Travel bowl kit is our Editor’s pick for best travel bowl kit for your pet.
- Well designed, FDA approved Silicone collapsible bowls.
- Comes in two sizes – 5-inch and 7-inch bowls.
- Smartly sized zipper carrier with extra space to carry treats and waste bags.
- Can be used without the carrier as it comes with carabiner.
- With the carrier, not a superlight arrangement
- Costlier than other bowl sets.
Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl Collapsible Dog Bowl – Best value pick for pet travel bowls
As we saw in our articles on dog backpacks and dog carriers, when it comes to affordable yet quality outdoor gears for pets, the Outward Hound is a trusted brand and fabric travel bowls are no exception. The Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl is a perfect compact, lightweight and highly packable travel bowl for your pet – both dogs and cats.
The Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl comes in two sizes – 24 oz. (4-inch high) and 48 oz. (5.2-inch high). The smaller bowls are suitable for small dog breeds and most cats, while the bigger bowl is suitable for larger dog breeds.
With a total weight of less than 2 ounces, these bowls are extremely lightweight and easy to carry around – they collapse perfects to tuck or fit in a pocket, backpack or purse. There is also a loop attached to the bowl, in case you want to attach it to the dog leash or belt. The PU coated nylon fabric inside of the bowl makes it virtually waterproof. This also helps in drying the bowl quickly when wet.
Another great feature of the Port-A-Bowl is its wide bottom design. Because of this wider bottom, the bowl is pretty stable and does not move or trip when your dog is feeding from the bowl. For extra-large breeds this can sometimes be an issue as they cannot get their mouth in the smaller top, however for almost all other breeds, you would find the design comfortable.
The Port-A-Bowl comes in 5 vibrant colors to choose from based on your pet’s personality.
- Compact, well-designed, nylon lined fabric bowl that is compact and easy to carry around and use.
- Comes in two sizes – 24 ounces and 48 ounces, making it suitable for dogs and most cats.
- Unique wide bottom design prevents the bowl from tipping when feeding.
- Competitively priced, when compared with other travel bowls.
- The Smaller mouth makes in not very suitable for extra-large breeds.
- Because of fabric material, the bowl can crinkle or not hold water for extended hours.
Final thoughts on best pet travel bowls to buy in 2017
In this article, we looked at some of the best travel bowls available in the market to get for your pet while on the go. Our primary focus was on dogs as they are the most outdoor-friendly animals, though you can use these travel bowls for cats as well.
We looked at how these travel bowls help you to hygienically feed your dog during your outdoor trips – camping, hiking, and backpacking. We primarily focused on silicone and fabric collapsible bowls as they are more chemically safe to use than the plastic bowls. We also looked at some of the factors to consider while picking the best travel bowls for your needs.
We hope you found this article useful. Do let us know how you found this article and if you would want us to consider anything else by commenting below. Till then, have a happy trip with your beloved pet!
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Image credits:Amazon.com
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