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The Best Travel Dog Bowls Credit: Getty Images

The Best Travel Dog Bowls of 2024

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

The Best Travel Dog Bowls Credit: Getty Images

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Editor's Choice Product image of Dexas Popware Single Elevated Feeder - Small
Best Overall

Dexas Popware Single Elevated Feeder - Small

Check Price at Amazon

This feeder's legs extend to allow for elevated feeding, preventing joint stress and bloat while eating and drinking. Contracts down to 1.5-inches when not in use Read More

Pros

  • Extendable legs allow for feeding in an upright position
  • Contracts for easy storage
  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • Nothing we could find
Product image of Gamma2 Vittles Vault Travel-Tainer
Best for Camping

Gamma2 Vittles Vault Travel-Tainer

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This all-in-one feeding and drinking system holds up to 4-quarts of kibble or water. Read More

Pros

  • Stackable, airtight canisters are Ideal for camping
  • Clips to outside of bag for easy carrying
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Bulky
Product image of Lixit Water Boy Water Tank
Best for Car and Plane Travel

Lixit Water Boy Water Tank

Check Price at Amazon

While you won’t want to tote this gas can-sized bottle around during walks, it’s an great for traveling with your pet. Read More

Pros

  • Perfect for long car or plane trips
  • Hold 3 quarts of water
  • Leakproof

Cons

  • Too bulky to take on basic walks
Product image of Ruffwear Bivy Bowl

Ruffwear Bivy Bowl

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Weighing only 2.96 pounds, this sporty bowl contracts to a flat disc, but expands to accommodate up to 1.8 liters of food or water. Read More

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Quick-drying fabric
  • 1.8 Liter capacity
  • Wide, weighted base

Cons

  • Comparatively expensive
  • Not dishwasher safe
Product image of Kurgo Collaps A Bowl

Kurgo Collaps A Bowl

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This bowl expands to hold up to 24-ounces, and collapses to less than 1-inch high. Read More

Pros

  • Made from food grade PVC and BPA-free silicone
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Lifetime Warranty

Cons

  • A bit unsteady, which can cause spillage
  • Best Overall Dexas Popware Single Elevated Feeder
  • Best for Camping Gamma2 Vittles Vault Travel-Tainer
  • Best for Car and Plane Travel Lixit Water Boy Water Tank
  • Ruffwear Bivy Bowl
  • Kurgo Collaps A Bowl
  • Winsee Collapsible Dog Bowls
  • Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl
  • Outward Hound Dog Travel Bowl
  • What to Look for When Buying Travel Dog Bowls
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

Whether you’re going on a leisurely vacation or an active, outdoorsy adventure, it’s generally made twice as nice by the presence of your dog! But since room in one’s luggage (or packed-to-the-brim RV) is always at a premium, adding your pup’s belongings to the mix can seem a bit daunting. That’s where super portable dog bowls come in. While furry companions can probably last a few days without their favorite blanket or artfully chewed stuffed toy, they’ll always need accessible food and water.

And no matter the type of trip, after looking into the most popular travel dog bowls, we discovered the Dexas Popware Elevated Feeder (available at Amazon for $16.99) should become your go-to bowl when you’re on the go. It comes with sturdy, yet collapsible travel-friendly legs that fold out, so your pup can drink and sup from a safe and comfortable posture. But we also found there are other great bowls that are custom-made for specific types of travel, so we made sure to examine the best!

Editor's Note:

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

These are the best travel dog bowls available today.
Credit: Reviewed / Jackson Ruckar

One of our favorite things about the Dexas Popware Elevated Feeder is its collapsible legs, which means your pup doesn't have to hunch over.

Best Overall
Dexas Popware Single Elevated Feeder

We’re all accustomed to giving up some creature comforts when we travel. But being able to drink at a non-hunched over position is critical for the well-being of many dogs, especially when they’re potentially dehydrated and actively exercising on mountains and trails. That’s why we flipped over the clever design of the Dexas. It is the best collapsible dog bowl, we looked into. It even has extendable legs. When tucked away, the super light unit takes up just 1.5 inches of space. Fully expanded, it offers a 12-ounce capacity bowl and a set of sturdy legs that allow it to stand about 5 inches off the ground. Not only do the legs keep the bowl from slipping and sloshing, while preventing detritus from gathering in the food or water, they let your pup sip without crouching, which helps prevent neck and back stress, and—perhaps most crucially—bloat. Did we mention the silicone materials are easy to hand-wash and are dishwasher-safe? It also comes in a larger, 4-cup capacity.

Pros

  • Extendable legs allow for feeding in an upright position

  • Contracts for easy storage

  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • Nothing we could find

$16.99 from Amazon

$14.89 from Walmart
Product image of Gamma2 Vittles Vault Travel-Tainer
Best for Camping
Gamma2 Vittles Vault Travel-Tainer

If you’re spending overnights in the woods, you’ll need to equip your pup with more than just water. So while the comparatively bulky Vittles Vault may be overkill for a trail, you’ll find it an indispensable addition to your camping gear. Comprised of three stackable components, an airtight canister keeps up to 4 quarts of kibble or water fresh, while two one-quart bowls affix to either side, providing an all-in-one storage, drinking and feeding system that can be clipped to the outside of a bag. For such a handy item, the Vittles Vault Gamma Travel-Tainer is also shockingly inexpensive, coming in at under $10.

Pros

  • Stackable, airtight canisters are Ideal for camping

  • Clips to outside of bag for easy carrying

  • Affordable

Cons

  • Bulky

$8.61 from Amazon

$20.97 from Walmart
Product image of Lixit Water Boy Water Tank
Best for Car and Plane Travel
Lixit Water Boy Water Tank

It generally speaks volumes, when we end up appropriating an item for personal use after testing. To be honest, we were puzzled by the Lixit at first, wondering how a bowl the approximate size and shape of a gas can could possibly be viable for pet travel. And yes, the 3-quart Waterboy makes little sense for a trail. But its usefulness for car or plane travel is unparalleled. When set flat, the innovative design allows just enough water to gather in the reservoir of the bowl, so there’s never any splashing or dripping (even from our own enthusiastic drinker). And amazingly, the entire unit can be flipped upside down, without leaking or spilling a drop. That means, you can leave it with your dog in the car for the entirety of a ride, and allow them to hydrate themselves at will, without fear of flooding the backseat (it’s also great for planes, hotels, and other places where you want to keep splashing to a minimum). The Lixit Waterboy comes equipped with a handle, making it easy to carry upright. And it still won’t spill, even when filled, although carrying it empty significantly increases portability.

Pros

  • Perfect for long car or plane trips

  • Hold 3 quarts of water

  • Leakproof

Cons

  • Too bulky to take on basic walks

$23.94 from Amazon

$26.94 from Walmart
Product image of Ruffwear Bivy Bowl
Ruffwear Bivy Bowl

Specializing in products for active dogs, it’s no surprise that Ruffwear’s Bivy Bowl proved especially trail-worthy. Made of lightweight, quick-drying waterproof fabric, it weighs only 2.96 ounces empty, yet has a 1.8L capacity—very generous for a vessel that easily collapses into a flat disc. We especially appreciated the wider, weighted base, that allows it to sit firmly on uneven terrain, and thus prevents tipping over and spillage. The only dings are the price—it was one of the most expensive bowls we tested—and the fact that it isn’t dishwasher safe.

Pros

  • Lightweight

  • Quick-drying fabric

  • 1.8 Liter capacity

  • Wide, weighted base

Cons

  • Comparatively expensive

  • Not dishwasher safe

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Kurgo Collaps A Bowl
Kurgo Collaps A Bowl

Another favorite brand amongst the sporty dog community, Kurgo’s food grade, PVC and BPA-free silicone bowl comes in multiple colors and with a lifetime warranty. That said, it would take an awful lot of roughhousing to do damage to this seemingly impervious bowl, even after multiple passes through the dishwasher (yes, it’s top rack safe). It holds up to 24 ounces, yet collapses to less than 1-inch high, and can be easily tucked into a bag, or clipped by carabiner to the outside. It’s a tiny bit wobbly when folded out and set down, but not so much to significantly affect its ranking on our list.

Pros

  • Made from food grade PVC and BPA-free silicone

  • Dishwasher safe

  • Lifetime Warranty

Cons

  • A bit unsteady, which can cause spillage

$12.95 from Amazon

$12.95 from Walmart
Product image of Winsee Collapsible Dog Bowls
Winsee Collapsible Dog Bowls

We really appreciated the stability of the Winsee, with its double bowl design featuring a built-in base to keep mealtime tidy. Not only do the raised edges contain spills, the non-slip silicone securely adheres to flat surfaces, making it nearly impossible to tip over. The large size we tested also have a generous 35 fluid ounce and 4.5 cup capacity, making them ideal for larger dogs, or even a duo of pups. Oh, and did we mention the entire unit is dishwasher-safe? The only downside to the large profile is that it’s a bit more difficult to store; even collapsed, you’d have a hard time stuffing it into an over-packed bag. A smaller size, which holds 15 ounces of water or 1.9 cups of food, is also available.

Pros

  • Unique side-by-side design

  • Contains spills

  • Dishwasher-safe

Cons

  • Awkward to store

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl
Bonza Large Collapsible Dog Bowl

Able to be adjusted to hold 16 ounces of food or water, or a generous 40 ounces when fully expanded, the FDA-approved, BPA-free plastic Bonza is dishwasher safe, yet simple to hand clean and air dry. That said, it’s a bit too collapsible, as it buckled in our hands when attempting to carry it filled with water, and skidded on the ground when our pup tried to take a sip.

Pros

  • Made from FDA-approved, BPA-free plastic

  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • Neither sturdy nor stable

  • Prone to spillage.

Buy now at Amazon
Product image of Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl Portable Dog Dish
Outward Hound Dog Travel Bowl

No bells and whistles here: the Outward Hound bowl is a simple nylon pouch that pops open to hold water or food and scrunches up for storage. It has a good capacity at 48 ounces, but unless you fill it up all the way, the thin-walled shape has a tendency to topple and sag. The best thing about it is its total portability. The bowl weighs next to nothing at 0.8 ounces, and can be stashed pretty much anywhere. You can smush it in a pocket, squeeze it in the tightest backpack, or use the attached loop to hook it to the outside of a bag.

Pros

  • Easy to store

  • Lightweight

  • Large capacity

Cons

  • Soft sides aren't stable

$5.62 from Amazon

What to Look for When Buying Travel Dog Bowls

Since travel bowls are made for use on the go (often during restrictive activities such as hiking, camping or car riding), portability is of utmost importance. Bowls should be light enough to carry—either easy to stash inside or be clipped onto the outside—preferably collapsible, and can be stored in small spaces. Since these bowls will frequently be used when on rough, dirty terrain, such as on trails or in the woods, they should be made of easy to clean and quick drying materials, that don’t hold onto odors/bacteria, and are sturdy enough to sit on rocky, grassy surfaces (or on a hotel room rug) without tipping over. Certain bowls are also best for a specific type of travel—small, collapsible vessels made of silicone or cloth are ideal for hiking, bowls with long-term food storing options are best for camping, and bowls with non-spill features are especially equipped for planes, trains, and automobiles.

Meet the tester

Sarah Zorn

Sarah Zorn

Contributor

Sarah Zorn is a food writer, cookbook author, and product tester for Reviewed, Wirecutter and the Food Network. She regularly contributes to outlets such as Saveur, Esquire, and Civil Eats, and has very much passed her food obsessions down, as her beloved rescue hound, Rowdy, regularly deglazes his kibble bowl.

See all of Sarah Zorn's reviews

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