Our selection for living on gourds and fresh water

You start a morning run with your water bottle on your belt, and suddenly a question pops into your head: how did Cro-Magnon man, an unrepentant hunter-gatherer, manage to carry his water? Well, clever as he was, he made do with a few animal viscera, plugged with a piece of carved bone. Conical objects found at the Brassempouy site in the Landes region bear witness to this. Later, in the depths of Egypt, people were already talking about pilgrims' gourds. Made of earthenware, with two handles and a round bottom, they were used on long journeys...

The Greek amphora is still the closest thing to the beginnings of our gourd, but walking with an amphora on your back isn't what you'd call very convenient... It was more at home, filled with oil or wine, in the holds of a ship. The Romans, who devised water-carrying pipes, soon found a better format: their flat iron and brass flask finally began to resemble a design object, i.e. a practical one.

Let's skip over the skin bottles of the Tuaregs, Basque shepherds and Boy Scouts and jump to the other side of the Atlantic. In the 1950s, plastics made a massive entry into the industrial era, and the advent of vacations and excursions ushered in the light, colorful gourd. But the real boom came around ten years ago. Manufacturers capitalized on the poor image of the plastic bottle to launch new products. In the United States, the " Stanley " flask, originally designed for workers, entrusted its image to Terence Reilly, the genius behind Crocs. The marketer uses TikTok to trigger hysteria in department stores whenever a " Stanley " capsule collection is launched.

In glass, stainless steel or even biodegradable materials like the sugarcane-based " Veganbottle ", the water bottle should see its market soar to over $10 billion by 2027. They are already an indispensable part of our daily lives, in Thermos versions to keep our mint-lime cool or our latte hot. Europe is also launching its own cult brands. Évian, for example, has teamed up with Virgil Abloh, Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton, to launch limited editions, some of which are selling for gold on eBay. Before rushing into capsule collections and giving in to the siren song of design, don't forget that the gourd is above all eco-responsible and a sustainable everyday object. Choosing a gourd is for life, in every sense of the word.

Long out of fashion, even closeted, the gourd has become a fashion accessory that can be matched to your outfit thanks to its panoply of colors. Take it everywhere, especially off the sports field, to hydrate in style while reducing your environmental footprint. Proof in 8!

1. Bottle. Metal model, isothermal with double-wall insulation, polypropylene handle. "Mono Thermal", 90 cl, 400 g, Hay on Made in Design, €49. 2. Mug. Isothermal mug, brushed steel, double-walled. "To Go Cup", 35 cl, 260 g, The Tools design, Eva Solo on Made in Design, €34.96. 3. Design. Stainless steel water bottle with calfskin strap. "Sky", 50 cl, 318 g, design Aurélien Barbry, Georg Jensen, €64.80. 4. recycled. Made from 90% recycled steel, it comes in 3 parts (bottle, cup and cap). "Steel" Bronze, 80 cl, 206 g, Dopper, €29.95. 5 Ultra-light. In anodized titanium, polypropylene cap and silicone rubber. "Aurora", 80 cl, 150 g, Snow Peak exclusively at La Samaritaine, 145 €. 6 Nomade. Stainless steel, 2 colors (with cotton cord, sold separately). 50 cl, Monoprix, €15.99 (€6.99 for cord). 7. carabiner. Isothermal, double-walled stainless steel, BPA-free, 4 colors. "Horizon", 50 cl, 290 g, design Natacha Poutoux & Sacha Hourcade, Lexon, €39.90. 8. Customizable. Isothermal, stainless steel, silicone seal, laser engraving possible (+ 6 €). "Clima Bottle, Carrara shade, 50 cl, 274 g, 24Bottles, 35 €.

This article is taken from Gault&Millau magazine #5. If you don't want to miss any future issues, subscribe now.