This guide covers the best low calorie drinks for camping, hiking, fishing, and outdoor adventures. You will learn what to pack, what to avoid, and how to enjoy adult beverages in nature without weighing down your pack or your diet.
The Outdoor Drinking Challenge
Outdoor drinking has specific constraints that actually favor diet friendly options:
- Weight matters: Lighter drinks in cans beat heavy bottles
- No glass allowed: Many wilderness areas ban glass containers
- Temperature: Some drinks handle warm storage better than others
- Hydration is critical: Alcohol is dehydrating; outdoor activity compounds this
- No mixing: Complex cocktails are impractical at campsites
- Leave No Trace: Pack out what you pack in; less is better
Best Canned Drinks for Camping
Hard Seltzers
Calories: 90 to 100 per can | Carbs: 0 to 2g
Hard seltzers are arguably the perfect camping drink. Light weight, no glass, refreshing, and low calorie. They also come in variety packs that give your group options.
Best options:
- White Claw: 100 cal, widely available variety packs
- Truly: 100 cal, extra fruit forward flavors
- Bon and Viv: 90 cal, zero sugar, slightly more sophisticated
- High Noon: 100 cal, made with real vodka and juice
Pro tip: Freeze some seltzers before your trip. They act as ice packs in your cooler and will be perfectly chilled (and thawed) by evening.
Light Beer
Calories: 95 to 110 per can | Carbs: 2.6 to 6.6g
The traditional camping choice remains a solid option. Beer culture and outdoor culture overlap significantly.
Best options:
- Michelob Ultra: 95 cal, lowest of the mainstream options
- Corona Premier: 90 cal, great with a campfire lime
- Miller Lite: 96 cal, more beer flavor than ultra lights
- Pacifico: 145 cal, if you want something with more body
Canned Cocktails
Calories: 100 to 200 per can | Carbs: Varies widely
The canned cocktail market has exploded with options. Some are diet friendly; others are sugar bombs. Read labels carefully.
Good options:
- Cutwater Vodka Soda: 99 cal, tastes like what it is
- Ranch Water cans: 100 to 130 cal, multiple brands available
- Tip Top Proper Cocktails: Pre batched classics, around 150 cal
Avoid:
- Canned margaritas (200+ calories, 25g+ sugar)
- Canned pina coladas (250+ calories)
- Wine based canned cocktails (often high sugar)
Canned Wine
Calories: 100 to 150 per can (varies by size) | Carbs: 3 to 5g
Canned wine solves the no glass problem while offering wine options.
Good options:
- Underwood: Multiple varietals, 125 cal per 6.3 oz
- House Wine: Good quality for canned wine
- Bev: Dry wine spritzers, 110 cal per can
Portable Cocktail Solutions
If canned options do not appeal, you can make simple cocktails at camp with minimal gear:
Whiskey and Water
Calories: 97 | Carbs: 0g
The classic campfire drink. A flask of whiskey plus your water supply equals infinite cocktails.
What to pack:
- Flask of bourbon or whiskey
- You already have water
Vodka and Crystal Light
Calories: 100 | Carbs: 0 to 1g
Crystal Light packets turn water bottle vodka into flavored cocktails with zero calorie mixers.
What to pack:
- Plastic flask of vodka
- Crystal Light or Mio packets
- Water
Pre Batched Ranch Water
Calories: 130 | Carbs: 2g
Mix tequila and lime juice before your trip. Add sparkling water (or still water in a pinch) at camp.
What to pack:
- Pre mixed tequila and lime in a plastic bottle
- Canned sparkling water
Activity Specific Recommendations
Backpacking
Weight is everything. Pack the lightest alcohol per serving:
- Best: Small flask of high proof spirit (whiskey, rum, vodka)
- Alternative: Single serving wine boxes (lighter than cans)
- Avoid: Canned anything (weight adds up fast)
Weight math: A flask with 8 oz of whiskey weighs about 12 oz total. That is equivalent alcohol to eight light beers, which would weigh over 8 pounds.
Car Camping
Weight matters less; convenience matters more:
- Best: Hard seltzers, light beer, canned cocktails
- Bring a cooler: Cold drinks dramatically improve the experience
- Ice strategy: Frozen water bottles provide ice and drinking water
Fishing
Long days require light, hydrating options:
- Best: Light beer, hard seltzers
- Pacing: One drink per hour maximum to stay sharp
- Hydration: Match each alcoholic drink with a bottle of water
Float Trips
Multiple hours on water requires extreme caution:
- Best: Hard seltzers, light beer in koozies
- Limit: Two drinks maximum for a 3 to 4 hour float
- Sun factor: Alcohol plus sun plus water equals danger; stay conservative
Hydration Strategy
Dehydration is the biggest danger of outdoor drinking. Follow these rules:
The Water Rule
- Drink one full water bottle between each alcoholic drink
- Start hydrating hours before you plan to drink
- Electrolytes help: pack electrolyte tablets or powder
Altitude Considerations
If camping at altitude, reduce consumption significantly:
- Alcohol affects you faster at elevation
- Dehydration risk increases with altitude
- Cut your normal consumption in half as a starting point
Heat Considerations
- Hot weather accelerates dehydration
- Drink during cooler evening hours rather than midday
- If you are already thirsty, you are already dehydrated
Packing Checklist
For a Weekend Car Camping Trip (2 people)
- 12 to 18 hard seltzers or light beers
- One flask of whiskey for evening sipping
- Twice as much water as you think you need
- Electrolyte packets
- Soft cooler with ice
For Backpacking (Per Person Per Night)
- 4 oz of spirit in a flask (half cup)
- OR one single serving wine box
- Extra water purification capability
Do Not Forget
- Insulated mugs or koozies
- Trash bags for packing out empties
- Headlamp (do not stumble around drunk in the dark)
Leave No Trace Drinking
- Pack out everything: Crush cans to save space
- No glass: Broken glass ruins wilderness areas for years
- Dispose properly: Do not pour alcohol or dump ice near water sources
- Be considerate: Other campers may not want to hear your party
Conclusion
Outdoor drinking naturally favors diet friendly options. Hard seltzers, light beer, and spirits with water are all practical camping choices that happen to be low calorie. The key additions are aggressive hydration, reasonable consumption limits, and respect for the environment.
A cold hard seltzer after a day on the trail tastes better than any craft cocktail at a rooftop bar. Enjoy responsibly and leave the wilderness better than you found it.
Use our DrinkLeader database to look up specific products and plan your next adventure.
Always check local regulations regarding alcohol in wilderness areas. Many places have restrictions or bans. Never drink and operate boats or vehicles. Stay safe and enjoy nature responsibly.
]]>