Im a product Designer and seeking for information on what you want out of a water container and the problems you've experienced with picking up water at race water-stations in particular, and problems with water bottles themselves, to help me design better stations and water bottles. Suggestions, links, exsisting products and information all very welcome! Ta

If you race you will see that plastic cups suck and the bottles are often difficult to drink from too.

This is a difficult one to resolve with so many people having so many different likes and dislikes.

Not sure if this helps but during the recent Great North Run I found the sponges more useful than the bottles as I could use them to cool down and also get some water into my mouth.

Agree with steepler on the plastic cups, you just can't drink out of them when running.

Sponges are best...provided they are clean. I once made the mistake of squeezing some sponge water into my mouth and it wasn't water but some kind of cleaning fluid..instant gag time!

How about a water bottle where the water doesn't slop around in it, even when it's no longer full? How about a flat, rather than round, water bottle so that it streamlines against your body (inside a pouch) rather than be this huge protruding round thing that you keep knocking with your pumping arms?

How about a bottle with a shower style top for cooling yourself down!