Other Customer Rating:
- DESIGN IN MIND: With it's easy-access wide mouth, the sleek design holds the same volume of liquid as other leading water bottle brands. Also, safety is top-of-mind, as the bottles are made out of non-toxic BPA-free plastics & 18/8 food-grade stainless steel.
- SLIP-FREE GRIP: Unlike other leading water bottles, Hydro Flask has a powder coat, which gives you a solid grip. The Powder Coat works with the premium TempShield insulation, which prevents condensation from forming on the outside of the bottle, to give you exactly what you want in an everyday refreshment delivery system.
- JUST THE RIGHT SIZE: Meets your everyday hydration needs in one container, all while keeping it piping hot or ice cold and fitting comfortable and conveniently in your hand or your vehicles' cup holders. The wide mouth aspect also fits most backcountry water filters.
- INSULATION INNOVATION: The double-walled, vacuum insulated TempShield Insulation, the same technology used in all Hydro Flask products, will ensure that your beverage of choice maintains its temperature for many hours to come. Hot drinks up to 6 hours, and cold drinks up to 24 hours.
- INSULATED, FLEXIBLE, AND BUILT TO LAST: Designed with stainless steel pivots and a flexible strap, this cap moves when you do. Plus, it’s made with Honeycomb Insulation to keep drinks cold up to 24 hours or hot up to 12 — no matter what the weather’s doing outside.
Top customer reviews
Originally, I couldn't justify spending this absurd amount of $ on a water bottle. But I needed a gift for someone who is really tough to buy for, and went with this. Initially he was like "oh, gee, um, a water bottle?!" But then he spent all day out in 90+ degree weather and came back incredibly enthusiastic, going on & on & on about how amazing it is. So I got another one for my teenager, who needed a water bottle, but doesn't pay much attention to mundane things like this. He, too, went from "blah" to "wow" - he literally brings it everywhere, every day, and then refills it & brings it to his room at night (bedside ice water!)
So here's the pros:
1) Unbelievably effective at holding temperature. Have yet to see an occasion when there is not still ice at the end of the day, no matter how hot it's been: sitting in a hot car, going through a double class of Bikram yoga (4hrs in 105 degree room!)
2) Incredibly well made. We have had other metal water bottles; they dent; paint chips or peels. Not this one; my son's still looks brand new after hanging off his backpack, banging around for the past 3 months.
3) Doesn't hold odors at all (unlike plastic bottles.)
4) Easy to clean (unlike most aluminum bottles.) I can actually get my (size 6.5) hand inside. Even the straw lid (bought separately) is constructed so that it is much easier to clean than, say, a Camelbak.
5) Dishwasher safe. Well, I'm not sure the company says that, but I've put it in the dishwasher over & over, and it still looks new.
6) Other available lids work well. Straw lid is easy to use, easy to clean, & watertight. Flip top lid is also easy to use & clean, but the company warns that it is not watertight, and it definitely isn't - bottle must be kept upright, or it spills.
7) Double wall means no condensation. Doesn't ever get slippery to hold. Won't form a little puddle or make water rings.
8) No BPAs (in case, after we've all been using them for years, "they" decide that HDPE 2 or other plastics aren't safe, after all.)
Cons:
1) It's a lot of money for a water bottle! (Ok, vacuum bottle - you can put other stuff in, but still...)
2) The screw on cap works great, but is not so convenient. So, more money to buy other lids.
3) The 40 oz is a little inconvenient to carry. It's just slightly too big to fit in any of our cars' cup holders. (I'm guessing the 18 or 20 oz are the biggest that would fit there.) The 40 oz is also quite tall; it overbalances in pockets made for water bottles (e.g. on all our backpacks. The 32 oz is shorter, so might not have this problem.)
4) Since it's opaque, it's a little tricky to fill from a refrigerator water dispenser. Eventually you can gauge how full it is by sound, but it takes a little trial & error.
5) Somewhat heavier than a plastic bottle of equivalent size. But it is not a big difference.
6) Ok this one is really, really minor, but I can see how it might matter to somebody, sometime... it's kind of loud. That is, if you have ice: when you walk around, you will be accompanied by the sound of the ice clinking against the metal walls. If you're drinking in a library, people will notice ;-)
I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants a great water bottle. For many people, it's probably in the category of "you don't know what you're missing until you've tried it." OTOH, it's still just a water bottle, or thermos or whatever, and there are lots of cheaper options! This should satisfy anyone who subscribes to the idea of having fewer things, of better quality. For myself, I will buy it again, but in a smaller size so I can carry it more easily.
Wow, I've managed to say a lot about a water bottle... If anyone bothers to read this, I hope it helps your purchase decision :-)
