When it comes to water bottles, I’ve always been a Nalgene guy because… well… I hadn’t tried anything else. Nalgenes are leak-proof, Hydro Flask True Pint Glass, BPA-free, dishwasher safe, and… well… did I mention they are durable? Unfortunately, Nalgenes don’t insulate well and if you load them up with a chilled liquid, they sweat like Fat Albert in a Sauna. I hadn’t jumped on the steel bottle bandwagon because I thought they were heavy and not very durable. That was until a friend on Facebook turned me onto Hydroflask.
Hydro Flask bottles are made from 18/8 Stainless Steel and come in classic stainless or in a number of colors with a powder coat finish. They come in a number of size options – 12 and 21 ounce in a standard mouth, 18 and 24 ounce in a narrow mouth, and 18, 32, 40, and a 64 ounce growler in a wide mouth. I invested in a 32 ounce wide mouth bottle.
Hydro Flask 32 Ounce in Copper Brown
I’d heard that Hydro Flasks are very popular with the craft beer and coffee crowd and now I know why. The company claims their flasks will keep liquids hot up to six hours and cold up to 24 hours. I haven’t kept hot liquids in mine but the cold time was understated. Ice melts in 24 hours but I’ve had drinks stay cold for longer than a day. The double wall vaccum insulation also keeps the outside from sweating or getting uncomfortably cold, which is a plus. The screw cap isn’t as easy to screw on as a Nalgene (it can cross thread if you’re not careful) but it doesn’t leak if seated properly. Hydro Flask also sells straw and flip top lids as accessories.
I also picked up their True Pint insulated beer glass. It keeps a pint frosty for as long as it takes to consume one (which admittedly for me isn’t long) and it also doesn’t sweat – so no coasters required.
The Hydro Flask True Pint Glass also works for margaritas.
One downside I’ve found is these bottles aren’t as comestically durable as Nalgenes. They have a lifetime warranty, but with hard use they will get dents, dings, and scratches. The powder coating on the colored bottles helps. Mine has some light scratches but nothing significant even after getting thrown around in my vehicle. But, if you like your stuff to stay pretty, be aware that Nalgenes are still the more durable option.
There is also the issue of weight. The 32 ounce Hydro Flask weighs significantly more than a similarly sized Nalgene (10.4 versus 3.8 ounces). I believe the added capability is worth the added weight but if you count ounces then your mileage may vary.
Hydroflasks products are available from a number of merchants or from the companies web store. They aren’t cheap but for me they were well worth what I paid.
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