In the past, my go-to water bottle used to be a Nalgene bottle. They’re nearly indestructible and can hold a great deal, so I didn’t need to refill it every couple minutes. A couple years ago, though, I began to see stainless steel drinking bottles taking over the shelves next to the Nalgene bottles in outdoor stores. So I went for it and bought a Hydro Flask water bottle.

My First Impressions?

I noticed, just by looking at the selection in the store, that the paint can chip easily. So although I did really like some of the colors and the matte finish on them, I bought the ‘classic stainless’ version of it. It has a good weight to it, but it’s not too heavy.

My Thoughts upon using it?

Hydro Flask claims that it will keep your beverage hot for up to 12 hours or cold for up to 24 hours. And I’ve found that this is accurate. It can be a great way to have an ice cold refreshment on a hiking trip, or even a way to transport hot water on a winter hike. (sometimes I’ve even filled it up with boiling water just to carry it around and warm my hands on the steam for a while!)

After a year of use, my bottle still looks great. It only has one small ding in the bottom of it, where it took a tumble onto a concrete floor. I have dropped it other times, though, and it hasn’t shown any other signs of abuse. The ‘classic stainless’ finish definitely ages better than the other bottles, as scratches blend into the stainless steel finish much better.

My only complaint with this bottle is that sometimes, even if I think I screwed the cap on tightly, it will leak a little bit in my backpack or as I’m carrying it. That rarely happens, but when it does it seems that it comes a tad bit loose on its own and just needs to be re-tightened.

One of the best things about this bottle (besides the remarkable amount of time it can insulate drinks) is that the inside of it has no liner like most bottles. Just rinse it out and you’re ready to pour a new beverage in it. In my experience, it doesn’t retain the flavor from the last drink you had in it at all.

I recommend the Hydro Flask Insulated Water Bottle for:

Anybody! Seriously. Whether you are an outdoors enthusiast or an office worker, this should replace those mountain dew or coke bottles that you’ve been reusing as water bottles. I use mine at home, at work, and on backpacking trips. The loop-top cap is great to clip onto the side of your backpack for quick access. If you’re hesitant to buy it because of the price, I say “GO FOR IT!” I felt a little silly paying $30 for a water bottle when I first got it, but I’ve definitely gotten my $30 out of it already, and it still has years and years of life left in it.

And Tea and coffee drinkers should check out the ‘coffee and tea flask‘ (it’s next on my list to buy!) They also make some pretty cool ‘food flasks‘ to carry soup, warm meals, or any other hot (or cold, of course) liquids!

I give the Hydro Flask Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle 5 out of 5 Stars!

(I’d buy it again!)