Keeps the cold stuff cold and the hot stuff hot.
During the 90’s and early 2000’s I spent a good bit of time backpacking. The Presidential Range in New Hampshire was close to home, and I spent a lot of time out there. And of course there was that whole Appalachian Trail thing in 2001!
Through all of my hiking adventures you could be sure to find a Nalgene bottle strapped somewhere to my pack. Normally several of the Nalgene bottles. And since that time I’ve always had Nalgene bottles kicking around in the truck, the Airstream, and in my packs. But no longer (sorry Nalgene). Recently I’ve discovered Hydro Flasks, and they’re super awesome!
A friend of mine who is a fellow RV’er and full timer introduced me to the Hydro Flask bottles a few months ago. So I decided to give them a try. While they’re a little pricey (mid 20 range) they do something that my Nalgenes never could. When I pour in super cold ice water, and then open the bottle hours later for a drink while I’m on a walk, the water is still super cold! Like it just came out of the fridge.
The design reminds me of the old Coleman Thermos containers that I had as a kid. Back in the 70’s when I was off ice skating on the pond I’d have a Coleman full of hot chocolate. And it stayed hot, even while everything around was frozen.
These bottles are definitely heavier than the Nalgenes. If I woke up tomorrow morning and decided to head off and hike the Appalachian Trail I’d bring my Nalgenes with me due to the weight. But for shorter hikes, and for having super cold water in the truck with me, the Hydro Flasks rock. I’ve got one that stays on the computer desk in the Airstream (reminding me to hydrate throughout the day), and I’ve got another at the ready for when I head off into the rocks.
If you haven’t checked these out yet you should. Nice to run across a new product that wows you!