Who Makes The Best Insulated Water Bottle? Any 360° Caps?

[Kev D]

 I use the 950ml activeflask by bemaxx at work. Its a full stainless steel bodied double walled vacuum insulated flask and its been great.  It came with 3 different lids so you can fit whichever you want to suit your usage.  When I fill it from the water cooler the water stays cold all day.   They do loads of different sizes and colours to, and it was cheap.  I got mine off amazon a couple of years ago, its nice to see the prices haven't gone stupid on there to.

Activeflask

[Grant Lamontagne]

I know I'm a bit late to the party, but if you have a Bass Pro or Cabelas store near you, be sure to check out the Ascend brand water bottles.  I have two of them and I use them quite often.

I have heard a rumor that much of the Cabelas branded stuff is actually made for them by Yeti, and is quite a bit less expensive.

I have a Yeti insulated mug, and I liked it so much that I got one for Megan.  We are both thrilled with them, but I'm not sure how much I would invest in most Yeti items.

I watched a video on YouTube a while back where someone asked what made Yetis so special, so they ran a cooler through a band saw and found that it doesn't have any special tech or materials.  It just has more styrofoam than any others, which is why they insulate so well.

You can see it when you compare exterior space vs interior space with a similarly sized Coleman.  Also, the Coleman will cost you $50, while the Yeti costs $500.  My choice is getting the Coleman and $450 worth of ice!

Anyways, what makes the coolers "better" doesn't actually make much difference in the insulated water bottles/mugs, as they are pretty much all vacuum insulated.

There you go.... overly long, pointless answer to a question no one asked!   

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

Ok boss, I’ll just take the advice that you like yeti,
My problem is I so like hands on to try things out but since we can’t drive anywhere I have to do everything from pictures and research, it soo sucks!
JR

[Grant Lamontagne]

I actually didn't want to pay what they wanted for the Yeti Rambler.  It's about $40 here, so I bought a Thermos for $15.  And that wasn't really what I wanted, so I bought a different Thermos for $10.  And then another for $20.

In the end, I paid a lot more for Thermos products (which I also love) but didn't do what I wanted.  Megan's brother gave me the Yeti for Christmas, and barely a day goes by that it doesn't get used.

Is it the best?  I dunno.... not if you want to stick it in a bag and carry it around.  The magnetic lid is easy for cleaning and keeps most of the stuff in, in the event it gets knocked over, but it is really only nice for filling up in the morning and sticking in the cup holder of your car.  Which,  as you say, isn't much of an option for you.

Which brings me back to my original point.... I have two different sized Ascend water bottles, and they do a fantastic job.  Even better, they are under $20. 

Def

[MadPlumbarian]

I actually didn't want to pay what they wanted for the Yeti Rambler.  It's about $40 here, so I bought a Thermos for $15.  And that wasn't really what I wanted, so I bought a different Thermos for $10.  And then another for $20.

In the end, I paid a lot more for Thermos products (which I also love) but didn't do what I wanted.  Megan's brother gave me the Yeti for Christmas, and barely a day goes by that it doesn't get used.

Is it the best?  I dunno.... not if you want to stick it in a bag and carry it around.  The magnetic lid is easy for cleaning and keeps most of the stuff in, in the event it gets knocked over, but it is really only nice for filling up in the morning and sticking in the cup holder of your car.  Which,  as you say, isn't much of an option for you.

Which brings me back to my original point.... I have two different sized Ascend water bottles, and they do a fantastic job.  Even better, they are under $20. 

Def

I currently have two Stanley thermos items, one is a stein which is just pretty cool, the other is that one I posted which has the 360° lid which is why I started looking into this, because that one is great but only 16oz, which might be great for some people but in my case is pretty much just big enough for dinner, the stein would be better because I think that is 24oz, so for a get outside and do some yard work yeah that one Stanley’s good, but as a all day chug bottle just too small! The 40oz is a little big, a 30oz would be perfect so going with the 26 yeti yeah I’m cutting on a few oz but not bad, still better then 16oz! Super easy to clean lid and I did the math, the diff of weight, the yeti weighs a little more even though it’s smaller then the hydroflask, yet from the 40 to 26, it will be a whole 9oz of weigh lighter,,
JR

[SgtTowser]

If buy American, Yeti.

If all comers, Takeya.

[Syncop8r]

Here’s a camelbak and a yeti, you just turn the inner part and you can drink from any side

Hmmm, I wonder how well that would work with a normal (uninsulated) Camelbak bottle (assuming it fits)... 

[MadPlumbarian]

If buy American, Yeti.

If all comers, Takeya.

I read somewhere that most of their stuff like coolers are made in Texas even the stainless steal, but the bottles are manufactured in China,
JR

[MadPlumbarian]

Hmmm, I wonder how well that would work with a normal (uninsulated) Camelbak bottle (assuming it fits)... 

The Cap fits any size of Chute® Mag or eddy+ vessels, as quoted,,
JR

[Sos24]

I read a review that said the Camelbak Chute lid fit on Hydroflask, so I order one to see.  There are free returns if it doesn’t.

[MadPlumbarian]

I read a review that said the Camelbak Chute lid fit on Hydroflask, so I order one to see.  There are free returns if it doesn’t.

Yeah, I’m just not to fond on that cap, or else I pretty much would have been in your shoes and just ordering a new cap, but this 40oz tank has done good for a long time and I think it’s time to downsize, so I think I’ll be ordering that yeti shortly,
JR

Let me know what you think of the cap!

[ezdog]

I sure never wished I had less water with me?


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[MadPlumbarian]

I sure never wished I had less water with me?


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That’s why I really don’t want to cut too much from what I carry now being 40oz, I fig 30oz would be perfect but they only make either 26 or 36oz, and dropping only 4oz really isn’t much of a diff, now dropping 14oz is a good amount but it’s not too much off 30oz, so I fig that would be ok,,
JR

[SgtTowser]

This pic covers my favs.

For dual wall cup, gotta be Takeya 30oz. with the best cup lid ever–designed, engineered and built like aLexus.

For a dual wall thermos bottle type, gotta be a Hydroflask modded with a Human Factor screw on lid—best drinking spout ever.

For poolside or barbecue—any Yeti.

But still the best beverage container ever is a near toss up between a Coors short, no neck beer bottle and a classic red wine bottle.  But the sheer length of time the red wine bottle has never been surpassed makes it the heavy weight champion of containment/drinking technology.

Add a bubbler to a red wine bottle full of even just good  wine and you don’t need ice or double walls to make it through the Black Plague, Spanish Flu, or COVID!!!

[MadPlumbarian]

I’m still teetering between 26-36oz,,
JR

[Aloha]

Nice selections Sgt. 

Heres a few of mine and my partners.   

[Sos24]

Yeah, I’m just not to fond on that cap, or else I pretty much would have been in your shoes and just ordering a new cap, but this 40oz tank has done good for a long time and I think it’s time to downsize, so I think I’ll be ordering that yeti shortly,
JR

Let me know what you think of the cap!

The Camelbak 360 does fit my Hydroflask without leaking.  I doubt it will replace the Humangear CapCap+ for when out and about, but may be nice for around the house or in car.

[MadPlumbarian]

The Camelbak 360 does fit my Hydroflask without leaking.  I doubt it will replace the Humangear CapCap+ for when out and about, but may be nice for around the house or in car.

What do you think of it? Like good for drinking?
JR

[Sos24]

What do you think of it? Like good for drinking?
JR

I’m still getting a little used to it, but overall I think it works pretty good.

It does seem to allow a pretty good flow when drinking, which is one of my biggest complaints with some drink caps.  The gray knob is rather large and can get in the way, but it does freely rotate when open.  I figure I’ll keep using it for at least a while to give it a thorough try.

I absolutely love my Hydroflask Trail bottles and use either the 32oz or 24oz 24/7, so another option of lid that I like is welcome.

[MadPlumbarian]

That’s why I like that Stanley I posted waaay back, simple flow, no knob in the center it turns on the outside, but it has like 5diff parts to clean, doesn’t fit anything I know of besides the dinky 16oz it came with, so by the time you ice in it you don’t have anything to drink,,

That’s another question, what do you use for ice? Straight ice and let it kill the flavor, or do you put what it is your drinking into something and freeze it?
For a long time I’ve used a large Rx bottle, filled it up, froze it, when it’s time run it under hot water so it will come out so now there’s a large like 2” x 5” round block of whatever so when it melts it doesn’t kill the taste,
I also used to have silicone ice pop makers, again pour whatever in and freeze them, the silicone was like a wedge shape easy to thaw and plop in the bottle, idk what happened to them? But they make a special one just for bottles there three diff sizes, 2” round by 5-7-or 8”! So depending on what size of your bottle, and you get two for like $16,,
JR

[MadPlumbarian]

Finally went ahead and ordered today, after teetering on what brand and then what size I ended up getting the yeti 26oz, ordered the hotshot 360° lid, along with a silicone grip, and lastly a twin pack of silicone freezer ice cube molds, thus I can just pour my iced tea in and leave them in the freezer and set! Of course all in blue just like the pic,, should be here around Tuesday-Wednesday, so can’t wait!
JR

[Sos24]

That’s why I like that Stanley I posted waaay back, simple flow, no knob in the center it turns on the outside, but it has like 5diff parts to clean, doesn’t fit anything I know of besides the dinky 16oz it came with, so by the time you ice in it you don’t have anything to drink,,

That’s another question, what do you use for ice? Straight ice and let it kill the flavor, or do you put what it is your drinking into something and freeze it?
For a long time I’ve used a large Rx bottle, filled it up, froze it, when it’s time run it under hot water so it will come out so now there’s a large like 2” x 5” round block of whatever so when it melts it doesn’t kill the taste,
I also used to have silicone ice pop makers, again pour whatever in and freeze them, the silicone was like a wedge shape easy to thaw and plop in the bottle, idk what happened to them? But they make a special one just for bottles there three diff sizes, 2” round by 5-7-or 8”! So depending on what size of your bottle, and you get two for like $16,,
JR

I just use plain ice and drink cold water.  When I want flavoring, I use Stur.  Because the Stur is liquid I can add more at any time.  I also have some miniature dropper bottles that I can put the Stur in if I do not want to carry the entire bottle.

[ezdog]

Plain water here too,no diluting to take place.

I still really can not comprehend your whole thing about the spout at all?

The Flip up straw chute is perfect to me and easy to keep clean too.

I have no desire to chug though I carry enough water to chug and still be able to chug all day long but I can always suck and control the flow with the flip up and now I can not stand using anything else.

I used to like going to Hotels and filling up ice from the Ice Machines but since the 'Rona I have resisted doing this which can be a real pain in the short term. Luckily I have been staying where I have a full sized fridge and I can just make my own cubes each day,all world problems these days!

[SgtTowser]

Plain water here too,no diluting to take place.

I still really can not comprehend your whole thing about the spout at all?

The Flip up straw chute is perfect to me and easy to keep clean too.

I have no desire to chug though I carry enough water to chug and still be able to chug all day long but I can always suck and control the flow with the flip up and now I can not stand using anything else.

I used to like going to Hotels and filling up ice from the Ice Machines but since the 'Rona I have resisted doing this which can be a real pain in the short term. Luckily I have been staying where I have a full sized fridge and I can just make my own cubes each day,all world problems these days!

For what little it’s worth, I like plain water and freedom of choice, too: sip or chug. But we respectfully differ on straws. As for me? No suck. Ever. Ever. EVER! 

I am anti straw after trying them, same as I am anti hydration packs after trying them. I just don’t have a sucking urge, I guess.  I also don’t like clever twist and flip mechanisms in my tops beyond my pool deck.

K.I.S.S.

Flippers in low risk.

Fixed blades in high.

Straws or anything when there is a replacement near.

A cap with a hole and a lid when not.

Risk management 101. Fewer moving parts equal less to go wrong.

Back to Straws and tubes: you may find them easy to clean but the point is:  they are just another thing to keep clean, look for and misplace.

Next, no one asked, but, tangentially speaking, hydration packs now seem like the dumbest hydration idea ever. Use and cleaning of Suckers, tubes and bladders on hydration packs annoy me. They are Rube Goldberg contraptions for drinking! They were probably invented by and for fanatical bicyclists and death defying rock climbers that need to keep things out of the way of their pedaling and scaling of tricky rock faces, respectively,  I reckon. Or maybe UNCLE SAM thought it was a clever way to keep CBW out of your H2O. More likely still, the same joystick generals and accountant generals that came up with the most insipid camouflage patterns ever for Oil warfare discussed it in a committee over a catered lunch and imagined bladders would be quiet in battles and good pork for their revolving door colleagues at the Petroleum Club in Houston. I really feel bad for soldiers that had to rely on them for long periods. It must have been a sweaty pain to keep a bladder on your back all the time and have to try to clean it and take your damn pack off just to get a refill.

I am now modified paleo hydration. I can use anything by the pool, even straws and suckers, but if I am driving I prefer human gear no restriction sipping caps screwed on to any dual wall flask that doesn’t leak or sweat.

Hiking?

Long day hike, or multi night camping, I don’t want ice, so I I don’t want dual wall. I like my 4 quart USFS Oasis canteen I found in a thrift store. It’s very light, when empty and nearly indestructible ( to everything but fire being likely some kind of carcinogenic plastic with a metal rim). Soak it’s fabric and it swamp cools a little. And you can easily adjust how much water you carry to circumstances.  If I fill it, 4 quarts are heavy on the shoulder strap, so I can fashion a pad, or lash it to my pack. But heavy with water is a good heavy in a desert without water holes, like in the movies.

Day hike? WWII US military canteen on my hip. Indestructible and with a cup that can be used to boil dirty water in a pinch. Keep a couple paper coffee filters under the cup to get the Schmutz out.

But I’m not tech averse. I keep a life straw screwed into an empty hydroflask in my backpack, or Fanny pack, too. Never understood why persons just carry a life straw. Carry a flask to dip the foetid water into. Only dopes in movies lay down in mud and foetid  water and suck a straw!

So really, any old dualie will do with a human gear cap screwed on tight for us non suckers.

I’m happy for you to to be happy sucking straws.

Freedom of choice. I don’t understand why you want to suck and maintain straws but more power to you. Well, wait, there is one thing a straw could be good for. I talked to a guy back in the bladder era that said he once used the hose off his bladder rig to hide under water and breath through while hiding in some reeds. Hmmm. Maybe I will at least carry a plastic straw. They are light.

But please,  if you go in the desert much, get yourself the biggest assed canteen you can find and refill it fresh every other day or so  just in case.

Otherwise enjoy your straws and a good suck.

And I will sip or chug.

And together we shall keep hydrated happily.

The rest is personal preference and circumstance.

[Syncop8r]

Back to Straws and tubes: they  are just another thing to keep clean, look for and misplace.

I'm now finding I need speSmurfpillst equipment to clean my straws and other bits more often. I have gone from town supply, to a bore, to rainwater over the last few years. 

Next, no one asked but hydration packs now seem like the dumbest hydration idea ever. Use and cleaning of Suckers, tubes and bladders on hydration packs annoy me... It must have been a sweaty pain to keep a bladder on your back all the time and have to try to clean it and take your damn pack off just to get a refill.

I'm not a fan of hydration packs/bladders either, both for the cleaning aspect and it's so much easier to refill a water bottle in a creek.

I don’t understand why you want to suck and maintain straws but more power to you.
Otherwise enjoy your straws and a good suck.

One advantage of straws is you don't need to tilt the bottle, good for when you're near the bottom whilst driving.

[SgtTowser]

I'm now finding I need speSmurfpillst equipment to clean my straws and other bits more often. I have gone from town supply, to a bore, to rainwater over the last few years. 
I'm not a fan of hydration packs/bladders either, both for the cleaning aspect and it's so much easier to refill a water bottle in a creek.
One advantage of straws is you don't need to tilt the bottle, good for when you're near the end whilst driving.

I agree about the no tipping advantage of straws, but for me it is off set by this annoyance: I am already in the habit of being able to tip and sip at many angles. With a straw, I find myself sucking air frequently until I accept the straight jacket position of keeping the flask vertical. I am particularly annoyed by having to adopt the position of a praying mantis  with the flask as i drive. I almost developed an over bite trying to keep my head vertical and eyes on the road, while having to keep my straw flask vertical to keep from sucking air. I decided a straw flask would be perfect for hydrating on a kneeler during communion, but absolutely nowhere else! And the ministers and priests really frowned at me as I hydrated from a straw during communion. 😂

[SgtTowser]

I forgot to post my picture of my beloved 4 quart Oasis/USFS canteen. Wish I knew how to flip pictures to correct orientation.

[Syncop8r]

 

When I bought my Camelbak bottles it was more about getting something more durable than reused bottles (that you buy with water in them) rather than a conscious decision to choose a straw over other methods.

Having said that, I hate having to unscrew a cap multiple turns every time I want to hydrate.
Perhaps almost as much as you hate sucking. 

[ezdog]

Pretty much sorry I added anything now.

Nevermind

But it requires no effort or urge at all to draw water thru my easily extended tube as my muscle memory is like that of
a coiled cobra here where thirst is concerned

YMMV clearly?


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[MadPlumbarian]

I can’t do water straight, I got to have some flavoring to it, like a Gatorade, but I’m hooked on iced tea, the bottle cap I got is very simple to clean because you twist to open and drink but then give it a little more of a turn and then the whole center just comes out, the straws are nice but suck for cleaning, and in my case the iced tea settles at the bottom so your going to be sucking up all the leafs and whatnot,
JR