What's your favorite double-walled portable thermos bottle / travel mug?

Yeah…before I started my searching,I thought that YETI was the ‘top dog’ in coolers,although ENGEL is supposed to be ‘right up there’ and I almost bought one of YETI’s large picnic coolers,but the price kinda turned me off.
Don’t expect a speedy reply from Hydro Flask if you happen to ask them a product question or whatever on their web-site.HB

Thanks, I wasn’t aware that Hydro Flask has optional tops to include a flex straw. However, on their own site the reviews are lackluster (3.7 out of 5) and they state “Please note that the Wide Mouth Straw Lid is not leakproof and is not intended for use with hot liquids.”

About YETI, have you seen the Rambler? That seals up completely and doesn’t leak. It has a small screw cap on top of the lid where rotation is short, versus the main cap. There’s also an optional cap with magnetic holder. They also offer a collapsible straw cap that does not leak, HERE.

Frankly, for these sport-cap collapsible straw type lids, I don’t think it’s a wise approach for these heavy steel bottles. If you’re doing an active sport like cycling, jogging, etc., you’ll want a plastic bottle with sport cap for minimal weight. Plus, you don’t need serious thermal properties because it’s not wise to drink very cold water to hydrate during rigorous exercise (you want room temperature water).

Wow… $10 for essentially a rebranded YETI? That’s a steal alright! Will have to check it out. Thanks!

I did an ice test on both Hydro Flask and YETI thermos bottles (totally sealed caps)… and they were very comparable. It wasn’t a scientific test, but after 12 hours they both still had ice floating inside. By 20 hours, the ice had melted but the water will still very cold.

I highly recommend RTIC https://rticoutdoors.com/ I have coffee mugs and water bottles, I live in Texas (Hot) lol…and take a water bottle with me everyday in the car and at work.

“Leak Resistant” according to the link… thanks for doing the research…

This is the room temp drinking 25oz water bottle I currently use, it seals completely. does not leak in a backpack:

it fits a car cup holder and a half twist creates a sipping lid (but not like a straw, bottle must be tilted up, not ideal when driving)

In winter, for hot tea, and as a source of warmth I use 32oz Nalgene. Seals completely, no leaks in a backpack:

does not fit a car cup holder, is not suitable for drinking while driving (splashes in your face), unless using this sip cap accessory Amazon.com that fits into the bottle, under the sealed lid.

I use these 16oz soft flasks as pocket warmers with hot tea inside, when snowboarding:

they also do not leak in a pocket or pack.

Yeah, their prices are really very good. They’d got a steep sale going on.

I like how for most sizes they include 3 cap types—no extra accessory to buy. 4.8 rating on Amazon too. Competitively priced. And some really terrific color options. The labels are laser etched too, which is a nice touch.

+1 on ozark trail…

i recently got their 1.1 liter thermos… for 10$ the quality was hard to beat…

and i’ve got a few of their regular 18oz bottles / cups too. they’re pretty good. from what i saw they’ve even been updating the caps and style of their bottles…

anyway, for the price it’s hard to match, imo.

Ozark Trails aren’t ‘rebranded’ Yeti, they’re the same thing at 25% the cost.

‘Rich isn’t making money, it’s holding onto it.’

Check out the YouTube videos where guys cut both in half and compare them.

And for the record, I have a Yeti Tundra 65 cooler, so I’m a fan…to a degree.

Chris

Alright before I say this, I will say I do not have this brand. But this applies to all metal mugs.
That being said the Big Stanley thermos says you need to “pre chill” the device before putting in your drink.
This allows the thermos to do it’s job of “keeping the drink cold” and it does make a big difference.
Your ice isn’t being wasted on chilling the liner now as it is already cold.
Just put water and a fair amount of ice in it for like 10 min., then drain that out and add ice and your drink and it will stay cold for a long time.

I do this with all my travel mugs now for hot weather and the results are worth the effort.
HTH

Later,
Keith

According to the Hydro Flask literature,they say no freezer.I usually do that also,chill for a bit then add ice and water,but kinda afraid now,don’t want to wreck the powdered coating and maybe that’s why they say no freezer?
I sent them an e-mail regarding the ‘no freezer’ bit,but I am thinking that maybe they were talking about people filling it up with water,putting the lid on and freezing it solid,which would split it open…I dunno,they don’t seem too ‘fast’ with their replies.HB

My fave is the Contigo. Easy to drink from yet does not leak. Carry in my motorcycle luggage and everywhere else without worry. Truly a great product.

Have had several of these over many years

Yeah,
Never put it in the freezer, then you would be contracting all the layers when you just want to pre-chill the contact layer.

So you are saying to not put it in the freezer at all,even just to chill it a bit before I add water? Thanks HB

Yes, no freezer.
Let the ice water do the job on the inside layer.

This advise won’t work for me: “Big Stanley thermos says you need to “pre chill” the device before putting in your drink.
This allows the thermos to do it’s job of “keeping the drink cold” and it does make a big difference.
Your ice isn’t being wasted on chilling the liner now as it is already cold.
Just put water and a fair amount of ice in it for like 10 min., then drain that out”.

I use bottled water for my drink,plus I used bottled water to make my ice cubes,so I will basically throwing all the ‘good stuff’ ‘down the drain’ if I go that way.
I guess I could try using 4 or 5 ice cubes,with no water and screw the cap on,hopefully that would cool the inside enough before I add water,but I kinda don’t think that would work.

I will try a little ‘experiment’ tonight just to satisfy my curiosity.
I will put 4 or 5 ice cubes in my Hydro Flask with no water and see how much just the ice has melted the next morning(8 hours?)…HF says 24 hours….I doubt it?!Thanks, HB

Yes, also they come in many sizes. The optional screw cap is a must.

I purchased the Hydro Flask and I returned it.

Thermos was technically the best but the gave up the market to the Chinese innovation.

The same thing happened with cars, it did not take long before Hyundai figured our what kind of car Americans preferred.

Just some F.Y.I. ……I had a Doc appointment today,so I took my Hydro Flask 24oz drinking vessel which I put 4 or 5 medium sized ice cubes,plus bottled water,placed it in the car cup holder(it’s a little long and smaller than the cup holder,so it moves around quite a bit while driving)…anyway,when I came out from my appt,maybe 45 minutes later,the sun was ‘full on’,shining on the front seat area and of course,my HF drink container. The black cap was pretty hot to touch and the outside of the HF was a little warm,but the drink(water) was still ice cold and still had loads ice.I can’t say for sure how long the sun was shining on it,maybe 1/2 hour…anyway,I like,(Love)my new HF!.HB

Yep, the Ozark Trail is a nobrainer. I had an OT 30 oz. & was given a a Yeti 30 oz… The Yeti has nothing on the OT except it costs about 4 times as much. :person_facepalming:

OT also makes a cooler that hangs right in there with Yeti, Engel, an other overpriced ones. :+1:

And yeah, pre heating or cooling a tumbler or cooler helps preformance tremendously… whatever the brand.

My family has tried several brands of water bottles, but settle on Yeti. The 18oz straight-walled model is our favorite. Not cheap but we have had them for years and they hold up great. My kids even had the small ones with their lunch boxes in grade school and couldn’t hurt them….which is saying something.