Stainless Insulated Water Bottles – A Love Story

Ever since I was gifted my S’well water bottle by my boyfriend several years ago, I became a believer in the stainless/insulated bottle. That insulated bottle was an absolute LIFESAVER when living in the heat of South Florida. 

It came to the point where I wasn’t even using glasses/cups for water at home.

It was all stainless, all day, baby. 

After about 4 years with my S’well, I decided it was time for a change…and I had utterly fallen in LOVE with the Pineapple color Hydroflask bottle I was seeing in stores.

Once the paint started peeling really badly on my S’well I thought it was finally…Time to get me a Hydroflask!

Benefits of Hydroflask 

I loved a few features of the Hydroflask over other brands. 

• The swing handle from the cap. For hikes and daily use it really makes it easier to get a grip on your bottle. 
• Attractive tall and slim shape. 
• Powder coated finish feels durable and nice.
• Offers the option of a rubber boot. 
• Standard mouth big enough to easily add ice cubes.

Why go Custom?

I went with the customized 21oz bottle because, not only would I get full control of the colors, but it actually would be cheaper!

How is that possible?!

It all comes down to the rubber bumper “boot.”

See, I had recently bought my mom a Corkcicle water bottle, and I loved that it had a rubber bottom. I never realized how much I had to think about setting my Swell water bottle down on a hard surface. It was such a relief to be able to set it down without making a clatter.

That’s when I realized I wasn’t going to negotiate on the add-on of a rubber bumper, or “Flex Boot” for my Hydroflask. The Flex Boot is essentially a rubber sleeve that goes on the bottom of your bottle to protect it from dings and scratches.

So here’s the breakdown when sold separately:

The bumper $7.95

The 21oz bottle $32.95

Total $40.90

And here’s the price of MyHydro custom Hydroflask:

21oz custom-color bottle with bumper $38

It was a no brainer! So I got to work designing my bottle and having a blast. I finally settled on this design:

Criticisms of the Hydroflask Bottle

I received my custom bottle extremely quickly. Even though they say it could take up to 15 days for processing and shipping, it arrived 3 days after I placed my order. (This is not a downside! Just something to note!)

After about 1 month of heavy use now, I thought I’d share my feedback in order to help you make a decision about whether the Hydroflask bottle is right for you.

First thing I noted was that the standard mouth opening is a bit more awkward than my S’well’s. It is just a little too big, where your nose hits it as you go for a drink. 

Though it’s the perfect size to just be able to comfortably put ice cubes in, which I love, it also isn’t the most comfortable if you want to take swigs as you walk or ride in a car. If you want to drink while running, forget about it. Water will splash on you.

A more minor, but bothersome point – I realized I was a bit put off because the part of the bottle where you place your mouth is actually exposed even when the cap is screwed on. The S’well’s stainless mouthpiece was completely concealed by the cap when closed. I worry about hygiene when the rim where I place my mouth is exposed all day long, everywhere I go.

Third, I feel a bit awkward when closing and opening the cap. Like the swing handle will break off due to the twisting action.

On top of this, I feel obligated to twist the cap until the handle aligns with the Hydroflask logo. Though this is an extra chore due to OCD thoughts, I suppose it is also a benefit because you know exactly when it is fully closed. 

Overall despite these nitpicky criticisms, I still love my new water bottle and have no issues using it as my only/primary!

Should you buy a customized Hydroflask?

If you still decide the Hydroflask is for you, I highly recommend you buy a customized Hydroflask, or MyHydro.

I have experienced no downside to getting it customized. I think it looks awesome and is super fun to carry around.

The Flex Boot is removable and easily washable. I think you’ll really enjoy having it as an option for your bottle!

Thank you for reading until the bottom of my article! And as always, thank you for following my journey at @themonthlymigrant on Instagram! Have a great day 🙂