"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
06/11/2020 at 21:16 • Filed to: None
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"AestheticsInMotion" (aestheticsinmotion)
06/11/2020 at 21:16 • Filed to: None | 2
| 12 |
Today we’ll be comparing a Hydroflask with various Chinese competitors purchased on Amazon.
A quick note on Hydroflask generations - in 2019 HF introduced their “2.0" revision to their line of insulated water bottles. In addition to the changes shown in their marketing material below, they also removed the trademark logos and shrunk the main logo.
This is pretty clearly a case of marketing BS, trying to drum up interest in a “new and improved” product. The dishwasher-safe claim seems a bit misleading as well, simply because in older promotional materials for the 1st Gen bottles, the reason given for “hand-wash only” was that the high heat of the dishwasher could damage the vacuum sealing ability. Nothing about the powder coat.
Anyways, I would strongly recommend buying a 1st Gen bottle over one of the new 2.0s, as you’ll save some money, and quite possibly have a better product with less cost-cutting.
1st Gen on the left, 2.0 on the right. The 2.0s no longer have a lip for use with paracord handles, for the five people out there that care about that.
For this comparison, we’ll be using a 1st Gen bottle, but I’ll bring up the 2.0 when I believe it to be relavant.
Cost:
Hydroflask 2.0 $54.95 (40oz, straw lid)
Hydroflask $42.95 (40oz, twist off lid)
Thermoflask $22.49 (40oz, chug lid AND straw lid)
Takeya $18.68 (40oz, chug lid)
The no-name brands absolutely demolish Hydroflask here, offering more than double the bang-for-buck. In order to get a 40oz Hydroflask with a straw lid, you need to either buy an inferior 2.0 for $55(!) dollars, or purchase the 1st Gen bottle and one of myriad separate straw lid options for a grand total of right around that same $55 figure.
Craftsmanship:
Hydroflask: 1.1 pounds
Takeya: 1.01 pounds
Thermoflask: 1.01 pounds
The first Gen Hydroflask is built like a tank, at least compared to our cheaper competitors.
Starting with the bottle, there are some striking differences. First up is weight. The Hydroflask is noticeably heavier in hand, with absolutely zero flex in the steel sidewalls. By comparison, put both hands around one of the other bottles, apply pressure with your fingertips at the same spot and... Uh-oh. You can quite literally push the outer wall in far enough to make contact with the inner wall.
The powder coating on the competition is almost perfectly smooth, whearas the coating on the Hydroflask is a bit granular. It’s got some roughness to it, which definitely makes it easier to grip when full.
On to the included caps.
Hydroflask includes their wide mouth flex cap on the original 40oz bottle, and it is the simplest offering here. It’s also the most durable by a long shot. All moving pieces are robust, the threaded portion is clean and made of much harder plastic than the competition, and even after years of abuse, the cap seals perfectly.
The downside is you’re left drinking out of a wide mouth bottle, which is near impossible to do without making a mess when on the move.
The “chug caps” included with the other two bottles make for a much better drinking experience whether seated on the couch, or hiking up to an old watch tower.
However... The construction leaves much to be desired. Hinges are incredibly weak (plastic hinge on one, thin metal rod on the other), plastic arms are thin and likely will not hold up to abuse, threads are pretty nasty... These are the Model X to Mercedes’ S-class.
The Takeya also includes a flip-up straw lid, with two straws. The hinge on the mouth spout seems sturdy, and there’s a pressure release located on top to keep temperature changes from squirting water at your face the second you flip up the spout. (edit: on second thought that hole is actually to keep you from making an airtight seal the moment you put your mouth over the spout. That's necessary if you don't feel like testing your lung's suction strength against *relatively* solid steel). Unfortunately, instead of a valve, they just went with a hole that’s covered up by the mouth spout when not engaged. Cheap, but not very watertight. On the underside where the straw attaches to the barb, we’re treated to a pretty poor fit, which again will likely leak. The good news is that the bottom of the straw has been cut at an angle to facilitate slurping up every last bit liquid.
Last little tidbit you may find interesting.... While the lids are clearly different between brands, the two non-hydroflask bottles are exactly the same, just with different logos and colors.
At the end of the day, all of these have kept water cold for a full day in the heat without leaking, which is priority one. The Hydroflask is clearly superior, but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best value.
Personally, I’d take a 40oz Gen one Hydroflask and try to find a well-engineered chug cap to pair it with. (those chug-style caps make for the best drinking experience this side of an old school Gatorade squeeze bottle. You know, the tall skinny ones you used to find at gas stations with the heavily textured group?) That would be my daily driver, on me at all times outside of the house.
Then I’d get the absolute cheapest double-wall insulated 64oz bottle to drink out of at home. No water rings left on my stuff, and no need to get up every 5 minutes to refill a glass of water.
DipodomysDeserti
> AestheticsInMotion
06/11/2020 at 21:46 |
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I’ve been using the same hydroflask for around five years. I cracked the cap last year and they sent me a new one for free. From what I’ve heard they’ll send you a new one if yours stops insulating as it should.
I picked up a Yeti flask a few months ago because I got a giftcard to Bass Pro Shop and they were on clearance. It also fits in the giant Tundra cupholders perfectly. They’ve both been tested out in cars in Phoenix on 110 degree days and the hydro definitely keeps the water cooler despite being much older and all dented up.
I have the tall, skinny 24oz hydroflask as it fit in my Jeep cupholders perfectly. Think I paid $35 and got 10% back from REI. Five years and still going strong. It’s been around Europe twice and all over the Southwest. Spent six hundred or so days in schools as well. Can’t really beat that value.
TheD0k_2many toys 2little time
> AestheticsInMotion
06/11/2020 at 22:01 |
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I love my Hydroflask. I also didnt pay for it so worth it for me. Keeps things cold for very long
smobgirl
> AestheticsInMotion
06/11/2020 at 22:16 |
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My first hydro flask was a gift and is a prized possession. I was lucky to stumble across a couple smaller 12 oz ones at TJ Maxx and I use them when I fly. I’ve also gotten a couple knockoffs there and they both leak pretty easily (both times, I thought I’d lost the smaller hydroflasks, only to find them again once I’d gotten a replacement).
Where I truly value any of these is keeping things hot. I forgot a bottle of hot tea once, went out for a 3 hour hike and it was still the perfect temperature when I got home.
Gone
> AestheticsInMotion
06/11/2020 at 22:33 |
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I have the Yeti coffee mug which I love. We have a couple knockoff 30oz cups that were free from her work and they’re meh . My wife also has a S’well 17oz bottle she likes.
On to the Hydroflask - kiddo has a 24oz standard bottle. Totally worth it, not for the normal reasons. Kiddo is a bit of a smarty pants nerd like mom and dad and tends to get picked on/bullied. She wanted a hydroflask and I was “No child needs a damn $35 dollar water bottle.” because we are thrifty and that’s outrageous for a child. And then the obvious...all the fake wealthy girls (who are little shits) have them and of course my kid gets picked on because they think she’s poor or whatever. So yes now she has one and fits in a bit better now. And those snot nosed little wastes of flesh have one less thing to give her crap over. Best $35 I’ve spent in a long time.
Living in a wealthy area and being thrifty is like its own dumbass circle of hell. Sorry for being so long about a damn water bottle. Works well at keeping water cold too. Would buy again.
The Snowman
> AestheticsInMotion
06/11/2020 at 22:38 |
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Tldr the Chinese knock offs are 95% as good from my experience. Also my FIL has a business laser engraving these and prefers the Chinese units not sure what his are but he buys a large enough quantity to get zero branding on them and laser his own mark.
Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> AestheticsInMotion
06/11/2020 at 22:44 |
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I know my girlfriend has one, but she’s had to warranty the flip straw lid and the new one also leaks. Do you have tips for that, or have you had it happen to you? I don’t know because I just use Nalgene bottles.
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AestheticsInMotion
> Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
06/11/2020 at 23:10 |
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The flip straw lids leak by design, and I believe Hydroflask even advertises them as not bring water-tight. Super annoying. My advice would be to try out some other lids off Amazon and hope for the best? They seem to all have universal threads
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AestheticsInMotion
> The Snowman
06/11/2020 at 23:12 |
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Yeah, f or the majority of people both options will be functionally the same.
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AestheticsInMotion
> smobgirl
06/11/2020 at 23:13 |
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I put stew in one of them for a winter hike a few months ago. Worked great, but I honestly can't recall ever putting something warm in outside of that one time...
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AestheticsInMotion
> Gone
06/11/2020 at 23:16 |
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I like those swell bottles. If only we had the alien tech to allow them to keep their 17oz form factor while holding 2-3x that volume on the inside...
I grew up poor in a wealthy area, and feel your pain. Definitely a good buy on your part.
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smobgirl
> Gone
06/11/2020 at 23:40 |
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As someone who grew up like that...thank you.
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Gone
> AestheticsInMotion
06/12/2020 at 00:21 |
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I went to the rich public schools as a middle class kid and it was bad enough...I can’t imagine actually being poor and dealing with that situation.
Not a fan of talking about money but to be fair to the situation (and her), we live off half our combined salary so to outsiders we look out of place - like we are squeaking by . Wif e drives an economy car and I had an 01 Dakota until last Nov. I have a used iPhone 6s while her classmates have Xr/Xs/11s lol . It doesn’t bother us (man we get some looks lol) but has negatively affected her socially and that frustrates me to no end. We try hard to ensure she fits in but kids are brutal to each other.