Marketing folks are a clever lot–the good ones at least. I pretend to be above the hype, sniffing down my nose at “game changing” innovations and the like…but I gotta give kudos to my buddy Lucas over at “Hydro Flask“–he got me with a good one.
Hydro Flasks are double-walled, vacuum-insulation, stainless-steel bottles designed to be durable, clean, safe, and efficient. They promise to keep hot liquids hot for 12 hours and cold for 24.
Lucas fired me a press release a few weeks back, then wrote to inquire about meeting at the summer OR show, in Salt Lake. I wouldn’t be there, as I’m spending the month in Seattle (yes, it was 70 today and sunny!). Lucas decided to one-up me, though, and offered to send a little something my way. He said he needed my current address because the package was “time sensitive.” Right on.
I received a standard cardboard box in the mail today, so as I sat on my delightfully cool front yard (did I mention it was 70 and sunny today here in Seattle?) I pried open the box and discovered a smart-looking pine box on the inside. It looked as if it would house a fine bottle of wine, but instead, a bright red stainless-steel container appeared, with a hand-written card thanking me for taking the time to check out Hydro Flask, etc. It also included the high and low temperatures in Bend (80 and 46, Fahrenheit), where Lucas had packaged the bottle, as well as the temp when the bottle went in the box (78F). Now I was puzzled.
I shook the bottle and heard something inside. I assumed the interior insulation had broken during shipping. Many insulated bottles have fragile linings, so I assumed the Hydro Flask had met its demise in the back of somebody’s truck. Not so.
Lucas had filled the Hydro Flask about half-full with ice, almost all of which survived the 24-hour, unrefrigerated trip to Seattle, from Bend, where the company resides. Damn, I was impressed. I dumped out the ice–just a stainless can, with a BPA-free plastic screw cap. Nothing to break. Right on.
The double-wall insulation sure works for cold liquids and as an added bonus, the bottles don’t sweat in the heat. Bottle-sweating isn’t something I’d considered a problem in life, but I guess folks who go to the beach get tired of having their drinks covered in sand. Fair enough. I’m thinking the Hydro Flask is a cool, lightweight solution to the “Thermos” problem in winter–I love hot drinks when I’m out climbing or skiing, but lately I’ve thought the weight of an insulated bottle too much of a downside. I don’t have my scale with me on this trip, but I suspect the Hydro Flask is a bit heavier than a thin-walled stainless bottle, but weighs much less than a traditional, insulated container. (Hydro Flask’s site says the 24-ouncer is just under 12 ounces, 337 grams–I’ll do a comparison later.)
I’ll be getting out next week for two days with Martin Volken, so I’ll take the Hydro Flask with me and see how it goes. For now, though, this thing seems cool. My 24-ounce, red jobby is $27 on the website–and there are a bunch more options in terms of sizes, openings (narrow or wide-mouth), drinking attachments, etc. Highly optimistic…that’s where I’m at. Stay tuned for details, especially come ice and snow season–this might be a great way to carry hot tea, without the weight penalty.
The Hydro Flasks are made in China, but the company says the factory is highly regulated, pays fair wages, and is socially conscious–I hope so. The warranty’s bomber, too–“a lifetime” or 100 years, whichever comes first, for defects with materials or workmanship.
Right on–thanks Lucas!
