Gear Review Hydro Flask 1.1 Liter

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by DKR, Jan 27, 2017.


Tags:
  1. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    First - mandatory pics
    [​IMG]
    Double-wall, stainless steel. Vacuum insulated. This is a real vacuum flask, when tapped, the bottle will 'ring' - hollow between the inner and outer vessels.

    I got this as a gift - but the 1 L (40 oz really) flasks sell for around $40 to $45, depending on the vendor. This item is marked as Hencho en China.

    Does it work? Hell yes. I took this to Utah this last summer for a visit. Filled with motel ice and topped with water, it sat in the back of the auto - in direct sunlight, in a dead black ruck. Temps were in the 100's outside.
    After more than 8 hours in the sunlight, - when opened, the flask still had most of the ice and the water was painfully cold to drink. So, cold stays cold.

    In Alaska, when filled with hot water (preheated, then boiling water added) water was hot enough to 'cook' a cup-o'noodles with hot tea as a side after hours of riding around in a ruck...

    In checking with my thermometer, I got a 6 degree F drop in four (4) hours while the flask sitting outside on an unprotected shelf in near 0F weather.
    So, hot stays pretty hot. Impressive.

    Cons
    The cap will get hot shortly after filling. I see that the majority of heat loss is thru the lid. The outside of the flask stays at ambient temp - a good sign the vacuum part is working.

    Cons #2.
    When filled with hot liquid and left standing for any time, it cools a bit and the damn lid is all but sealed to the bottle. This is less notable when the flask is less than full. Still, something to remember if you plan on leaving this to sit for any time. This flask, as with any thermal/vacuum type flask, will do better with a wool sock pulled over it.

    Cons #3.
    The SS bottle is 'sorta' thin. I've not dropped it, but I'm certain it will dent. Same-same as any of the single wall, steel water bottles.

    For comparison, a Thermos® Stainless Steel King™ 40 oz. Vacuum Insulated Travel Tumbler sells for about $30. The Thermos also has a handle and a cup/cover.
    There any number of 1 Qt/1L stainless steel thermal flasks that sell on line for under $30. All made in China.

    I still have my Made in USA Stanley 1 Qt thermal flasks. These have proven over decades of service to be utterly Bomb-proof. Sadly Made in USA is no longer to be had, unless you score one at a GROJ sale by luck.

    I will say this looks prettier than a Thermos, and for some, that's important. I'm not one of those folks.

    Great as a gift, I was tickled to get this. Just the same, if I have to part with my dough, I'll be looking for a Thermos brand flask for the same or less $$$ - one that is made in Japan - they are marked BTW as made in Japan or China - so take the time to look.

    See one at a GROJ sale, grab it now! This is a good product, no mistake about it - I just have different expectations. If you are indifferent to price and looks matter to you, then you have my full recommendation.

    (Not a contest entry)
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2017
    stg58, Bandit99, Motomom34 and 2 others like this.
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7