Let's Chat Water Bottles: Hydro Flask Review

I've always been a big reusable water bottle person. In high school, it was a Nalgene bottle, in college it was a Camelbak. Now, I actually don't find myself using a water bottle that often day-to-day as I always prefer to drink out of a real glass.

But, let's chat reusable water bottles, shall we? What you like to drink water out of is very personal. That's a really weird sentence, but seriously, there are so many different lifestyles that require different features! It's about as personal a preference as to how you like your steak cooked or whether you prefer the beach or the lake. There are different types and I know you can be a strong fan of one or another.

For activities, or in the car, I love my S'well bottle. It is the shape and size of a traditional 16 oz. plastic water bottle but it is insulated. It has a screw-off top and a regular-sized mouth. 

However, I found the 16oz. S'well bottle to be annoying as I would end up wasting my precious Orange Theory minutes (well at least when I was able to actually go to Orange Theory) constantly filling up my bottle. I end up drinking anywhere from 32-50oz. in each 60 minute class and to fill up my bottle more than twice would get on my nerves (talk about first world problems, I know).

I have been doing the at-home workouts that are live with our studio coaches (I love them) and I notice that even in those, I'm running over to my refrigerator to fill up!

So, back in November, I searched high and low for a 32 oz. bottle that was insulated. I landed on the Hydro Flask as that seems to be the craze right now. My aunt generously got me the Hydro Flask for Christmas with accessories like the silicone boot and the flip-top lid. The thing that bothers me is the nickel and diming - I mean, water bottles have accessories?! Not to mention, the bottle itself is relatively expensive. The 'boot' is supposed to protect it from denting (which it shouldn't dent if it costs $45, right?). So far, the boot has done its job and my water bottle hasn't dented. I also like that it keeps it from moving around on a hard surface. 

Anyway, I have been using the Hydro Flask for about 6 months (since Christmas) and I really only use it in my Orange Theory classes (or the live-at-home OTF classes). Otherwise, I prefer my S'well bottle. Here are my cons... 

-I find that the flip-top lid that I have is annoying to drink out of as I have to hold it up for quite a while to get a mouth full of water (the water flow isn't just terrible). I did get the straw top after a few of you recommended that to me via DM and it's definitely better but now I'm paranoid about bacteria and mold in the straw. I read some reviews and they all said this type of water bottle straw can get gross. So I'm insanely diligent about cleaning it. 

- It leaks occasionally. Not terrible enough to create a puddle in your bag or anything like that but enough to be annoying. 

- It does not fit in a cup holder. This is my #1 complaint!!! It doesn't fit in a treadmill cup holder or in a car cupholder. 

- The water bottle without water in it is SO heavy (compared to most other water bottles I have tried). It feels well-made, but at the same time, I don't want to carry it around empty let alone full with 32 oz. of water!! 

All-in-all I'm entirely underwhelmed and do not get the hype at all. I shared this frustration with you all on Instastories a while ago and many of you commiserated with me but a lot of you praised the Hydro Flask but said I needed to get the straw lid... another $10 spent on this darn water bottle, but I appreciated the tip so much!

I'm going to keep giving it a chance, but a lot of you had recommended some other brands and I thought I would share the top-recommended bottles here as a lot are much cheaper. I just don't think Hydro Flask is truly worth its price.

Simple Human// The reviews on Amazon alone are enough to sell me on it. SO many of you said this is your favorite water bottle of all-time and it's half the price of a Hydro Flask. I love all of the fun color options, too. The 32 oz. does not fit in a cup holder. Just as a general note to self, before I ever buy another water bottle or any type of thermos/to-go cup, I am making sure it can fit in a cup holder. 

Camelbak// This is a bit different from the silicone straw top that I had in college. Instead, this has a chute-style top but what is really neat is that the cap that comes off attaches magnetically to the side so it doesn't get in the way while you drink. 

Thermoflask// This is another highly recommended one that has a very similar look/functionality to Hydro Flask. Apparently, this is also sold at Costco in a 2-pack for a steal! 

S'well Sports Cap// A bunch of people recommended getting the sports cap for my beloved S'well but some people did say that these leak, so beware! 

Gatorade Bottle// This is only $6 but so many said it's the perfect workout water bottle since you can easily and quickly get as much water as you need! There are over 3000 good reviews.

Do you all have any other great water bottle recommendations? Let me know! 

Memorial Day Sales

Dress// Sandals

Happy long weekend! I hope you are all doing something fun this weekend and making the best of it how you can. As always, I'm sharing a roundup of sales. Sales have been wild this entire stay-at-home period but as I was going through the sales this year and comparing them to last year, they're so much bigger.

Sale Items I Love:

Abercrombie// 40-60% Off Throughout the Store + Extra 15% Off Select Styles + Free Shipping on Orders Over $75.

Ann Taylor// 60% off code: SUMMER

Anthropologie// Extra 50% off sale. 

Barrington// 15% off with code AMERICA and they are also donating 5% to Feeding America

Bloomingdales// 30-50% off select items, extra 50% off clearance marked items. the cashmere travel wraps that are almost identical to the White and Warren ones that I love so much are on sale for just $100! The diamond necklace I wear all the time is custom but this almost identical necklace is currently $450 which is a really great price. Lots of Matouk on sale! 

Brooks Brothers// Online clearance, extra 30% off.  

Club Monaco// 25% off any purchase, code: LONGWEEKEND. Love this navy jacket and 

Dermstore// 20% off select products. Score some of my favorites like the wet brush,  daily peel pads, silk pillowcase. These daily glyoclic pads in a high strength have become a favorite of mine. They are STRONG but boy do they work. Use code SUMMER. 

Gap// 50% off everything, use code WARM. This little cami bra is one of my all-time favorites to wear with lounge clothes! And you all know how I feel about this sweatshirt and these sweatpants! This navy and white striped boatneck shirt is such a classic and also a steal. 

Jack Rogers// Lots of styles on sale including some classic Jacks for just $59. 

J.Crew// 60% off your entire purchase, code: HISUMMER

Lisi Lerch// 30% off jewelry and select handbags! 

L.L. Bean// 15% off with code SUNNY15

LOFT// 50% off everything, code: FRIEND

Mark and Graham// Extra 30% off sale. This would make a really cute gift for bridesmaids!

Nordstrom// Clearance Sale, up to 60% off.

Pottery Barn// Up to 25% off with code SAVEMORE.

Ralph Lauren// Extra 30% off sale

Saks Fifth Avenue// Designer Sale up to 50% off.

Shopbop// Up to 40% off, new sale items added!

Talbots// Extra 40% off one item, Extra 50% off two or more items, no code needed

Tory Burch// up to 40% off!

Tuckernuck// Extra 25% off sale using code BERRY25

Williams-Sonoma// Up to 75% off clearance event (100s of items). 

Affordable Athletic Pieces

Tank// Sports Bra// Sports Bra

Tank// Tank// Joggers

Shorts// Pullover// Yoga Mat

Shop the Pieces:

Today I'm partnering with Walmart to share with you all some really great and affordable athletic pieces! It all started with these Shorts. They're seriously only $10 and they're modest, lightweight, and perfect for working out.

I prefer to workout in shorts (rather than leggings) in the warmer months so I have quite the collection. However, it's hard to find anything modest that is not too short. These have a 5" inseam so they're perfect!! They come in a bunch of colors. I tried both the size small and medium and would recommend going with your true size. The smalls fit perfectly on me!

Check out the items below to see a few other pieces that I ordered. I've obviously been working out from home and not my usual Orange Theory classes so it was nice to treat myself to a few new pieces to keep my motivation going! 

Tank// Shorts

These are the shorts I was talking about and this tank is just a great basic lightweight racerback tank. It's breathable but doesn't look super 'athletic' so you could wear it under a sweater or something like that, too! 

 Tank// Shorts

This tank looks and feels so nice for the price. It's super breathable and I like ombré green. It has a mesh panel on the back for a lot of breathability.

Tank// Shorts

This is the same tank as the black one above. The white is a little see-through but I don't' mind that in a workout top. It's super breathable!

Sweatshirt// Tank// Shorts

This sweatshirt is really cute. I sized up to a medium for an oversized fit. It's ribbed and just overall a great layer if you are on a chillier walk or post-run. 

Lately

Tissue Box Cover

We are heading into Memorial Day weekend! Can you believe it? Summer is basically here. Here in Pittsburgh we are still very much shut down which is a real bummer but I am hopeful and excited to make the best of this holiday weekend!

My fiancé ordered us a tie-dye kit because he wanted to tie-dye shirts. I'm not so into the whole tie-dye trend, but it will be a fun activity for us. I also want to order rollerblades (LOL). We did have a picnic one weekend which was truly wonderful so I think that might make the agenda this weekend and maybe we will do a blind wine tasting- we'll see! It has been really nice that we are able to golf here. It's not really my thing, but it makes my fiancé so happy so I am glad!

We have also been having wonderful weather so I have been getting in a ton of 4-mile walks. That seems like my sweet spot with my walking distance. On the last mile, I will sometimes run, which is really saying something because unless I am at Orange Theory I am NOT a runner.

Eating: I mostly try to make my own dressings at home but I have never been quite able to recreate this dressing at home. It is SO good.  It's very similar to the dressing at one of my favorite sushi places here in Pittsburgh, Little Tokyo, and just tastes so fresh. I also use it as a marinade. It's soooo good on salmon. I typically find it at Target and Giant Eagle. 

Drinking: Heading into the weekend, here is a recipe for my low cal margarita recipe! 

Reading: I literally never read 'tabloids' but this Southern Charm drama is juicy!

Earrings// Earrings

Sale-ing: Sooo many sales going on right now because of the holiday weekend. I'll be back this weekend with a full list of sales. In the meantime, Lisi Lerch is doing a big sale where you can get 30% off everything! 

Watching: This is SO funny... it's a parody on how to load the dishwasher... and this is SO my fiancé!!!

Loving: These are the inexpensive tinted lip balms that I love and right now you can get both for $26 total!

Wanting: Lots of sales going on because of Memorial Day Weekend, so keep an eye out! 

Smelling:

Quoting: 'Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.' // See more of my favorites, here.