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!