Kirk had recently picked up a 32-ounce CamelBak Thrive Flip Straw Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle for me on Amazon, so I set off to review it. Retail price is $32.99.
I didn’t find it on Camelbak’s website – they sell a 25-ounce and 40-ounce version, however. The 32-ounce is also sold on Walmart’s website for $35.95.
With our recent cross-country move, most of my old hiking bottles were left behind, and I didn’t have a bottle that was “just mine” currently. I noticed the other week how much I disliked it when we went hiking as a family, and I didn’t have a bottle. Yeah, it was slim pickings in the Kirkconnell family.
I am pretty picky when it comes to drink bottles. Over the years, I have used nearly every design, and many were “good enough” to get by, but were not my idea of great.
The last time I had a water bottle I truly loved, I bent over to fit a snowshoe…and the bottle popped out of my backpack, and shot down a snow-filled ravine, to be never seen again. And that was 16 years ago.
I’ve tried everything: water bottles, empty Snapple bottles, Nalgene bottles, hydration bladders, whether it’s flexible plastic, hard plastic (remember the days when people got upset over Nalgene bottles and the use of Lexan?), or even stainless steel bottles – I’ve used them all.
Here in West Virginia, my list of features has become pickier. The top feature needed to be insulated, metal, and leak-proof. It gets hot.
The CamelBak Thrive did deliver on that: it is leak-proof, made of metal, insulated, and features a drinking port that closes inward to keep it clean. It has a handle to grab, and you can attach it to your backpack if you’re worried about it falling out. It features a slim, smooth design, making it ideal for fitting into tight pockets. It also fits into car cup holders.
My only hesitation was the valve. I grew to not like hydration bladders because of the bite valves. Due to the bottle having a long straw inside, no need to bite. Just suck on it, like a straw.
The bottle and its parts are easy to wash. I don’t use sugar drink mixes, as those can get nasty in bite valves.
Overall, I am pretty happy with the bottle. It fills the niche with my desired wants and needs. The only downside was that the straw popped out once, but that was easily fixed. Just shove it in tightly. I found ice stayed whole for over 24 hours. The testing took place in 99°F weather this past week.
FTC Disclaimer: The review of this product is based on our opinion and thoughts.
~Sarah