Thermos Thermos Hydration Bottle Review

Thermos Hydration Bottle Overview

When you’re an outdoor kid who grows up to be an outdoor adult that means one thing: water bottles. I’ve got an entire shelf of them — bottles from old soccer teams, bottles from races I’ve run, and more than a few ratty old Nalgene bottles kicking around the back of my Subaru. I’ve embraced the cliche.

When the Thermos Hydration Bottle arrived in the mail I added it to the ever-growing arsenal of metal and plastic containers flowing from my kitchen shelf. Real talk: why do I even own regular water glasses?

And yet, this water bottle quickly supplanted the rest of my water holding arsenal — yep, even that old Nalgene that has all the ski stickers on it! The Thermos Hydration Bottle holds 24 ounces of water and is made of BPA free Eastman Tritan plastic. The lid is where things really get exciting, with a carabiner loop, a water tracker, and a locking cap to keep the water in the bottle and not on your laptop.

For these reasons — and the fact that it comes in a sweet neon green color — we’re recommending the Thermos Hydration Bottle as our Budget Pick for the Urban Hiker.

Read the full Thermos Hydration Bottle review below.

Hydration Bottle Specifications

Gear Review of the Thermos Hydration Bottle

Revelation: The Moment I Knew

I am that person in your life who is always carrying a water bottle. I use it them at work to prolong awkward silences in meetings, at the gym, and around town when I’m out with friends. I just like water, ok? Contrary to what you might think, I’ve never really had a go-to bottle. I mean, so long as it holds water and is reusable — what else do you really need?

Well, it turns out some simple design elements go a long way towards daily usability and before long I found myself reaching for the Thermos Hydration Bottle any time I was heading out the door. It even came along with me on a long weekend trip to Ohio where I packed everything I needed for four days into my standard work purse.

Stoked on the Thermos Hydration Bottle.

Digging Deeper

Lid

This bottle is all about the lid. It twists off for filling and can fit ice cubes with ease. The lid of the Thermos Hydration Bottle also has a spring cap, a carabiner loop, and a locking feature. The lid protects the drinking spout, too!

The lid on the Thermos is the main feature. The pop cap opens with a click, the metal piece locks it in place, and the drink spout is nicely sized.

The Thermos Hydration used to be called (and still is called in some stores) the “Intak” Bottle — this comes from the dial feature set into the top of the lid that lets you can track how much water you’ve had in a day. You track your intake manually though, so you have to remember to use it when filling and refilling the bottle. Admittedly, this is a feature I didn’t use extensively, but would prove handy if you’re someone who struggles to get in your daily H2O.

The intake meter helps dehydrated people keep track of how many bottles of water they’ve consumed. Helpful for some, a silly feature for others.

Durability

The Hydration Bottle feels like a thick enough plastic to last a long time. And it gallantly survived a multi-flight tumble down the escalators at LAX. It uses Eastman Tritan plastic, which is the same stuff used by Nalgene.

Form Factor

Remember when the iPhone 6+ came out and every woman in your life complained that it was too big to fit in their hands? Nalgene bottles feel that way to me. The 24 ounce size of the Thermos Hydration Bottle means it is rather narrow, which makes  it a much easier bottle to tote around. The textured side of the bottle make it easy to hold onto while wet, too.

The textured side is great for gripping, and the small carrying clip is surprisingly useful.

Drinkability

Personally, I really like the size of the drink nozzle. It’s big enough to chug from, but small enough that I don’t worry about spilling on myself during car rides. Additionally, the flip cap on the bottle is spring-loaded which means that it won’t bop you on the nose while you’re drinking.

Easy to hold, easy to drink from.

Grievances

One of the issues I take with the Thermos Hydration Bottle is also one of the reasons I really like the bottle for travel. As a rock climber, and owner of very short fingernails, the locking feature on this bottle can prove frustrating to get open. The lock comes in the form of a thin metal loop which snaps over the closure point of the cap — to get it open you have to dig your fingers around the metal loop and pull — it’s a little awkward.

The metal ring that locks the bottle is hard to open for anyone with short fingernails, but it keeps the water from spilling.

Yet, that same locking feature made me feel confident when throwing the bottle in my bag with my laptop. I simply wish that Thermos had added a pull tab (or something) to the lock for easier opening.

Final Word

The Thermos Hydration Bottle is a deceptively clever little water carrier, with enough features to make you feel fancy, and receives bonus marks for not leaving a funky plastic taste in your water.

Where to Buy Thermos Hydration Bottle

We tested the Thermos Hydration Bottle, which has a few different names depending on when and where you buy it. Thermos’ official name at the time of this review was “Hydration Bottle with Rotating Intake Meter 24oz”, which is clear but a terribly long mouthful. It has also been called the “Thermos Intak 24-ounce Hydration Bottle” — notably knocking the “e” off of “Intake” and branding the phrase. It has also been called the “Thermos 24 Ounce Tritan Hydration Bottle with Meter.”

We don’t know what Thermos’ plan is with the name of this bottle, but it’s available in many brick and mortar stores, like Target and Bed Bath & Beyond, and online retailers as well. It’s less of an “outdoor” bottle, so don’t expect to find it at REI.

Compare Thermos Hydration Bottle prices below.

Kara Kieffer

Kara grew up a grubby tomboy in Boulder, CO, where she spent most of her time outside collecting rocks in her pockets, much to her mother's chagrin. Now, as a Los Angeles based art director and writer she still loves being outside and exploring every chance she gets. On any given weekend, you can find her backpacking, hiking, or running ridiculous distances up and down mountains. You can follow her blog, Wild Country Found, and Instagram, or check out her personal website for more information.