My Hydro Flask Is the One Thing I Never Leave Home Without and It's on Sale This Black Friday

When I first unwrapped my Hydro Flask on Christmas morning some four years ago, I was honestly a little confused. I'd asked my brother for a discreet collapsible water bottle that could be squashed down into the smallest of bags to take with me on my travels around the world. What I'd got was a solid metal canister the color of a cartoon dolphin.

"I know it's not what you requested," he told me. "But trust me, this is better."

Loath as I am to admit it, he was right. I take my Hydro Flask everywhere with me, toting it around the house like a childhood comfort object, thanks to its helpful carry handle. I didn't quite realize how attached I was to it until disaster struck last year while I was on my honeymoon in Sicily. Now it is on sale for Black Friday so you can all get in on the action.

The small hilltop town of Erice, accessible by cable car, is largely known for its custard and almond pastry sweets, but to me, it will always be remembered as the place I last saw my Hydro Flask. Thrown off by a dizzying sugar high and altitude, I accidentally left my bottle behind in a famous pasticceria.

For the rest of the trip, I had to contend with blazing heat with no fridge-cold water at my fingertips. It was when I got home that I felt the loss of my trusty sidekick the most. 

If I pour myself a glass of water and don't drink it immediately, my cat will claim it, meaning I rarely get more than a few sips at a time. Having a bottle with a lid means I drink much more, and much more frequently. Refilling my Hydro Flask throughout the day also allows me to keep a rough track of how much water I drink. I quickly came to realize that without it, I was not hydrating at the same pace as usual. I had no choice -- I had to replace it, and quickly.

What's so special about Hydro Flasks?

I didn't know when I first got my Hydro Flask that the Oregon-based brand had something of a cult following and was considered a status symbol among VSCO girls. The design likely has something to do with this: Hydro Flasks come in a fun array of colors, like my turquoise number. Having relied on it consistently for many years now, I believe there's real substance behind its popularity.

Hydro Flask harnesses its own TempShield technology to prevent condensation and heat transfer to the outside of the bottle. Between the two stainless steel walls sits a vacuum that masterfully insulates whatever liquid is inside.

My Hydro Flask is robust, never leaks and it keeps my water endlessly cold and fresh. I've also never had to contend with the metallic taste that sometimes transfers from the inside of other water bottles. In other words, it's infinitely reliable.

It's not as easy as you'd think to find products that straddle both lifestyle and outdoor equipment categories and do both things genuinely well, but Hydro Flask is one brand that's absolutely nailed it. Cheaper insulated water bottles are on the market, for sure, but I hate buying cheap only to buy twice. With my Hydro Flask, I doubt I'll ever have to buy another water bottle again -- as long as I remember not to leave it on the side of a mountain, of course.