Klean Kanteen 20oz Wide Insulated

This water bottle does not seem to be as prone to the dent commonly seen on metal water bottles. Most importantly however is the fact that I've had the same ice in it for the last 36 hours and it is still going strong.

So, every year when my REI dividend comes in I tend to get an item that I cannot justify otherwise. This years item is the Klean Kanteen 20 oz Insulated Water Bottle. I admit that the price really had me think twice, but I was tired of using my Nalgene water bottle as my everyday beverage-holder-of-choice. I wanted something that looked more professional and kept my water extra cold.

Long story short: I am very satisfied with my purchase.

Ease of Use:

Well, It is a water bottle after all. There isn't too much to it. The lid has what to me looks like a silicon gasket that prevents the bottle from leaking. This system works like a charm. Note that this is a simple twist-off style lid, so when you take off the lid you will have two separate items in you hands, unlike a Nalgene which has the tether attached to the lid so you can't misplace it.

I have noticed that occasionally the lid will stick, but I chock that up to my compulsion to tighten lids as securely as I can, which tendency greatly displeases my dear wife.

Features:

The insulation is that the water bottle is a double walled vacuum insulation. This works well provided you have your bottle mostly full most of the time.  So, the idea of a vacuum insulation is to cut off what ever you're insulating from anything of a different temperature. So, if you have some ice water at the bottom of the bottle and the rest is filled with the scorching-hot air from outside, you're water will absorb some of the heat from the air, or vice versa if you've only got a little of your favorite hot beverage in your bottle on a frosty winter night. Even so, in my experience you're more likely to run out of liquid before it is no longer at the temperature you want.

Construction & Durability:

It is stainless steel, silicon, and plastic. The construction is exemplary. You can barely see the line left from where the weld is that holds the inner bottle together. And, because you can see it, you can see how high quality the weld is. It seem like this has been more resilient to the dents and divots that so frequently mar other metal water bottles, which, along with the weight, makes me think that the walls are thicker than most metal water bottles. This water bottle will certainly last a very long time.

Conditions: 

I use this water bottle every day. I picked it up in February 2013, if memory serves.  I find myself filling it up more often than my 32oz Nalgene which makes sense obviously due to the 12 oz difference, but I also find myself drinking more water throughout the day. And that is precisely why this water bottle is so great! I don't enjoy plastic-y lukewarm water too terribly much, but this is like drinking artesian glacial spring water every sip.

Okay, perhaps, I've embellished that last bit, but I do seriously drink more because its more enjoyable to drink cold water in my opinion. Also, I'm fond of the fact that I don't look like a 'granola-munching, tree-hugging, dirt-worshiping dirt-bag' with its fancy brushed steel exterior. It is always more fun to be in disguise.