Gear Review | Polar Bottle Sport Insulated Bottle – Arizona Hikers Guide

Company: Polar Bottle
The company was founded by Robert Heiberger and Judy Amabile in 1994 from a garage in Boulder, Colorado and has grown to become a leader in the hydration market with bottles shipped around the world. All of their plastic products are made in America and are BPA-free and Phthalate-free. Of their products, the Polar Bottle 24 oz. insulated sport bottle is the most popular item sold by Polar Bottle. This bottle boasts a patented insulating layer between two walls of plastic which keeps liquids cool twice as long as other water bottles.

Dual-wall construction
Constructed of low density polyethylene (LDPE #4)
BPA- and phthalate-free
Dozens of styles, logos, flags (like this sweet AZ one), and custom prints
Fits standard bicycle water bottle cages
Dishwasher- and freezer-safe
Removable drinking valve for thorough cleaning
Made in Boulder, Colorado

Volume	24 ounces
Weight	144 grams
Height	10.5 inches
Diameter	2.95 inches
Sizes	12 oz., 20 oz., 24 oz.

Although this bottle is most popular with bikers, I thought this could be a great addition to my desert day hikes. I first tested the product by filling it full of ice (to the top) and water. I took the bottle with me on a morning hike where the temperatures reached just above 90 degrees. The ice stayed frozen for about 2 hours and the water was cool and refreshing throughout the hike. The water never turned a lukewarm like my single-walled normal bottle does.

The second test I performed was in an office setting. I took the bottle with me to work and set it on my desk. I wanted to see if it left puddles of sweat and moisture like my other bottles do. Although the bottle does sweat slightly (I mean very little) it did not leave even a small ring of water on my desk. The bottle kept the ice from melting for about 2 1/2 hours (5 1/2 when I froze the bottle overnight half full). I was happy with the outcome.

The final test included filling the bottle halfway with water and throwing it in the freezer overnight. I wanted to see if the bottle would crack or leak or sweat when it was a block of ice. This is also how Polar Bottle recommends you use their bottle. After testing this method I was surprised how long the bottle kept the bottom half of the bottle frozen. It stayed frozen so long it was almost frustrating because I wanted a drink but the bottle was still solid ice.

Very little sweat: Although the bottle did sweat, it was far less than any other bottle I have used in the past.
The design: I like all the styles, sizes, colors, and the optional plastic strap included. They also offer to customize your insulation.
It does what it is intended to do: I know, I know, it’s a water bottle. It holds water. But the company makes claims that it will keep water colder twice as long as a regular bottle which in my experience is true.
The taste: The initial smell of plastic is present but goes away when you wash it (Polar Bottle recommends you wash it before you use it anyways). After that, there is no taste of plastic.
Eco-Friendly: BPA free and recyclable!

The bottle gets hard when it’s cold. When I froze the bottle and took it with me hiking I had a hard time ejecting water from the bottle with any kind of force.
The 24 oz. bottle is a little tall for my mountain bike cage. I was afraid it was going to make it’s way out and fall. If I had my choice of sizes I would probably have to go with a couple 20 oz. versions.
This isn’t really something I disliked as much as it is just worth noting. Its not enough water capacity for most day hikes. Since I live in Arizona, I pack a lot of water with me on hikes (75-100 ounces). I like to carry a bottle that can hold at least one liter of fluid or a hydration pouch. It would be impractical to carry around 3 or 4 of these bottles on a hike.

A bottle is just a bottle unless it’s a Polar Bottle. Their bottle was different. I was especially impressed with the quality of the product. It is made of high quality, BPA free, and recyclable plastic that does exactly what the company prides itself on; keeping your liquids colder longer. These guys make a great product and really do stand behind it with a full refund guarantee if you aren’t satisfied. Although I found this product to be best suited for mountain biking I really liked using it for my everyday water bottle. I can also see myself using this bottle on short day hikes, going on a run with my dog, or taking it to the gym.

Never used a Polar Bottle before? Try it now with a 30% coupon on your first bottle for anyone who signs up for their email list. Tend to lose stuff? Don’t worry the company offers free cap replacement for life! Don’t think the bottle is all that great? Again, these guys stand behind their product and offer a lifetime guarantee on your purchases.

The Polar Bottle® Sport and Ergo are manufactured in our Boulder, CO office with parts sourced from Denver, CO and Garden City, MO. Our only product that is not manufactured domestically is our Stainless Steel Half Twist™ Thermaluxe™ bottle. Due to financial infeasibility with stateside manufacturers, the stainless steel bottles are responsibly manufactured in China.

All of our products are shipped from our warehouse in Boulder.

The insulated Polar Bottle® Sport is made of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE). The cap for the bottle is made of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), and the valve is made of Urethane.

The Ergo bottle outer is made of LDPE and the inner is HDPE. The Half Twist™ cap is made from Tritan™ plastic fitted with a medical-grade silicone gasket.

Polar Bottle water bottles are — and always have been — BPA- and Phthalate-Free.

We have designed our products to be reusable and incredibly durable. Many of our customers are still happily using bottles they purchased in the mid-‘90s, when the Polar Bottle® was originally released. This is not an uncommon feat. However, when you decide it’s time to retire your Polar Bottle® water bottle, they are completely recyclable. To recycle the bottle, simply separate the outer plastic bottle, foil liner and inner plastic bottle and recycle them separately. Or, if you prefer, send in your old bottle back to our warehouse and we would be happy to recycle it for you!

The bottle is also made in America from locally sourced parts. This allows us to minimize shipping costs and the environmental impact that goes along with them. The fact that our entire operation – from sales to production to shipping – takes place under one roof further reduces overhead, energy use, and environmental strain.

We believe that durable, reusable water bottles are of the utmost importance in an age when single-use PET bottles (your standard bottled water or soda bottle) are being thrown away or littered nearly 3 times as often as they are recycled. This adds up to approximately 2 million tons of PET bottles finding their way into landfills every year*. Americans currently consume an average of more than 25 gallons of bottled water every year, per person. That means that each of us uses about 266 12-ounce PET bottles annually. Wouldn’t you rather enjoy your water from a single reusable Polar Bottle water bottle for the next 10 years than crack open 2660 disposable bottles?

The insulating power of the bottle will obviously vary based on the conditions it’s being used in. High temperatures, direct sunlight, and even high ambient humidity can all affect how long your water stays cold. Even in hot conditions, however, the Polar Bottle® will easily keep your drink cold more than twice as long as a standard single-wall, uninsulated bottle.

In order to maximize the effectiveness of the bottle, we recommend pre-freezing the water in a Polar Bottle before use. Fill your bottle halfway full with water and freeze overnight. The giant ice cube that results will keep your drink chilly for hours (do not fill the bottle more than half way before freezing, as the water must have room to expand as it freezes).

The Polar Bottle Sport Water Bottles are freezer safe so long as the bottle is not more than 3/4 full. Freezing a full bottle could cause the bottle to split. Filling a bottle halfway, freezing it overnight and topping it off in the morning before a long day is a great way to keep your water cold all day.

The Polar Bottle Ergo and the Polar Bottle Stainless Steel Thermaluxe are not freezer safe and could potentially crack when frozen.

The Polar Bottle is completely dishwasher safe, including the cap and valve. The bottle should be washed on the top rack only. We recommend placing the valve in the silverware tray to prevent it from being knocked off and falling onto the heating element.

In order to keep your bottle fresh and clean for years, we recommend that you wash the bottle with a small amount of dish soap and warm water after every use. Rinse the bottle thoroughly and then allow it to dry completely (any residual moisture in the bottle can promote bacteria growth) before storing it.

We also recommend that you wash your bottle before using it for the first time.

The Polar Bottle® sport can safely handle warm liquids and the insulating properties will keep your warm drinks warm longer as well. Please use caution and discretion when using the Polar Bottle® sport for hot liquids, as it can be easy to burn yourself. We do not recommend using the bottle for liquids that are too hot to drink comfortably.

The FAQ section came straight from the Polar Bottle website
Some photos also came from the Polar Bottle website.

*Disclaimer: Two things: 1. Although this product was given to me complimentary for this review, it in no way influenced my testing or opinion of the product or company. 2. If you decide to make a purchase from my site I will receive a small (tiny) commission which helps me keep producing quality and free content (thank you in advance, you are awesome!). There is no additional charge to you. Ever.