Go Caddy Water Bottle/Gear Pack Review

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Last week we posted about the importance of staying hydrated. We won’t reopen that kettle of fish but I will say that on more than one occasion I let myself get dehydrated while working on archaeological excavations in Israel and it wasn’t a whole lot of fun. So while there may be differences in opinion with regard to how much water one should drink, we can all agree that drinking water is a smart thing to do. Right? And we can all agree that drinking water beats sugary soda or diet whatever. Right? That’s what I thought.

So when we received word of the Go Caddy, a product designed to let you carry your water and a few key pieces of gear we took note. After all, if you have a gadget bag, then why not a gadget-water bag? The company was kind enough to send one to each of the editors. We were excited. At least we WERE excited until they arrived. To say we were underwhelmed once we had them in hand would be an understatement. But then… well we’ll get to that shortly.

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From GoCaddy:

 Custom Water Bottle Holders Make it Handy for You to Carry Plastic, Glass, Stainless Steel & Metal Bottles

We designed the Go Caddy Water Bottle Holder to help minimize the amount you carry.

Holds a variety of bottle sizes up to 1.5 liter, of your favorite beverage. (Bottle not included). Size: 4” dia. x 10” tall. BONUS! A water bottle cooler sleeve is included!

Comfortable 1″ x 54″ adjustable strap. This extra long strap allows you to wear it over your shoulder or sling style. Our unisex Caddy makes it perfect for the whole family!

Pleated deep front pocket with flapped Velcro closure easily fits a cruise ship pass (if you are on one), charge card, money, license/identification, etc. NOW with an additional hideaway interior pocket lets you store any valuable you may bring along. Size: 4 1/2” wide x 7” tall.

Elastic back pouch is roomy enough so you can bring your cell phone, camera, a map and glasses. Size: 4 3/4” wide x 7” tall.

Stylish and durable metal clip to hold keys. There is an additional “D” ring for the little extra you may want to clip on such as an eyeglass or pill case.

Manufactured in luxurious Microfiber with a rubber backing. Packs flat for traveling. Perfect for Cruises, Day Trips, Walking, Sporting Events or Fitness Activities

Carly was immediately vocal about her “non-impressedness”. Unfortunately I felt the same way, but I still really liked the idea. I didn’t want to rush to judgment. Judie couldn’t register an opinion, since I’d had hers sent to my address (and I hadn’t had a chance to forward it to her yet). That left Mike. Here’s what he had to say.

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We have talked about the Go Caddy a fair amount since getting it, and Lisa actually used it this weekend. So there are two impressions:

First look: is not overly visually impressive, but it looks functional. In other words, not a fashion accessory. Functionally, we all liked the pouch layout and the overall utility of the design. I could NEVER see myself carrying it while running as it would absolutely kill my skin. Similarly we all thought that biking would be better served by a backpack. Walking was the primary place we saw it being useful.

Actual Use: Lisa used the Go Caddy to take the dogs for a walk a few times this weekend while I was away. She got herself a water bottle, put some ‘poop bags’ on one side pouch, and her cell phone and Striiv on the other. It was perfectly comfortable and totally functional, and the neoprene drink sleeve helped isolate the water bottle from the rest of the bag.

Overall: Sadly the opinion from my younger son summed it up “this looks and feels like something you would get for $9.99 at Walmart.” None of us saw it as a $20 product, nor particularly broad in its utility. My wife said she would use it, but aside from walking the dogs or just us going for a walk cannot see where else she would use it – and therefore couldn’t recommend it to anyone else.

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So there you have it. First impressions were great, actually having them in hand changed that initial impression, but when Mike’s wife Lisa actually used it things changed, and its practicality became clear.

As to Mike’s son’s comment that they seem like an under-$10 item, I’m actually of two minds. On the one hand, at least based on my first and second impressions of it I agree with him. On the other hand, when something it as useful as Lisa found it to be, then the value increases significantly. Said differently, if you want to carry your water bottle and some key gear with you, $20 is not unreasonable.

You can check out the Go Caddy and order yours here.

MSRP: $24.99 but currently $19.99

What I Like: Does exactly what it promises

What Needs Improvement: Doesn’t impress us as a $20+ item; Not something I would personally carry

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.