I spend a lot of time out and about whether travelling for games or out in the woods. Keeping drinks warm or cold is always an issue. A small ice chest is not always in the cards, so I usually turn to high quality drink ware. The Pelican TRAVBO32 bottle ($39.99) has proven its worth in my recent tests.
The 32 oz Pelican bottle is made of 18/8 pro grade stainless steel. The powder coat finish protects from sweating and the rubber base helps with keeping the bottle stable and rugged. The spill-proof lid makes transport easy and safe. The bottles also come in white and are available in 18oz, 32oz, and 16oz. and carry a lifetime guarantee.
The Pelican bottle is super rugged thanks to the powder coating and rubberized additions. It feels like it is made for the outdoors and in fact will start joining me on turkey hunts this season. Carrying the bottle with a cold beverage is much easier than dragging along a small ice chest while I am already packed down with gear.
While the design and construction is quite rugged, I also am impressed with the spill-proof lid. The gasket ensures a tight fit and your hot or cold drinks will stay safe inside no matter how the bottle is carried. I plan on clipping the bottle to my hunting backpack and carrying it with me to the woods.
The magic really happens from the double wall vacuum insulation and copper-plated inner wall of the stainless steal. It is important to note that you should always hand wash the bottle to keep these designs intact. To test the 24 hour claim of keeping drinks cold, I did my own experiment. Honestly, I only tested cold liquid since I never drink anything hot. I am sure hot works just the same with probably fewer hours. I filled the bottle with ice and water and left it on my counter for 24 hours, checking in periodically.
After six hours, the water was colder than when first on ice and ice retention was still near 100%.
At the 12 hour check, the water was still super cold and the ice had started to melt, but also had morphed itself into kind of an ice ball.
24 hours in and there is still plenty of ice in the bottle. The water is still super cold and would be great to drink.
I was quite impressed with the 24 hour ice retention test. My guess would be another 6 hours and there would still be a cold beverage to drink. I poured out the ice and water to show how much was left, but had to really shake the bottle to break up the ice so it would come out. The ice chunks were actually bigger in the bottle than in the measuring cup.
I am really impressed with the Pelican 32oz. Travel Bottle. The design is attractive and rugged and will do well with me on trips to the woods. Extra details like the rubber bottom and spill-proof lid make this bottle stand out from the competition. The ice and heat retention makes this the perfect travel companion no matter where you are heading. I can now spend the afternoon in the turkey woods and have plenty of cold water to keep me hydrated without having to drag a small ice chest with all of my gear. For $39.99, you cannot go wrong with the Pelican bottle.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample.
What I like: Excellent design and ice retention makes this a great travel bottle.
What can be improved: I would have liked a caribiner or some sort of clip to be included to attach to my hunting pack.