I need coffee. It’s not a want, a treat, or an option. It is a need the same as water, food, and air. Death before decaf, the whole deal.
I do not doubt that many of you reading this right now are nodding your heads in agreement. In the summer I like my iced coffees, and when the cold hits I like my drinks hot.
Klean Kanteen recently sent me their 16oz vacuum insulated bottle to try out. The claim on the site is “Durable, double-walled construction and vacuum insulation assures that beverages stay hot up to 6 hours, while iced drinks stay frosty for more than 24.” Needless to say these are some hefty promises to live up to, so you bet I was going to test them.
I started small by using the bottle on my commutes to work each day. I boiled my water, measured out the grinds precisely for my French press (like hell I would use a Keurig), and then poured the steaming delicious nectar into the mug. 15 minutes later I arrived at work and unsurprisingly the drink was still steaming hot, but what was nice is that it stayed quite hot for another hour with the top off.
If you’re wondering about leaks etc, you can stop the worrying right now. Bumpy bike rides in the backpack or in the bottle cage (yes it fits quite nicely) yield no drips from the leakproof Stainless Loop Cap. I also tried the Café Cap and it is quite a nice option. It is splashproof and also makes the Klean Kanteen the ideal car mug.
So after initial testing was done I decided to really put the Klean Kanteen through its paces. Each year we go on a Super Bowl Sunday ride in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Well I should say we start in Harrisonburg, then ride out to Reddish Knob, up to Flagpole Knob, then down and back into town. We are looking at 6-8 hours round trip depending on conditions and snow levels in the cold. Perfect environment to put the Kanteen through its paces.
I woke up eager for the ride on Sunday morning and filled up my Klean Kanteen to the brim with piping hot coffee, already excited at the idea of drinking it on the top of Flagpole. I imagined my friends and I cold and wet, and then ah from my pack comes the giver of life, the item that will ignite life back into the group, the excitement was almost too much to bear.
After a long ride out there on the road in 30 degree weather we climbed for about an hour and a half up to Flagpole. Arriving at the top we were greeted with a bit of wind and darn cold conditions. Fingers cold and shaky I reached into my pack and brought out the Klean Kanteen for the moment of truth. Sure enough 4 hours after I had filled it up, opening the top released a cloud of steam. Not only was my coffee hot, it was really hot!
The Superbowl Sunday Group at the top of Flagpole!
As predicted I quickly turned into the most popular guy on the mountain. For $27.95 or $31.95 (2 cap combo) you can enjoy 16oz of hot or cold liquid anywhere. I say for this price it is well worth the money, and you won’t have to worry about any plastic toxins etc.
Bottom Line: At the office, in the car, or on the trail the Klean Kanteen is a must for bringing along your hot or cold beverage of choice.
