Bottle Battle: Contenders aim to splash competition out of water

Elisa Moraes-Liu, News Editor|September 7, 2018

Written by Elisa Moraes Liu

Hydro Flasks are by far the most popular water bottle at Gunn. These customizable bottles come in over seven different sizes and a variety of different designs that you can mix-and-match on your bottle. Many people also choose to make their bottle their own by covering them with stickers that reflect their personality. With double-layer, temperature-shielding insulation, the Hydro Flask ensures that your beverage stays at the temperature you want, no matter how hot or cold. Hydro Flask also comes in a 12 oz. kids edition, featuring bright and fun colors. These can be a perfect gift for your younger siblings, cousins or friends. However, Hydro Flask bottles of any kind can be very expensive. These stainless steel bottle prices average at around $30 each. These bottles tend to be a lot pricier than most water bottles, but their trendy design and high quality material make it worth it. Hydro Flask has also expanded to make insulated products for food and other drinks, making sure you will never eat or drink anything at room temperature again.

S’well water bottles are a great alternative to Hydro Flasks. Equally as trendy, they also come in a plethora of customizable designs. S’well’s company has partnered with several charities, including UNICEF, to help provide clean and safe drinking water to vulnerable communities. S’well bottles are made of BPA-free material, and contain triple-walled “Therma S’well” technology which includes a copper layer and ensures water bottles are condensation-free. Additionally, the bottles allow your drink to stay cool for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. This
is extremely convenient because, after all, no one wants to drink hot water
on a warm day or lukewarm coffee on a cold day. Additionally, you can
jazz up your S’well bottles with a variety of accessories. You can purchase S’well-designed water bottle cleaners for $20 on their website, as well as a
Blue Chalk Ink pen that allows you to write on your bottles. If you want experience the height of luxury, you can purchase a $1,500 Swarovski crystal-covered S’well water bottle at Neiman Marcus.

While these trendy Hydro Flasks and S’well bottles are great, they are also a bit overpriced; after all, they’re just water bottles. As cool as they make you look, the $30 you are spending on your customizable water bottle could go to a much better cause. Why spend an excessive amount of money on a bottle when you can get a complimentary Gunn Water Bottle? Not only are they a more financially-sound choice, these water bottles are the perfect way to embody school spirit. With the flashy red and big Gunn logo emblazoned across the front, there is no better way to demonstrate your Titan pride than having one of these. Gunn water bottles are made of plastic, so they are much lighter and easier to carry than alternative stainless steel bottles. The one downside, however, is that these bottles don’t provide the insulation found in S’well and Hydro flasks, which can be inconvenient if you want to keep your drink cool throughout a long day of school.