Combining the best features of steel thermoses and sports flasks, insulated bottles are a tremendously versatile, practical, and eco-friendly option for both everyday life and backcountry escapades.
Take yours on a wintertime trekking trip or to the beach, or even to the office – and it will be a fantastic companion that will allow you to enjoy your favorite hot or cold beverage whenever you want.
And when it comes to these types of bottles, Hydro Flask is undoubtedly one of the most well-known names in the industry (with Nalgene probably being the most famous one – see my Nalgene vs Hydro Flask article).
For this article, I’ve decided to compare one of its most popular reusable bottles with a bottle made by Swig Savvy, a rising brand that is gaining in popularity with each passing year. Which company makes better drinkware? Let’s find out!
Swig Savvy vs Hydro Flask – A Product Overview
Swig Savvy 24 oz Straw Leak Proof Lid Bottle
Specifications:
- Weight: 22.2 oz
- Material: Stainless steel
- Insulation: Vacuum insulation
- Sizes Available: 2
- Colors Available: 13
Available in 13 vibrant colors, this is one of the sleekest-looking insulated bottles on today’s market. Fortunately, that’s not the only great thing about it.
Its insulation effortlessly maintains the temperature of warm and cold beverages, and the bottle comes accompanied by a convenient carrying pouch. This Swig Savvy bottle is also dishwasher-safe – easy cleaning is guaranteed.
Pros:
- Great value for the money
- Lots of colors to choose from
- Carrying sleeve included
Cons:
- Weighs more than its rival
Hydro Flask 24 oz Flex Lid Standard Mouth Bottle
Specifications:
- Weight: 13.2 oz
- Material: Stainless steel
- Insulation: TempShield insulation
- Sizes Available: 3
- Colors Available: 10
A fan favorite, this Hydro Flask bottle is one of the company’s bestsellers and costs more than its rival for a couple of good reasons.
It’s a stainless steel, BPA-free reusable bottle whose TempShield insulation keeps hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours on end. The Slip-free powder coating and the lifetime warranty should also be mentioned.
Pros:
- Fantastic build quality
- Slip-free powder coating
- Lifetime warranty
Cons:
- Somewhat expensive
Swig Savvy vs Hydro Flask – The Comparison
The Insulation
As you can see in the specifications for the Hydro Flask 24 oz Flex Lid Standard Mouth Bottle, this model uses the TempShield insulation technology. The same goes for almost all stainless steel bottles made by this company.
Even though Hydro Flask calls the TempShield technology a “unique” insulation solution, it’s not much that different from the insulation you’ll find in most of the other bottles of this type made by renowned brands.
This is mostly just regular double-walled vacuum insulation that, as Hydro Flask claims, maintains the temperature of cold drinks for about 24 hours and keeps warm drinks warm for about 12 hours.
In reality, the model will rarely keep your coffee or tea hot for more than 6 hours, 8 hours in the best scenario. Truth be told, this isn’t that bad at all – the hot coffee you fill the bottle with in the morning will still be hot around noon.
For its 24 oz Straw Leak Proof Lid Bottle, Swig Savvy also advertises the model’s ability to keep cold drinks cold for around 24 hours and warm drinks warm for about half of that time.
However, this bottle’s performance in terms of temperature regulation isn’t that much different than its rivals – while it does maintain the temperature of cold beverages for an entire day, it won’t be able to keep your hot tea hot for more than 6 hours, just like the Hydro Flask bottle.
The Construction Quality
There are a couple of things that made stainless steel bottles as popular as they are today. Besides the fact that they’re generally void of BPA and similar substances, these bottles are also very durable.
While it’s true that indentations are unavoidable in the case of more serious drops, this kind of drinkware is generally very sturdy and easily withstands daily wear and tear.
The Hydro Flask’s model is made out of pro-grade 18/8 stainless steel and is, therefore, quite rugged, even though it may not look as such at the first sight. One very important thing to mention here is that the model is scratch-resistant as well – it features a special powder coating.
Fortunately, this resistance to scratches is not the only good thing about the bottle’s powder coating. It feels excellent in hand and provides the owner of the bottle with a very good grip. In addition, it prevents the user’s hands from getting burnt, no matter how hot the beverage inside the bottle is.
What about the construction quality of the Swig Savvy bottle? Even though it’s significantly cheaper than its rival, this bottle is just as well-made.
The main material used in its manufacture is food-grade 18/8 stainless steel that is BPA-free, rust-resistant, and never leaves a metallic taste. Just like Hydro Flask 34 oz, the Swig Savvy 24 oz is a rugged, tough model that is practically unbreakable.
With Yeti being one of the most well-known drinkware brands in terms of construction quality, I recommend checking out my Yeti vs Hydro Flask comparison.
The Ease of Use
Both of these bottles provide their users with easy hydration on the go – there’s no doubt about that. When you’re out in the backcountry and you’re tired and thirsty, having an insulated, stainless steel bottle helps you quench your thirst with ice-cold water or warm yourself with a few sips of hot tea. But is this type of drinkware as easy to use as your regular plastic bottles?
While it’s not the lightest reusable bottle you can get for your money, the Swig Savvy 24 oz Straw Leak Proof Lid Bottle is exceptionally easy to use due to its 1.9” wide mouth opening – drinking (as well as filling) is as easy as it gets. The model’s wide-mouth opening also makes the bottle very easy to clean and fill with ice cubes or fruits.
The Hydro Flask bottle, on the other hand, sports a standard-mouth opening but is just as easy to drink from. However, filling it with ice cubes or fruits can prove to be a bit trickier than in the case of the Swig Savvy bottle.
Another thing worth mentioning here is that both models come equipped with convenient handles – carrying them around is effortless.
The Weight
When it comes to reusable, insulated water bottles, weight should never be your primary concern. Most of these products weigh about the same since most of them are made out of stainless steel and have a couple of plastic or rubber parts.
However, in this department, the Hydro Flask’s model is definitely the winner. Even though it has the same capacity as the Swig Savvy bottle, it weighs less – 13.2 oz compared to 22.2 oz.
This difference of 9 ounces may be important to ultralight hikers who are always looking for gear that is as lightweight as possible.
In my opinion, the heavier weight of the Swig Savvy bottle should not be seen as a major downside of this model, though. This is still a fairly lightweight piece of drinkware that you’ll have no trouble hauling around, even when it’s completely full.
The Accessories
Buying an insulated water bottle from a no-name brand means just that – getting just the bottle and nothing else. Opting for a renowned company, on the other hand, usually means getting a lot of goodies along with the bottle itself.
The Hydro Flask bottle comes equipped with the brand’s standard mouth flex cap, which is flexible, durable, but not completely leakproof. You can also use HF’s sports cap with this bottle, but you’ll have to purchase it separately.
That’s about it – even though it’s pricier than its rival, the Hydro Flask model isn’t really the best choice for those looking for a bottle that comes accompanied by a lot of convenient accessories.
The Swig Savvy bottle effortlessly beats HF’s model in this department. Not only does it come equipped with a convenient carrying handle and a leakproof straw cap, but it’s also accompanied by a storage sleeve.
This is not something you get that often when it comes to insulated bottles, especially with those that are significantly cheaper than those made by Hydro Flask. In my opinion, a carrying sleeve such as this one undoubtedly helps when you’re in rush.
The Value
Even though the exact prices of these two bottles depend on the colors you choose to buy them in, it’s pretty safe to say that the Hydro Flask one is significantly more expensive than the bottle offered by Swig Savvy. The reasons are obvious – Hydro Flask is the more famous brand out of the two and its products are well-known for durability, practicality, and versatility.
However, in my opinion, the Swig Savvy bottle has a better value. Costing around $15 less, it offers almost everything that the Hydro Flask bottle does and more.
It’s made out of stainless steel – just like its rival – and it maintains the temperature of both hot and cold drinks just as well as HF’s 24 oz bottle. And it even comes with a convenient carrying sleeve!
This is where we come to the next important point – the warranty. If you’re someone who uses his insulated water bottle very often, especially in the backcountry, the Hydro Flask bottle is a better choice because it comes accompanied by a lifetime warranty. Not to mention the fact that it feels slightly sturdier in hands than its rival.
Swig Savvy vs Hydro Flask – The Verdict
So, which one of these bottles is a better choice?
If money is not a problem and you’re someone who hikes through rugged backcountry often, the Hydro Flask model is the obvious choice – it’s more durable and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.
However, if you’re looking to save some money but still want a great insulated water bottle, you won’t make a mistake by going with the Swig Savvy model. For the price it comes at, this bottle has almost everything – splendid build quality, superb insulation, and even a handy carrying sleeve. A great deal!
You may also want to check out my Hydro Flask vs ThermoFlask article, where I compare Hydro Flask with another of its major rivals.