Pure Glass Bottle Reusable Vessel: Explorer Edition

As some of you may remember, I was sent Pure Glass Bottle's Traveler vessel about a year ago. Although my steadily increasing collection of reusable bottles has caused me to use it a bit less than I previously did, it is still one of my favorite vessels. Naturally, I was excited when Pure Glass Bottle contacted me with an opportunity to review their other, larger vessel design: the Explorer.

I mentioned the Explorer briefly in my previous review of the Traveler. Like the Traveler, the Explorer is made of 100% pure glass and coated with a non-removable, impact-resistant material that increases the strength, tactility, and safety of the glass. However, while the Traveler only holds 17 fluid ounces, the Explorer clocks in at an impressive 25 ounces. To me, this is probably the most appealing aspect of this bottle, as the previous upper limit of my reusable bottle arsenal was only 20 ounces. I drink a lot of water during the day, and I always welcome larger-volume bottles, as the constant return trips to various water fountains can grow tiresome when using smaller bottles. In contrast with the Traveler, the Explorer sports a one-piece body design, with an orifice wide enough to easily add ice cubes, flavoring powders, or other enhancers to your beverage. 

Obviously, as the capacity of a bottle increases, so does its overall size and weight, thus reducing its potential for "general-purpose" use. Typically, larger bottles tend to assume a sort of "on-the-desk" role, and are often foregone in favor of smaller bottles when ease of portability is a concern. As far as physical size is concerned, the Explorer is not all that much larger than a typical 20 oz. disposable water bottle. At its narrowest point, the bottle is not much wider than a Dasani or Aquafina bottle, although the hourglass shape does increase its overall diameter. The shape of the bottle does make the vessel a little bit top-heavy (especially when full), but it also offers a very natural and comfortable grip that feels great in the hand. 

The detractor from the Explorer's portability, however, is its weight. When full, the Explorer is exceptionally heavy for a water bottle. At the time of this writing, I did not have the means necessary to give a more exact measurement, but I can say that this is a bottle that is going to get pretty heavy after being carried around for any extended period of time. The folks at Pure seemed to have anticipated this, as the Explorer is available with two different cap designs, both seemingly focused on making the bottle easier to carry. The flat cap design pictured above comes with a simple plastic handle fixed around the neck of the bottle. I carry my bottles in the side pockets of my backpack, and I found that with a little care, the handle was not difficult to remove and set aside for potential use later. The bottle is also offered with a "sports cap" alternative that features two loops built in to the top of the cap to allow for easier transport.

The flat cap with handle design

The sports cap design

Both of these designs are functional, and do allow the bottle to be carried more easily in a "hanging" position, rather than always occupying the entire hand, but I still think that the bottle is too heavy to be used realistically in active outdoor situations. The sports cap also adds a good inch of height to the bottle, and is a slightly odd shape, making it harder to fit into bags and travel cases. Overall, I think that I preferred the more simple and straightforward flat cap design for my purposes.

The Explorer (both cap designs) and Traveler bottles

I think that the weight of the Explorer really makes this bottle a better choice for home or office use, rather than a travel bottle. However, I do not say this as a bad thing, as I feel that the above average capacity and wide-based design make the Explorer ideal for desk use. The Explorer is a great alternative to the unsightly Nalgene construction of most other high-volume bottles. Although it is hard to argue against the utility of one of those comically large, graduated plastic bottles when shopping for a high-capacity vessel, I am more than willing to sacrifice a few ounces for the sake of having an aesthetically pleasing bottle to sit on my desk that doesn't demand a trip to the water fountain every ten minutes. Although I would recommend Pure Glass Bottle's Traveler vessel as a better choice for an all-purpose travel bottle, the Explorer fits the bill for an attractive and sturdy "office bottle" quite well.

Verdict: Recommended

Pricing, size, and purchasing information can be found at Pure Glass Bottle's website:

http://pureglassbottle.com

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Be sure to check out the review of the Traveler vessel here.

Takeya Modern Glass Water Bottle

As mentioned previously, I recently decided to look into getting a new water bottle, and I was sent this beautiful Takeya bottle through CSN Stores. I already have a Kor One Hydration Vessel (which I never got around to reviewing but may do so later) that I absolutely love, but I received a juicer from my family over the holidays, and I've been needing another vessel in which to carry juices with me to class. Upon receiving my Takeya bottle, however, I've found that I like it so much that it has become my default water bottle rather than simply a backup for juices.

The Takeya Modern Glass Water Bottle is, firstly, a gorgeous piece of beverage equipment. The simplistic, cylindrical design certainly has a very modernistic feel to it, and is accentuated by the muted green of the silicone wrapping and the clean white of the screw-on lid. The bottle itself is made of a unique material called "AcraGlass," a high-quality, glass-like acrylic developed by Takeya for its various product lines. The material is impeccably similar to conventional glass in texture, heft, appearance, and even sound (on the rare occasion that the bottle is knocked against something), and had I not done a bit of research into the company after receiving the bottle, I never would have suspected that the material was, in fact, not glass. Unlike many plastics or metals, the AcraGlass leaves no residual taste in the contained liquid, which is particularly important when using it for water. The bottle feels weighty and durable when held, and the tall, slender design fits perfectly in the hand. Overall, the bottle is just a satisfying thing to hold. The slender design, however, does make this bottle a terrible match for most cup-holders, but the reliable lid keeps transporting the container from being an issue.

The external silicone wrapping adds to the satisfying feel of the vessel by adding a little cushion to the unyielding inner material and adding a bit of much needed grip. An exposed glass bottle would surely be slippery and hard to hang on to when wet or covered in condensation; a common problem easily sidestepped with the silicone. The covering is only a few millimeters thick around the perimeter of the bottle, but is a good bit thicker on the bottom so that setting down the container too swiftly is not a concern. The two vertical slots along the length of the bottle allow air to creep between the silicon and the glass to dry any trapped moisture from filling/cleaning, while also adding an aesthetic relief from the plain consistency of the silicon's appearance. In the event that the bottle were to be broken during a drop, the wrapping would also prevent potentially dangerous shards of acrylic from scattering across the floor. Silicone is widely known for its insulative properties, and although the sheath around the bottle is not very thick, it still helps keep beverages closer to their initial temperatures for longer periods of time. With that in mind, it is certainly notable that Takeya bottles can be used for both hot and cold beverages: a feature that is relatively unique for a water bottle.

The bottle's lid is also of high-quality construction, and is made of a hard plastic that feels almost like a ceramic. The rubber ring in the top of the lid creates a strong seal with the opening of the bottle, and the molding on the side of the lid provides extra, although largely unneeded torque when screwing on the lid. The single-path thread design matches the threading on the opening of the bottle and ensures that the protrusion on the lid will always settle on the original sideways configuration seen in the picture above (assuming, of course, that the silicone wrapping has not shifted from its original state) when the bottle is sealed.

I am very, very satisfied with my Takeya bottle. My only complaint so far is that dust and other small particles can tend to stick to the silicone when it is dry, but that is a small complaint in light of the positives and is easily avoided by frequently washing the bottle. At 16 fluid ounces, the bottle is overall a better fit for juices and other flavored beverages, as I find myself frequently refilling the bottle when I use it for water (a function perhaps better served by the larger 18 ounce version). I have been using this bottle every day, and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a visually appealing, durable, and relatively inexpensive reusable vessel.

Verdict: Highly Recommended