Klean Kanteen – The New Kids on the Block

Over the last couple of years Klean Kanteen have gone from only being seen in the hands of hipsters, to the outdoor enthusiasts staple. With big ideas on cleaning up the planet, one re-usable bottle at a time, Klean Kanteen are a company that boasts the best in terms of their positive impact on the world. But are you really thinking about that when you’re at the top of a mountain, or on the river bank, with freezing hands, craving that hot cup’o tea or hot chocolate? So I decided to put Klean Kanteen to the test.

My Klean Kanteen Insulated Wide 12oz (340ml) holds roughly a mug of drink and boasts 8 hours warming/24 hours cooling power. With the standard ‘strong as steel guarantee’ from Klean Kanteen, this should be the perfect flask for me, given how active (and clumsy) I can be. Usually I take the flask on my weekly run up to Castell Dinas Bran (the castle that looks over Llangollen) so I can hopefully enjoy the sunrise a little longer before giving in to the cold and running back down to town, but from pour to sip that’s only 1hour½ maximum, so I took it up Snowdon, via theRyhd Ddu path with a couple of friends, to see if my Klean Kanteen can really keep my drink, and so me, warm.Like all flasks, sitting boiling water inside it for a few minutes before pouring in your beverage will help to keep your drink warmer for longer, but getting up for a run or walk on your day off can sometimes be taxing enough, so I opt for the the quicker ‘pour and go’ – boiling water fresh out of the kettle, a splash of Ribena, lid on, hat on head and i’m out the door.

From door to summit it took us around 4½ hours, including the drive from Betws-y-Coed (home) to Rhyd Ddu, when the flask fell off the passenger seat and rolled around in the foot-well for the majority of the ride – no leaks though!
With just over 4½ hours since pouring, in freezing conditions – my drink was still too hot to guzzle. The temperature at the top was 2°C and we were starting to lose feeling in our fingers after scrambling through snow and ice, but my flask kept me warm long enough for me to snaffle some food before we gave in to the cold and headed back down the mountain.

So the Klean Kanteen lasted just over 5 hours of being shaken about on my back and still provided a piping hot drink. Unfortunately my hands were so cold at the top that I couldn’t bare to take my gloves off to get a photo of me and my flask, but the hours of walking gave me lots of time to work out the pros and cons for you.

Pros:
– Perfect size for personal use
– Small, smooth design with rounded edges means you can squeeze it into even the most packed rucksack
– Keeps drinks hot for hours and hours
– Cafe cap doesn’t leak
– You can tighten/loosen the ‘sip-bit’ of the cafe cap (which allows storing some thick soups)
– There are many colours and sizes to choose from
– Interchangeable lid – loop cap or cafe cap
– The cafe cap is dismantlable so you can deep clean it
– Klean Kanteen have replacement parts and great customer service

Cons:
– Doesn’t fit in car cup holder
– Cafe Cap lid can be fiddly to clean – small parts may get a lost (or chewed by inquisitive dogs!)
– A little pricier than some of your basic flasks but you definitely get what you pay for

In comparison to other flasks i’ve had over the years? The Klean Kanteen is more leak proof, smoother and nicer to hold, prettier (in my opinion) and lighter too. While I can’t tempt my other half completely away from his old faithful Stanley flask, Klean Kanteen are definitely becoming a staple in our household. Come in and see what you think or head to the website for the full range, we’d love your feedback.

Stay warm, whatever you may be up to!