Fitness as a whole, has made huge strides within the past 10 years.
So why has it taken so long for shaker bottles to catch up?! I was still using the same old shaker bottles that I’d had for almost 10 years up until earlier this year. Why? Because nothing had really changed. Sure, I had bought some newer ones when I started working out more and needed more to alternate with, but they were pretty much the same as the old ones. They had some funky odors and weren’t exactly see through anymore, but you learned to deal with those shortcomings. Okay, that’s gross and I probably should have replaced them sooner, but that doesn’t change the fact that not much has changed in the way of how you mix your drinks.
Insulated bottles are all the rage now and HydroFlask’s are leading the way; but they’re still not a suitable replacement for a shaker bottle. The screw top lid isn’t exactly time friendly when you’re in the middle of a WOD and they don’t come with an agitator. You can buy a flip top lid with the tiniest of spouts, but that cap leaks (tried it). Don’t get me wrong, I love my HydroFlask, but only really when I’m filling it up with water.
That’s where the HIIT Bottle comes in. It’s a double walled, vacuum insulated, stainless steel bottle that’s meant to be the replacement to the age old plastic shaker bottle. Since the HIIT Bottle has the food grade stainless steel construction, any kind of odors are less likely to happen. Inside, the edges are rounded at the bottom so clean up is a lot easier; you won’t have to worry about leaving any traces of old protein or bacteria. Gone are the days where cleaning a dirty bottle that you left in your bag, meant opening up a post apocalyptic nuclear war zone. Not to mention the rounded bottom works with the shape of the agitator to efficiently mix up your drink.
You can’t talk about the HIIT Bottle without mentioning how gorgeous the bottle is in each one of it’s colorways: polished steel, gold-bronze, and matte black. One of the worst “features” of the bottle is that you’ll be sad when you get your first ding or scratch. It’s bound to happen, but overall the bottle is very resilient. My bottle survived a 10-day trip to Japan (carry-on friendly), where it stayed with me throughout every temple hike I went on. Even with nicks to the finish, the HIIT Bottle is definitely a bottle that you’re going to want to show off to the world and I guarantee people will ask about it.
Like any insulated bottle, the HIIT Bottle plays well with cold and hot fluids, so you really only have to carry one bottle around from early morning to afternoons at the gym. I haven’t tested the actual times, but I’ve left cold fluid in my bottle overnight only to wake up to cold fluid. It’s definitely good enough to last you a few hours in the gym. The insulation is not as effective compared to the HydroFlask, most likely due to the design of the lid not being a screw top but the same thing happens when you put the flip top lid on the HydroFlask. The HIIT Bottle does do a very good job holding everything inside the bottle providing a leak free experience, even without actually locking the top.
Of course, the HIIT Bottle is not without it’s shortcomings. The lid, though thoughtful in design with it’s locking mechanism, doesn’t seem very sturdy and is quite cumbersome overall. It seems like all it would take is one hard turn the wrong way to snap the top right off. The loop at the top of the lid seems pretty useless, though I guess you could run a lanyard through it, I’d rather it be a little more sleek with the design of the rest of the bottle or have better functionality, like a hook or loop to hold. The bottle is rated to hold 22oz of fluid, which is about the same as a normal shaker bottle, but it only takes one 16.9oz bottle of water to almost completely fill it up. I think 22oz is already too little, so being constrained to 16.9oz means I have to continually refill the bottle making it less convenient to use daily.
At $35, the HIIT Bottle is definitely a luxury item. You could buy a few shaker bottles at the price, but you’d have to deal with eventually throwing them away, whereas you’ll be able to use one HIIT Bottle forever and for everything. Not to mention it’s actually something you’re going to want to carry to work, to the gym, or just around in your daily life. Personally, I do wish there was a bigger sized bottle, but if you’re not a waterhog like me, you should be fine with the capacity.
Even with it’s shortcomings, the HIIT Bottle seems to always be the shaker I grab when I go to the box. Not having to worry about immediately cleaning the bottle is a HUGE plus for a lazy bachelor like me. Also, in those sweltering summer months (RIGHT NOW), a cold drink is way more refreshing than a warm one when you’re in the middle of a workout. If you’re looking to consolidate your bottle game with something you’re going to want to be seen with, the HIIT Bottle is the way to go.
