Today, I am going to review a water bottle I have been using for the past two months: Kool8. I work a few miles from where I live. The rush hour traffic can be hellish, and I have been trying to cut a few pounds since the last holiday season.
That’s why several months ago, I decided to jump on the “walking nation” train. Walking to and from my workplace is something I have always wanted to do, but I had not summoned enough will and courage to do it.
I finally did it!
Needless to say, the first few days were brutal. My feet hurt, my muscles were unforgivingly sore, and I always arrived at work with my lips particularly dry. I was always hydrated, and its effects showed in my skin, mood, and how I carried myself at work.
And so the hunt for a suitable water bottle began.
Let me make something clear right off the bat: I am not a big spender, always been a thrifty person and I am fond of everything multi-use. Anything that promises to help save time and money is spot on for me.
And with that, my criterion for my new water bottle was clear: something durable, versatile, roomy inside, and stylish (yes, I love something that marries well with my outfit).
After spending many hours researching online, I discovered this handy list by Cool Things Chicago. I decided to go with their top pick — Kool8 bottle, and I can now confidently say that I made the right choice.
Right from visiting their website (www.waterbottle.io), you’d notice that the maker doesn’t make outrageous claims about its product. They did say something about the appearance and construction.
That’s all I wanted to hear. Unfortunately, they were out of stock (that’s how good the water bottle is!). I had to wait for close to a week for the bottle to arrive. But, hey, I was already sold on the usefulness and suitability of the bottle to my lifestyle, walking routine, and budget.
It’s been 60+ days since I started using Kool8, and here’s my honest take.
Eco-Conscious with a Charm
If you are like me (and millions of others), then you are probably trying to stay on top of your carbon footprint. We know that climate change is real, and plastic use is the biggest culprit.
As someone trying to cut down the amount of plastic I use, my love for Kool8 started from the fact that it’s a reusable water bottle. But that isn’t all that tickled my fancy.
Unlike most reusable bottles that are downright mundane and boring, Kool8 is sure to wow. Yes, it is eco-friendly from top to bottom, but it is sleek-looking from the inside out. It’s available in a variety of colors, including grey, red, blue, green and pink. I naturally went for the red one. It matches most of my work outfits and of course my lipstick color.
Does More than Look Great
As another writer has pointed out in this Kool8 review, for a water bottle that costs less than 25 bucks, I was pleasantly surprised that Kool8 has social conscious roots. The company gives away 20% of what I paid for the bottle to charities and causes that help deliver clean water to underprivileged areas across the globe. When I saw this, I was like: where can I sign up?
I have never had trouble accessing clean water here in the US, which is something we often take for granted. But there are millions, if not billions of people out there who can’t say the same. I am glad that Kool8 is doing something about it.
It Does a Bang-Up Keep Drinks Cold or Hot
From the website, the company claims that Kool8 can keep cold drinks cool for up to 24 hours (that’s a whole day!) I didn’t want to take their word for it, so I did a little experiment of my own.
On a Sunday, I left it out on the patio filled with cold water. 10 hours later, the temperature of the water was unchanged. 24 hours … it’s still cold. I gave up after 32 hours because I was tired of drinking from a disposable water bottle (and with a liter of Glaceau SmartWater costing more than 3 bucks, you can see why.)
I must admit that keeping drinks cold isn’t top of my list. After all, the drinks rarely last longer than 3 hours between refills. So, how about the capacity?
Kool8 is a standard 18 oz water bottle. That’s roughly half a liter, which is just what I need to keep me sufficiently hydrated on my walks and sometimes jogging to walk. If you run or jog, a single refill will definitely get you through 5 miles or so, unless it’s extremely sweltering out there.
Durable + Good Grip
I have sweaty palms, which is always a problem if the bottle is slippery. I didn’t have that issue with Kool8. It is practically leak-free and offers a good grip, not to mention that it’s very lightweight.
I have used Kool8 for hiking, biking, trekking, walking, jogging … pretty much every aspect of my active lifestyle. It didn’t weigh on your hands on long hikes, and yet still holds plenty of water to keep me hydrated throughout every hike.
60 days down the road, and I have not seen any signs of wear or aging yet. The stainless steel construction holds well, and I think this bottle will do me good for several years to come.
I have always struggled to take the recommended daily amount of fluids. I now find myself sipping water like no one’s business. While I’m still trying to reach the highest peak of my fitness and wellness, I have definitely made a few strides, and I have Kool8 water bottle to thank for it. The bottle simply got me hooked on working out and getting on the move.
