Disclaimer: I received an Amphipod Hydraform Chiller™ to review as part of being a BibRave Ambassador. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Ambassador, and check out BibRave.com to find and write race reviews!
The summer heat is my least favorite temperature to run in, but drinking water helps a lot. And cold water is even better! I was excited to test the Amphipod Hydraform Chiller™ for BibRave, and I’ve enjoyed using it.
This new bottle is able to keep water colder for longer because it has a sleeve with Ice-Wall™ technology. I have taken the sleeve off to clean the bottle, and I can feel a squishy gel-like ice substance in the sleeve that becomes seemingly more solid (though not completely solid) when frozen.
For this bottle to keep water cold, you need to put the empty bottle with its sleeve on into the freezer — I’ve been putting it in with the cap on — for three or more hours, and then fill it with water or your hydration drink of choice. However, I’ve used it without having it in the freezer that long, and it’s still a good bottle.
Really, my only problem is that I end up drinking the water too fast, which isn’t a problem with the bottle itself. The amount I drink in the heat only makes the bottle’s contents last for a max of about four miles.
When I did a run of a little more than 10 miles in Crisfield for the Tour de Salisbury, I brought along this bottle and another one in my other hand because I knew there would not be a place to refill along the route. The water in this bottle did seem colder, and I also probably leaned toward drinking it before I did the other bottle.
While I don’t usually have water in the bottle for more than an hour because I drink it, the cold water did make it to Crisfield after being in the car for about 40 or so minutes.
This bottle is also comfortable to carry. Because of the Thumb-Lock™ technology, I am able to put my thumb in between two straps and the bottle stays in my hand without me having to grip it. The bottle is also shaped to fit well in a hand. I do sometimes move my hand out of the Thumb-Lock™ when taking a drink.
Runners also don’t have to worry about water falling or flying out of the bottle unless they are squeezing it.
The bottle comes in 12-ounce and 20-ounce sizes. It looks like different BibRave Pros received different sizes, and I’m glad I received the 20-ounce size, because I do drink a lot of water.
I haven’t cleaned the sleeve yet, but I do want to because I have noticed it getting a little dirty. I know I won’t be able to throw it in the washer because of the ice pack gel, but there are directions on the website for how to wash it.
I’ll definitely keep using this bottle throughout the summer. It’s been helpful in making hot summer runs more bearable.
She Runs by the Seashore 