Product Information Manufacturer: Guyot Designs Web Site: www.guyotdesigns.com Product: Squishy Bowls (Bowl and Cup Set) Year Manufactured: 2008 MSRP: $15.95 USD Available Colors: Tahoe Blue, Tomato, Celery, Slate, Tangerine Reviewed Color: Tomato Weight Listed: Large Bowl 3.3 oz (93 g); Cup 1.7 oz (48 g) Actual Weight : Large Bowl 2.45 oz (70 g); Cup 1.65 oz (46 g) Capacity: Large Bowl 16 fl oz (500 ml) capacity (to the fill line); Cup 6 fl oz (200 ml) capacity (to the fill line) Diameter: Large Bowl 4.7 in (120mm); Cup 3.45 in (88mm) Height: Large Bowl 3 in (76mm); Cup 2.45 in (62mm) Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty. Warrants that the product is free of defects in material and workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the product.

Product Description

The Guyot Designs Squishy Bowl set that I am reviewing features a bowl and a cup in the set. This features a large sized bowl with a 16 fl oz (500 ml) capacity (to the fill line) and small sized cup with a 6 fl oz (200 ml) capacity (to the fill line).

The Squishy Bowls are made of food grade silicone that the manufacturer states is freezer, dishwasher, and microwave safe. The manufacturer states on the website and the packaging that the Squishy Bowls are temperature resistant to 400 F (204 C). However, on the bottom of the bowl and the cup it is stamped that they have a temperature rating of -40 F (-40 C) to 500 F (260 C). The capacity limits are also stamped on the bottom of the bowl and the cup. If I surpass the fill line I can get a few extra ounces (ml) liquid or food into the bowl or cup, but I create a mess when I try to stir the contents or drink from the cup.

The food grade silicone material is a very flexible rubber-like material. I have recently seen baking cookware sold in retail stores made of this same material. This food grade silicone is said to be taste free. The bowls can be collapsed, squashed, folded, put inside out, and they still retain their original shape. The outside of the Squishy Bowls is matte and the inside has a glossy appearance. There is a seam that is just more than half way up the height of the cup and about three quarters of the way up the bowl. There is also a seam inside the bowl and the cup that is higher than the outside seam. This is the fill line.

The cup nests inside the bowl for storage. It is not tightly nested inside as it does move from side to side and when I turn the bowl upside down while the cup is nested inside it does fall out.

The manufacturer recommends to hand wash the bowls using soap and water. However, it is stamped on the bottom of the Squishy Bowls that they are dishwasher safe.

Breakfast with the Squishy Bowls

Product Use

Canyonlands National Park, Utah: This was a three day trip with the elevation averaging around 3,900 ft (1,189 m) at both camp locations. The daytime temperatures were between 55 F (13 C) to 60 F (16 C). The nighttime lows reached 27 F (-3 C). The weather was sunny and clear skies.

San Bernardino National Forest, California: This was a two day backpacking trip. Camp was located at Limber Pine Bench at 9,300 ft (2,835 m). The temperatures ranged from 67 F (19 C) to 40 F (4 C) with enough wind to keep the mosquitoes away. The trip had an elevation gain of 3,680 ft (1,122 m) in 6 mi (7 km) for a total of 12 mi (19 km) for the trip.

San Jacinto State Park, California: This was a two day solo trip. Camp was set up at approximately 9,000 ft (2,743 m). The high temperature for both days was around 58 F (14 C) and the low was recorded at 39 F (4 C). This was a 6.5 mi (10 km) trip. It was short because of the difficulty finding the trail in the snow.

Cleveland National Forest, California (San Mateo Wilderness): This was a two day backpacking trip on the Tenaja Trail to Fisherman's Camp then to Tenaja Falls. From Tenaja Falls we went back to Fisherman's Camp to spend the night. We hiked 9 mi (14 km) on the first day and 3.5 mi (6 km) on the second day, all up-hill. It hit 75 F (24 C) for a high and got down to 28 F (-2 C) at night. The high elevation was 2,000 ft (610 m) with a total of 1,300 ft (396 m) of elevation gain and loss.

Mount San Jacinto State Park, California: This was a 6 mi (10 km) two day snowshoe/backpacking trip. We camped at an elevation of 9,100 ft (2,775 m) on 5 ft (1.5 m) of snow pack. The temps ran from 40 to 22 F (4 to -6 C).

San Jacinto State Park, California

Impressions and Performance

I think the Squishy Bowls are great. They definitely take up less space in my pack than my titanium solo cup or my titanium plate. They can be squashed any way that I please and they still return back to their original shape. I really do not have to worry about being careful with the Squishy Bowls as they are very durable and basically indestructible. I usually nest them together and fold them in half and jam them into my pack inside a food bag.

For breakfast I usually eat hot oatmeal and cider on the trail. I found that I can easily fit two packages of oatmeal into the bowl with some extra room to spare. I found the capacity of the cup on the small side. I would rather have an 8 fl oz (237 ml) sized cup to enjoy more of my hot powder drinks that I make. My drink mixes call for 6 fl oz (200 ml) to 8 fl oz (237 ml) of hot water. When not using the Squishy Cup I would make 8 fl oz (237 ml) drinks. When I used boiling or nearly boiling water in the cup or the bowl it was very hot to hold for any period of time in one position.

I used them for dinners that I shared with my husband. We would have rice chicken dishes, bean dishes, or macaroni and cheese. It was nice to have a bowl to try some of his food as he cooks and eats out of bag.

The bowl and cup do not collapse when they are filled to the fill line or beyond. They hold their shape. They have a circular base that is concave when looking at it from the outside bottom portion of the bowl or the cup. This helps with stability. The bowl and cup bottoms are rigid enough that they do not conform to items they are placed on such as rocks and logs.

The outsides of the Squishy Bowls are not slick. They have what I would call a matte finish that is easy for me to retain a hold on with bare hands, gloves, and even when the outsides are wet. This surface also prevents the bowl or cup from sliding when put on a smooth or slick surface. It also adds stability in an much as that when I pour liquids or foods into them they do not slide away.

The insides have a glossy appearance that appears to help with the reduction of food sticking to the surface and aid with easier clean up. Sometimes I found that food sticks a tiny bit such as oatmeal pieces, but I can easily turn the bowl or cup inside out and lick them clean. I generally just wash them with plain water or Camp Suds in the field. Sometimes there is a slight residual food odor, but the bowl and cup do not have a strong rubbery smell. There is a light smell but it is hard for me to describe it. I will say that my drinks taste better in the Squishy Bowls than in my titanium cup.

After returning from a trip I have washed both the bowl and the cup in the dishwasher on the top shelf and they did not melt from the dishwasher heat or become damaged in any way.

Some water droplets have frozen inside the bowl and the cup but they were easily scraped off with my fingers and there was no damage to the Squishy Bowls. I really enjoy using these for winter camping, especially for clean up. I just turned them inside out and scraped them on the snow to get them clean.

Out in the field to dry the Squishy Bowls I will use a small camp towel or hold them in one hand and shake the water droplets off. They dry just as quickly as my metal cookware in the field.

I wanted to see if these are microwave safe. So at home I boiled some water in the microwave inside the bowl and there was no damage or melting to the silicone material.

Things That Rock Foldable, easily packable, conforms to small spaces Bowl and cup nest together Easy to clean most of the time Easy to clean by wiping on snow or licking Things That Are So So The bowl and cup becomes too hot for me to hold with boiling or near boiling water or extremely hot soups and other foods. The cup is small for my liking