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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Guyot Designs Commuter Bottle > Owner Review by Jo Ann Moffi

GUYOT DESIGNS COMMUTER STAINLESS STEEL WIDE-MOUTH BOTTLE
Owner Review
August 5, 2007

Guyot Designs Commuter Wide Mouth Bottle
Photo courtesy of Guyot Designs.

Name Jo Ann Moffi Backpacking Background:

I was introduced to backpacking about 15 years ago when I met my husband. We have been backpacking, canoe camping, car camping, hiking, and participating in all sorts of outdoor activities ever since. We live in a border town (US & Canada), so we spend lots of time in both countries for our outdoor excursions. When making a decision on gear, I like to go lightweight and practical. I don't like to carry around extraneous bits and pieces.
Age 33
Gender Female
Height 168 cm (5 ft, 6 in)
Torso Length 50 cm (19.5 in)
Hip Measurement 104 cm (41 in)
Weight 84 kg (185 lbs)
Email Address jomoffi AT gmail DOT com
City, State, Country Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Guyot Designs Inc.
Manufacture Date: 2006
URL: http://www.guyotdesigns.com
MSRP: $20.95
Size: 710 ml (24 oz)
Diameter: 63 mm (2.48 in) wide-mouth
Listed Weight: 280 g (10 oz)
Measured Weight: 318 g (11.2 oz)
Material:
18/10 surgical grade stainless steel
Warranty: "Limited Lifetime Warranty: Guyot Designs warrants that this product will be free of defects in materials and workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the product."
Made In: China

The Guyot Designs Commuter Stainless Steel Wide Mouth Bottle is simply a bottle made entirely out of stainless steel with a plastic lid. The wide mouth size is the same as other brands of wide mouth plastic bottles designed for use with standard wide mouth filters and accessories. The bottle is a single wall design. The Commuter model is wide at top and tapers down to the bottom, presumably to fit into a cup holder in the car, which it does just fine in my car.

Field Information:
It seems to me where I went with the Guyot Designs Commuter Bottle doesn't matter much for its function as I would use it in much the same way no matter where I went. I use the water bottle more in my daily life than on backpacking trips (since I unfortunately for me spend more time living in a city than I do backpacking). For specifics on where the bottle has been while hiking and backpacking, I offer a very brief synopsis:

Bushwhacking in Upper Michigan, following well travelled trails in Lake Superior Provincial Park in Northern Ontario, day hikes in the Hiawatha Highlands, on the Voyageur Hiking Trails, in the Taqhamenon Falls National Forest, kayaking on Lake Superior, relaxing on the beach of Lake Superior at camp, and just about everywhere in between in the car, around town, at work, etc.

Weather conditions have varied about as widely as the areas I have used the bottle in: cool with overcast skies, bright sunny days, overcast windy days on Lake Superior, light rain, and the heated/air conditioned environment at work. Temperatures ranged from 6 - 33 C (43 - 91 F).

Product Review:
Recent information on leaching of harmful chemicals from polycarbonate plastics have led me to research what happens to these plastics as they are used for years. I'm not going to get into the technical details, but suffice to say that my research convinced me to find alternatives to plastics in my home and other aspects of my life. I'm not a zealot about it, but when shopping for something like a water bottle or other reusable container, I will reach for stainless steel or glass before plastic.

My biggest concern with a stainless steel water bottle was the taste. I didn't want to feel like I was sucking on a piece of metal when drinking the water coming out of the bottle. I am happy to say that this is not an issue with the Guyot Designs bottle. I initially filled the bottle with water and let it sit for a couple of days. I then washed it with my other dishes. There have been no metallic taste issues. 

All Guyot Design Inc. bottles come with their designed lid called 'The Lid'. It is quite different from the usual Nalgene type bottle lids. First, it is attached to the bottle via a short length of climbing rope cable. The Lid can be removed from the bottle without too much difficulty by sliding the plastic keeper along the length of climbing rope. It is made from glass reinforced plastic that according to the manufacturer won't crack in extreme temperatures. The Lid fits very well, I haven't had any leaking problems. I particularly like that when The Lid isn't screwed on the bottle, it easily falls to the side of the bottle. This makes drinking from the bottle more convenient that having to hold a stiff length of plastic attached to the lid away from my face when using other plastic water bottle designs.

When the weather turned warmer, the liquid in the bottle would get warm pretty quickly if I left the bottle in the side pocket of my backpack. The solution for this would be to put the bottle into the main compartment of my backpack, but then that would defeat the purpose of easy accessibility while travelling along the trail. The bottle would also develop condensation if the water in the bottle was significantly cooler than the air outside, like when I would add ice to the water for a day hike. This could be remedied with a double walled design.

I have used the water bottle at lake, river, or stream side to filter water. I just stick the hose into the mouth of the bottle and pump away on my filter to fill the bottle with water. The bottle can be a bit tippy before it is about 1/2 full. This could be due to the tapered design and the bulk of the weight being at the top of the bottle. I have yet to use chemical treatments in this water bottle as the chemical treatment I am currently using requires 1 L (34 fl oz) of liquid per tablet and this particular style of stainless steel bottle only holds
710 ml (24 oz). Guyot Designs does make a 1 L (34 fl oz) bottle that I will most likely purchase in the future as my needs arise.

Cleaning the bottle is very easy. I use a bottle brush to scrub out the inside of the bottle. Sometimes I will go for a week or more without cleaning if I am just using the bottle in my daily living. There have been no issues with strange odors or tastes from doing this. The nice thing about stainless steel is that it doesn't scratch easily so giving the bottle a good scrub with my bottle brush doesn't leave a mark like I have done in the past with plastic water bottles.

The water bottle is very impact resistant. It has travelled around in my backpacks, rolled around on the floor of my car, bounced off tile flooring and rocks outside without any ill effects. The metal looks just as good as it did when I bought it and The Lid has a few minor scuff marks.

Most desirable features:
  • Easy to clean.
  • Not plastic.
  • Lid doesn't need to be held away from the bottle when drinking.
Least desirable features:
  • A bit on the heavier side for a water vessel.
  • Liquid in the bottle is affected by the air temperature around it.
  • Can build up condensation on the bottle in very warm weather.
Summary:
This is a great alternative to traditional plastic bottles. I would not hesitate to buy another of Guyot Design Inc. water bottles. 

Read more reviews of Guyot Designs gear
Read more gear reviews by Jo Ann Moffi

Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Guyot Designs Commuter Bottle > Owner Review by Jo Ann Moffi



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