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Reviews > Animal Companion Gear > Animal Feeding Bowls > Guyot Designs Squishy Dog Bowls > Test Report by Chari DaignaultGUYOT DESIGNS SQUISHY PET BOWLS
INITIAL REPORT - October 07, 2009 TESTER INFORMATION
I've been a light hiker for 36 years. I take the minimum I can with me and prefer a pack close to 15 pounds [6.80 kg]. I've hiked all the Florida State Forest trails in Central Florida, backpacked the Na Pali coast on the island of Kauai and climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan. I have hiked dry & sandy, rough & rocky and wet & boggy trails and as a result, have found what does and doesn't work for me in terms of equipment and clothing. PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS Manufacturer: Guyot Designs INITIAL IMPRESSIONS The model I received to test is the Park. Per
the web site and packaging, the Park is supposed to hold 36 oz [1.06 L] of
liquid. Per the bowl itself and the hang tag that came with the bowl, the Park
only holds 32 oz [.95 L]. I decided to measure to find out which was correct. I
filled it as close to the brim as possible and poured the liquid into a large
measuring bowl. My measurement came out closer to 34.5 oz [1.02 L]. As to which
measurement listed by the manufacturer is correct, it's pretty much a toss
up. TRYING IT OUT My three canine testing accomplices, who were
moving around way too much to allow themselves to be photographed this time
around, were extremely excited about the bowl. From their experience, anytime
I'm opening a package with something rubber and brightly colored, that means
it's a TOY! Although they were initially disappointed I wouldn't let them chew
on it, once I put water in it, they were satisfied with its intended use and
moved along happily. One of them did get a bit excited and jumped on the bowl
while it was filled, causing it to collapse on one side and to spill most of the
water. The collapse only occurred where the dog's foot was standing, and once
Aspen's foot was removed, the bowl regained its shape. SUMMARY Thus far, the Guyot Designs Squishy Pet Bowl
[Park model] appears to be able to perform well for its intended purpose. It
regains its shape quickly, is relatively sturdy, stores easily and cleans up
quickly. The dogs aren't frightened by it and use it with no problems, as long
as one of them doesn't get too eager and ends up stepping on it. FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS I've brought the Guyot Squishy Pet Bowl along during several day hikes, backpacking trips and walks through the neighborhood with the dogs. Our day hikes are in the Hal Scott Regional Preserve and we've done two backpacking trips into the Little Big Econ State Forest where we hiked in, and camped overnight a couple nights. The weather during the past two months has been sunny and only slightly humid with daytime temps ranging from over 80 F [26.7 C] down to 52 F [11 C]. We've currently settled into a cooler, much drier, partly sunny pattern with temps averaging at around 65 F [18.3 C]. There has been some wind, even less rain and occasional fog in the mornings. It's been great weather for camping and hiking. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD Our dogs have no problems using the pet bowl
at all. We humans, on the other hand, can't seem to keep from stomping on the
bowl while at camp. It doesn't seem to matter where we place the bowl, someone
always ends up stepping on it, causing whatever is inside the bowl to fly or
spill out. SUMMARY The Guyot Squishy Pet Bowl has become an
integral part of our hiking and camping gear lineup. It enables us to quickly,
safely and cleanly hydrate and/or feed our pets while on trail and at
camp. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS In the approximately two months since my Field Report, the locations and conditions for my Long Term report have been essentially the same. Temperatures have been markedly cooler though, and we've had several nights where we got below 32 F [0 C]. I've taken the bowl with me on every day hike and camping trip during which we've brought along the dogs. This can be quite an undertaking -- especially for camping -- as there are 3 dogs, all of which are prima donnas. I estimate the total number of trips/hikes to be around 47, including 3 overnights. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD The Guyot Designs Squishy pet bowl has
continued to perform admirably. We've gotten much better at not stepping in/on
it at camp, and the dogs still get so excited for some strange reason when we
pull it out to set it up. They dance around in circles on their hind feet; I can
only surmise it's the bright color of the bowl that gets them so
happy. SUMMARY In summary, this bowl is great for any type of outing during which I bring my canine companions along. Since there are 3 dogs and one bowl, I'm definitely going to get a couple more bowls to keep squabbling at a minimum. I can think of nothing negative to say about it other than it would be nice to have some sort of case in which to stow the bowl and keep it flat. For now, the large rubber band seems to do the trick. CONTINUED USE The Guyot Designs Squishy Pet Bowl will
continue to accompany us on all our hikes and camping trips during which our
dogs come along. Our cat would probably use it as well, but any time we tried to
let him test it, 3 dancing dogs would suddenly appear and the cat would leave in
a huff. Read more reviews of Guyot Designs gear Read more gear reviews by Chari Daignault Reviews > Animal Companion Gear > Animal Feeding Bowls > Guyot Designs Squishy Dog Bowls > Test Report by Chari Daignault |