GUYOT DESIGNS SQUISHY PET BOWLS
TEST SERIES BY CHARI DAIGNAULT

Guyot Designs Squishy Pet Bowl

INITIAL REPORT

INITIAL REPORT - October 07, 2009

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME:	Chari Daignault
EMAIL:	chari.daignault@gmail.com
AGE:	47
LOCATION:	Orlando, Florida U.S.A.
GENDER:	F
HEIGHT:	5' 6" (1.70 m)
WEIGHT:	135 lb (61.20 kg)

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.

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INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Guyot Designs
Year of Manufacture: 2009
Manufacturer's Website: www.guyotdesigns.com
Tested Model: Park
Tested Color: Tahoe Blue
MSRP: US$ 14.95
Listed Weight: 4.3 oz [122 g]
Measured Weight: 4.2 oz [119 g]
Listed capacity: 36 oz. [1.06 L] on packaging and web site, 32 oz. [.95 L] on bowl itself and hang tag
Measured Capacity: 34.5 oz [1.02 L]
Available Colors: Tahoe Blue, Lime, Tangerine
Available Models/Sizes: Base Camp 48 oz [1.4 L], Park 36 oz [1.06 L], Trail 24 oz [.71 L]

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.

In Packaging

The bowl is made of food grade silicone, is BPA and polycarbonate free and can stand up to the freezer, dishwasher and microwave. Listed acceptable temperatures for the bowl are: -40 F [-40 C] to 446 F [230 C]. The bowl is definitely squishy, but it holds its shape when not being forcibly squished. It's surprisingly sturdy when full and I found that the sides did not easily cave in when nudged.

Squished

Personally, I like the feel of the bowl in my hands. I found that after I'd removed it from the packaging, I'd keep returning to it and smooshing it just to watch it pop back into shape. Although the packaging infers you can put the bowl in your pocket and take off for the trail, I found the size of the Park bowl a bit large for my pockets. Guyot Designs offers a smaller sized bowl, the Trail, which would probably fit easier and more comfortably. However, the Park does smoosh down well enough to easily fit into my day pack or regular pack, either of which will be accompanying me and the dogs anyway.

Top View

The bowl can be used for either water or food, but I will most likely be using it exclusively for water, since I will be testing out on the trail and while camping.

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.

Side View

The bowl cleaned up easily, just by rinsing with water and I've been able to store it in a large hard case I have for some old sunglasses so I can keep it from taking up too much space when not in use.

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.

The disparity between the listed volume on the web site, the bowl, the packaging and the hang tag could be due to a change being made on the product prior to it being available for retail sale. It's quite possible that it will all be ironed out by the time they're ready to release the product.

This concludes my Initial Report. Please come back in approximately two months for the Field Report. Many thanks to Guyot Designs and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this bowl!

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.5 Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.