Guyot Designs - Squishy Pet Bowls
Test Series by David Wyman

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Test Phases:

Initial Report - October 12, 2009

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Tester Information

NAME	David Wyman
EMAIL	wyman(AT)wymanhq(DOT)com
AGE	31
LOCATION	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
GENDER	Male
HEIGHT	5' 10" (1.78 m)
WEIGHT	175 lb (79.40 kg)

While I've been camping for years, I've only been backpacking for a short time. I'm trying to find the right equipment, alternating between tent and hammock. My dog usually comes along on the longer hikes, and my wife and toddler join me on the shorter ones. I tend to carry more gear that I need resulting in a heavier pack, but I'm working on that. When I hike with my dog and/or my wife and son, we take it a bit slower, stopping frequently to enjoy the forest. I rarely hike fast unless I'm trying to make up time.

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Initial Report - April 22, 2009

Product Information

Manufacturer	Guyot Designs
Website	http://www.guyotdesigns.com
Product	Guyot Designs - Squishy Pet Bowls
Year of manufacture	2009
MSRP	US$14.95
Material	Food Grade Silicone
Measurements:
Size Tested:	The Park (36 oz / 1.06 L)
Listed Measured Weight 4.3 oz (122 g) 4.2 oz (119 g) Diameter 6.3 in (16 cm) 6.3 in (16 cm) Height 2.7 in (6.8 cm) 2.7 in (6.8 cm) Capacity 36 oz (1.06 L) 36 oz (1.06 L)
Other Sizes:	The Base Camp (48 oz / 1.42 L) The Trail (24 oz / 710 ml)
Color Tested:	Lime
Other Colors:	Tangerine and Tahoe Blue
Listed Temperature Range:	-40 F to 446 F (40 C to 230 C)

Initial Impressions


Out of the box, my first thought was that this is a very simple and basic item. It turns out that I was right and, after looking it over, that is one of its best characteristics. The lime green bowl is made of food grade silicone which they emphasize is BPA-free. The silicone is not very rigid, but the bowl does hold its shape fairly well when empty and very well when filled with water. The inside of the bowl has a very slick feel and the outside is more of a rubbery feel. The bowl has a wide bottom which curves in a bit as the sides rise. It's listed as being freezer, microwave, and dishwasher safe and, while I don't think I'll ever need it in the freezer or microwave, being dishwasher safe is nice for post-hike cleaning. It's listed as having a temperature range of -40 F to 446 F (40 C to 230 C) with both ends being much more extreme than any food or water I would feed my dog.

After removing the packaging, I ran it through the dishwasher once and then let my dog give it a test run. Emma didn't seem to mind it at all and finished all the water in the bowl. She also got her normal dinner of 1 cup (8 oz / .24 L) dry dog food and finished without complaint. The packaging claims that the bowl holds 36 oz (1.06 L) and this is correct if you fill the bowl to the very top. This wasn't very realistic as I would either spill it while placing it on the ground or Emma would spill water while drinking. I found filling it just to the top of the inward curve of the sides to be much more practical and this resulted in a usable volume of 24 oz (710 ml).

Squishing the bowl as small as I could manage yielded a packed size of approximately 4 in x 3 in x 2 in (10 cm x 7.6 cm x 5.1 cm) and after releasing it, it sprang back into shape with no noticeable problems. Since I usually have my dog carry her food and water dish in her small pack, one thing that I would have liked to see is a small pouch that could hold the bowl completely collapsed. When placed in the pack, the bowl would not stay collapsed and when it unfolded, it took up a good chunk of the side pouch on her pack which seemed awkward for her while walking around.

This concludes my Initial Report. The Field Report will be amended to this report in approximately two months from the date of this report. Please check back then for further information.

Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Guyot Designs for this opportunity.