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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Klean Kanteen TKWide Water Bottle > Test Report by Nancy Griffith

KLEAN KANTEEN TKWIDE WATER BOTTLE
TEST SERIES BY NANCY GRIFFITH
LONG-TERM REPORT
April 05, 2022

CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE LONG-TERM REPORT

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Nancy Griffith
EMAIL: bkpkrgirlATyahooDOTcom
AGE: 55
LOCATION: Foothills outside Sacramento, California
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 6" (1.68 m)
WEIGHT: 130 lb (59.00 kg)

My outdoor experience began in high school with a co-ed scout group which made a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since college in Pennsylvania. I have hiked 1/4 of the Appalachian Trail and 2/3 of the Pacific Crest Trail. My typical trip is in the Sierra Nevada from a few days to a few weeks long. My base weight is lightweight at 15 lb (6.8 kg) while still using a tent, stove and quilt. Longer mileage summer trips are now stoveless.


INITIAL REPORT

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Entire SetManufacturer: Klean Kanteen
Year of Manufacture: 2021
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.kleankanteen.com
MSRP: $39.95
Listed Volume: 32 oz (946 ml)
Measured Volume: 32 oz (946 L)
Other Sizes/Volumes Available: 12 oz (0.35 L), 16 oz (0.5 L), 20 oz (0.59 L), 64 oz (2 L)

Listed Weight (Bottle only): 18.7 oz (530.8 g)
Measured Weight (Bottle only): 16.3 oz (462 g)

Listed Opening Diameter: 2.6 in (66 mm)
Measured Opening Diameter: 2-5/8 in (67 mm)

Color Tested: Marigold
Colors Vary by Size and Cap Style but MANY are available

Caps Tested: Twist Cap, Chug Cap and Loop Cap
Caps Available for TK Wide Bottle: Twist Cap, Chug Cap, Straw Cap, Cafe Cap, Loop Cap

Listed Weight (Twist Cap): 3.1 oz (86.5 g)
Measured Weight (Twist Cap): 3.4 oz (96 g) cap only: 4.3 oz (123 g) cap and straws

Listed Weight (Chug Cap): 4.44 oz (126 g)
Measured Weight (Chug Cap): 4.3 oz (121 g)

Listed Weight (Loop Cap): 4.4 oz (124.6 g)
Measured Weight (Loop Cap): 4.4 oz (124 g)

Designed in Chico, California, USA
Manufactured in China

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

TK ClosureTwist CapThe Klean Kanteen TKWide Water Bottle is a stainless steel, vacuum insulated wide-mouth bottle. It is BPA-free and uses 90% post-consumer recycled stainless steel. The bottle is dishwasher safe with a reinforced base cap for impact resistance. The color (yellow in my case) is a chip-resistant powder coat finish. The TKWide lids have screw threads, but the bottle has a unique thread pattern formed with raised bumps into a thread pattern rather than the typical screw threads. The wide mouth allows for easier cleaning and the lip is rounded for comfortable drinking (if not using one of the nifty lids). Klean Kanteen claims that iced contents will stay that way up to 66 hours.

The TKWide Twist Cap twists closed to create a leakproof seal and twists open to reveal a silicone straw mouthpiece. Under the cap is a stainless steel straw which extends into the bottle and a silicone straw which can be cut to length to reach to the bottom of the water bottle. The Twist Cap allows use of a straw while providing a way to keep the tip of the straw clean and to seal it when not in use. Very hot liquids are not recommended since the steel straw can get too hot. Carbonated beverages are also not recommended. The Twist Cap has a steel swivel loop for easy carrying which is designed to stay out of the way when drinking from the straw.

Chug CapLoop CapThe TKWide Loop Cap provides a leakproof solid closure to the bottle and has a steel swivel loop for easy carrying. It is a vacuum insulated lid with a stainless steel bottom to provide an all-stainless interior.

The TKWide Chug Cap is made for drinking water or other hydration beverage quickly with a high-flow spout. The mouthpiece is made of silicone and the mouthpiece lid is unique in that it can snap down quickly for easy access during a game or other frequent use but can be screwed down securely for travel or carrying. The top of the mouthpiece lid can also be snapped to the steel swivel carry loop to keep the lid out of the way when drinking. Genius.

I like Klean Kanteen's commitment to the environment too. Reusable water bottles certainly help people to eliminate those pesky one-use plastic water bottles with the added benefit of not containing health-harming BPA or other chemicals. Plus Klean Kanteen uses recycled stainless steel (90%). My favorite though was the packing materials in my shipment which consisted of NO plastic and entirely paper products (tissue and a neat expanded version of brown paper) which I'll be saving to reuse. Very impressive.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS & TRYING IT OUT

My initial impression is how well-designed this product is. From the powder-coated bottle exterior to all of the little thoughtful features on the caps to make them not only functional but also, shall I say, not a pain in the neck to use. The Twist Cap is a marvel by providing a way to drink through a straw and yet keep the straw tip clean and leakproof when not in use. Of course, I'll test all of this out, but I'm impressed with the thought that has gone into something as 'simple' as a water bottle.

The wide mouth should make it easy to fill not only with beverages but also with soups for winter snowshoe picnics. The wide mouth should also make it easy to clean when I get home.

After reading the information about each aspect of the bottle and caps, I washed everything to prepare it all for use. Then I filled the bottle to the rim of the main interior compartment and measured the amount. Then I tried drinking from the bottle using each cap type and tried to shake and tip the bottle to see if anything leaked. The lip of the bottle itself was comfortable to drink from as were the Chug and Twist Caps.

Lastly, I checked the fit of the bottle in my day pack and was happy to see that it should be a good fit.

READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

Klean Kanteen provides their Strong-As-Steel Guarantee which covers manufacturer's defects over the lifetime of the product.

SUMMARY

The Klean Kanteen TKWide with a Twist Cap Water Bottle is an insulated wide-mouth bottle that is compatible with multiple cap types.

Initial Likes:
Versatility
Wide Mouth
Variety of Available Caps
Thoughtful design
Environmentally Conscious

Initial Concerns:
None really



FIELD REPORT

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

FR South ForkI used the Klean Kanteen practically every day for daily hydration, on ten hikes including one on snowshoes, after five runs and on four mountain bike rides. I used the Kanteen for softball, fishing, boating, pickleball and on airplane trips. I mostly carried water, but also carried soup, cocoa, tea and coffee. And I used it for gravy on Thanksgiving.

Hiking:
Olympic National Park, Washington: 2.5 mi (4 km); 45 F (7 C); 342 to 431 ft (104 to 131 m) elevation; filtered water from creek

Bluff Trails, Mendocino, California: 4.5 mi (7.3 km); 50 F (10 C); nearly sea level elevation; carried water

Forest Road H an I, Albion, California: 6 mi (10 km); 48 F (9 C); 505 to 542 ft (154 to 165 m) elevation; carried water

Cronan Ranch Trails, Northern Sierra Nevada, California: 3 mi (5 km); 59 F (15 C); 744 to 917 ft (227 to 280 m) elevation; carried water with lime from home

Five hikes on Gerle Loop in the Auburn Recreation Area, California: 2.5 mi to 3.5 mi (4 to 5.6 km); 764 to 921 ft (233 to 281 m) elevation; 50 to 57 F (10 to 14 C); filtered water from river into Kanteen

Snowshoe:
Georgetown Nature Area, California: 2 mi (3 km); 2,480 to 2,600 ft (756 to 792 m) elevation; 42 to 48 F (5 to 9 C); carried hot green tea

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

FR pozoleLoop Cap:
Right after the Klean Kanteen arrived, it was Thanksgiving time and I was reading tips on preparing dishes ahead, etc. since we were hosting the meal. I saw a neat tip to keep extra gravy hot in a thermos so I decided to try it. The gravy was very hot when I poured half into the gravy boat and half in the Kanteen with the plug lid. But as expected, the gravy was cold (or empty) by the time everyone was ready for seconds. I jumped up and grabbed the Klean Kanteen and we all had piping hot gravy to warm up those lukewarm food items. What a great idea and it worked perfectly.

I used the loop cap for carrying soups on hikes which worked out perfectly. This is clearly the correct cap to use when contents have a good chance of spilling and when they need to stay hot. The soup was nice and warm (maybe even too warm) when we stopped for lunch which was a great treat on a cold hike.

Twist Cap:
Next, I took the Klean Kanteen with the twist cap on an airline trip putting the empty bottle in my carry-on daypack. It was a bit too big to stay secure in the side pockets so I put it inside the main pocket. Once I got through security, I filled it at the filtered water dispenser. I tried the bottle filled during the flight and it leaked which I thought came through the straw cap since there was water in that area. I tried again and this time it leaked through the seal between the bottle and the lid. The seal could have been tightened more which I did. But I had trouble removing the lid when it was this tight. I need to use the metal loop for leverage in general when opening the lid and with it so tight, I feel like I either can't open it or I'll tear the metal loop off trying. I used the bottle on six flights over the test period with some leakage every time.

FR snowshoe loopI liked to fill the bottle in the morning with water and 1/2 lemon or lime and then drink it throughout the day. The water stayed cool (I could add ice if needed) and the citrus didn't seem to affect the interior despite sitting that way for days on end. So, the bottle has been pretty much in continuous use for over two months mostly with the straw twist cap. The contents cooled (if hot) and warmed (if iced) fairly quickly when using the straw cap. Coffee didn't stay hot for even a few hours and ice melted before I even drank my water just a few hours later. The straw makes it easy to drink with a helmet on when I can't tilt my head way back.

Despite the straw twist cap being recommended only for cold (not very hot) beverages, I couldn't resist trying it out. The reason hot liquids are not recommended is because the straw is metal and the liquid could be very hot and burn my mouth. I tried it with hot tea on a cold morning of running and then watching a softball game. The tea wasn't quite boiling hot when I filled the Kanteen and I drank it about 1-1/2 hours later. Since the twist cap lid seems to allow cooling fairly quickly, it worked great!

Chug Cap:
After a huge snowstorm, I packed up hot mocha for a snowshoe hike into the Kanteen with the chug cap. I twisted the cap to lock it closed. The roads ended up being impassible due to emergency vehicles and downed trees/power lines so we retreated to a lower elevation hike. When we got back to the car, I noticed that my pack felt hot so I checked and the cap was very warm. I was doing this by reaching into the back seat. As I did, the chug cap flipped open and mocha spilled all over the inside of my pack. I thought that I had locked the cap but apparently, I hadn't tightened it enough. I also used the chug cap for softball which worked great. I love how the cap clips onto the loop to hold it out the way while drinking. I didn't have any spillage issues with it.

FR dentFR tubeBottle:
The bottle diameter is large so it doesn't really fit in my pack pockets. If I can fit it in, it is too tall to stay secure so I end up carrying it inside my pack.

The wide mouth makes it really easy to clean and to fill especially when carrying something like soup. Although the bottle is dishwasher safe, I haven't even tried that yet. It is constantly in use so I just do a quick clean and fill every morning. I'll try to wash it in the dishwasher soon though. The straw on the twist cap is pretty easy to clean, but the tube inside which extend to the bottom of the bottle gets a little yucky. I have to use a long narrow brush in order to clean out the tube.

The durability has been very good except for one dent on the bottom from when I dropped it onto concrete in a parking garage. I was surprised that it dented as much as it did, but I guess it hit just right (or wrong). There are lots of small abrasions around the bottom edges of the base. The yellow powder coated exterior seems to be completely intact with no dings or missing color.

The ability to keep liquid warm (or cold) seemed to be very dependent on which cap was used. The chug and twist cap didn't keep fluids warm or cold for more than an hour or two. The loop cap on the other hand kept liquids piping hot for hours. I haven't yet tried it with icy water but hope to do that in the LTR report.


LONG-TERM REPORT

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

LTR estrellaDuring the test period, I carried the Kanteen in my daypack on nine hikes, two mountain bike rides, one snowshoe hike, riding ATVs and four airline trips. I also kept it in the car or on the bench for ten softball games, pickleball, running, visiting the zoo and multiple rounds of disc golf.

Hiking:
Tahquitz Canyon Trail, Palm Springs, California: 3.5 mi (5.6 km); 541 to 875 ft (165 to 267 m) elevation; 60 to 67 F (15 to 19 C); carried water with lime and 1/2 tray ice cubes

Lykken Trail, Palm Springs, California: 4.2 mi (6.8 km); 479 to 1,380 ft (146 to 421 m) elevation; 59 to 72 F (15 to 22 C); carried water with 1/2 tray ice cubes

Buckskin Trail, Parker Dam, Arizona: 4 mi (6 km); 402 to 675 ft (123 to 206 m) elevation; 64 F (18 C)

Estrella Mountain Park, Phoenix, Arizona: 5 mi (8 km); 1,015 to 1,142 ft (309 to 348 m) elevation; 64 F (18 C)

Brown's Ravine Trail, Folsom Lake, California: 4 mi (6 km); 490 to 600 ft (149 to 183 m) elevation; 42 F (6 C)

El Dorado Trail, Sierra Nevada, California: 5.8 mi (9.3 km); 1,630 to 1,900 ft (500 to 580 m) elevation; 64 F (18 C)

Monroe Ridge Trail, Sierra Nevada, California; 5.5 mi (8.9 km); 743 to 1,262 ft (226 to 385 m) elevation; 45 to 52 F (7 to 11 C)

Sleeping Giant Trail, Kauai, Hawaii; 4 mi (6 km); 200 to 1,137 ft (61 to 347 m) elevation; 73 F (23 C)

Beek's Bight, Folsom Lake, California: 5 mi (8 km); 472 to 527 ft (144 to 161 m) elevation; 66 F (19 C)

Snowshoeing:
Coldstream Valley, Northern Sierra Nevada, California: 4.8 mi (7.7 km); 5,935 to 6,236 ft (1,809 to 1,901 m) elevation; 21 to 24 F (-6 to -4 C); partly cloudy and breezy; carried hot mocha with loop cap

Georgetown Nature Area, California: 2 mi (3 km); 2,480 to 2,600 ft (756 to 792 m) elevation; 42 to 48 F (5 to 9 C); clear

Mountain Biking:
South Fork American River, Sierra Nevada, California: 7.8 mi (12.6 km); 591 to 994 ft (180 to 303 m) elevation; 64 F (18 C)

Magnolia Ranch, California: 8 mi (13 km); 562 to 940 ft (171 to 450 m); 34 to 41 F (1 to 5 C)

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

LTR snowshoeOver the test period, I carried the bottle with me nearly every day. I would typically fill the bottle with filtered water and half of a lemon or lime with or without ice. This worked out great because the wide mouth of the bottle made it easy to insert and remove the fruit. I usually had the twist cap atop so that I could sip water during the day no matter what I was doing.

The twist cap worked well for most activities except for airline trips where the cap leaked water presumably from the lower cabin pressure in the airplane. I tried it many times (slow learner, I guess) and no matter how little water I filled it with or how tight I twisted the cap on, it still leaked. In general, I tried to tighten the cap even more than in the Field Test which worked better to keep from leaking. I had to use the metal loop in order to open it and there is no sign of stressing that loop to failure.

The twist cap is not recommended for hot beverages due to the metal straw, but there is little insulation in the cap, so it didn't even keep warm beverages warm. The loop cap worked much better for keeping the contents at the as-filled temperature for a longer period. If I wanted my water to stay colder, I would ice it and use the loop cap.

For the snowshoe hike, I filled the Kanteen with very warm (but not piping hot) mocha at home and used the loop cap to keep it warm. We drank it 3 hours later and it was the perfect temperature. The loop cap seems to keep contents close to the as-filled temperature for many hours.

I washed the Kanteen regularly in hot soapy water but also put it in the dishwasher multiple times especially when I thought the cap needed a more thorough cleaning. It worked great. I love having such a robust option available since the twist cap has a lot of nooks and crannies that are difficult to wash well by hand. The durability has been great. The coating is perfectly intact while the bottom ring is slightly scuffed with the one bigger dent that I caused in the Field Test.

SUMMARY

Overall, I really like the Klean Kanteen TK Wide with Twist Cap!

Favorite Things:
Excellent bottle size for daily hydration
Wide mouth is easy to fill and clean
Straw top is easy to sip
Loop cap maintains temperature
Chug cap is great for sports hydration

Not as Great:
Ice melts quickly and warm beverages cool quickly (Twist Cap)
Bottle diameter is too large for pack pockets
Cap is difficult to remove if tightened enough to not leak (Twist Cap)

This concludes my Long-Term Report and this test series. Thanks to Klean Kanteen and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to test this product.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

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