Today we’re answering the question, why are Hydro Flasks so popular and expensive, and are they still worth it in 2022 and 2023?  Are Hydro Flasks good, and are they worth the price?

At BottlePro, we’ve been involved in the niche world of large water bottles since we released our first cup holder adapter in 2015, so we’ve seen and tested our fair share of bottles.  Here we’ll give you a quick history of Hydro Flask, and by the end of it you’ll know more than you thought you ever needed to know about water bottles.  Then we’ll give our thoughts and recommendations about Hydro Flasks in particular, and we’ll also let you know some good alternatives to Hydro Flasks in 2022 and 2023, especially if you’re looking for a gift for the Holidays.

If you'd rather watch a video than read a post, you're in luck!  In this video, we review the history of Hydro Flasks and give our recommendations on whether it's still worth buying one in 2022 or 2023.  We'll also let you know some good alternatives.  The video mostly reviews the same info as the blog post below.

Before Hydro Flask, the most common reusable water bottles that focused on the outdoor recreation industry were plastic bottles, like Nalgenes, or single-wall stainless steel bottles like Klean Kanteens.  Both bottle types have their own benefits and drawbacks, which we go into more detail in our previous post.  There were also some insulated bottles like Stanleys, but they had a mostly rugged design that focused on utility.  Each bottle brand had a loyal following in the outdoor recreation community, and to many outsiders it seemed like the market was saturated.
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But then came along Hydro Flask, and everything changed.  The company was founded in 2009 and quickly began building a cult-like following of devoted users in the outdoor recreation community, particularly in Hawaii and on the western US coastal states.  The company moved to Bend, Oregon, which is where Hydro Flask is still headquartered today.

By 2012 as Hydro Flask really started gaining popularity, you may have started noticing people, usually Gen Z’s or Young Millennials, carrying these bottles.  Popularity continued to steadily increase until it peaked in 2019, when the Gen Z the subculture known as “VSCO girls” received a lot of press and attention.

​Since peaking in 2019, Hydro Flask’s search popularity based on Google Trends has fallen significantly.  But the trend curve has mostly leveled off and continues to be significant, vastly out-performing previous market leaders like Nalgene and Klean Kanteen.

Even when you know that Hydro Flasks are popular, that still doesn’t answer the question of why they became popular.  So how did Hydro Flask become such a staggering success as a brand and company?  There are a few reasons, including having a high-quality product, marketing very effectively, and honestly, having some lucky timing.

Hydro Flask had a great product, but so did many other similar bottle brands at the time.  Nalgenes had color options and are very durable.  Klean Kanteens had the easy-to-clean, plastic and BPA-free stainless steel option covered.  Stanleys and other thermos-style mugs had insulation.  But Hydro Flask was the first company to effectively combine all those benefits into one bottle.  ​

Even still, the rise of Hydro Flask cannot be fully explained without also considering the rise of social media, particularly Instagram.  Instagram was launched in 2010, and it quickly became the must-have app for younger generations.  With Hydro Flask starting around the same timeframe and targeting similar customers, they were a natural fit.  Hydro Flask began gaining traction from influencers, followers, and fans posting pictures of their colorful bottles, and with a healthy dose of FOMO, Hydro Flasks quickly became the go-to water bottles for eco-conscious Gen Z’s and Millennials.

​There is no doubt that Hydro Flask would not have become as widespread and popular without Instagram.

​Of course, all those factors don’t matter without execution, and you really have to hand it to Hydro Flask with what they accomplished.  The company is a great example of what effective planning and execution can accomplish with a little bit of luck and timing. 

So now you know more than you ever thought you needed to know about the history of Hydro Flask.  The original question remains: is a Hydro Flask still worth buying in 2023?  With a price tag of roughly $50 for their 40oz, it’s a sizeable purchase for most people and families.
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The answer is a little subjective and depends on your situation.

If you’re doing OK financially and you want to buy a great product that will last for many years, it’s hard to go wrong with a Hydro Flask.  They make great products, and we’ve been using Hydro Flasks for over a decade.  Invest in a 32oz or 40oz bottle and you’ll find it much easier to stay hydrated wherever you go, and you’ll look great doing it.  Or if you really want a well-known bottle brand but aren’t into Hydro Flasks, consider YETI, which also makes a great range of bottles that are at similar price points.

But it’s almost 2023, not 2012.  Back in 2012, there weren’t many other alternatives for insulated, colorful water bottles.  Nowadays, we see new bottle brands pop up every month.  And honestly, many of them are just as good as Hydro Flasks and come with more accessories, all for a lower price.

​Based on what we’ve seen, you can just think of Hydro Flask’s logo as $10-$20 of your purchase. For many people, why spend that extra cost when you can get a great bottle from a company like Iron Flask, ThermoFlask, Takeya, Simple Modern, COLDEST, RTIC, or Hydro Cell (and on and on and on).

With the ever-expanding list of companies selling Hydro Flask ripoffs, we recommend sticking to the established competitors to make sure quality is up to par.  Here are a few of our favorite alternatives to Hydro Flask in 2022 and looking ahead to 2023.  We stuck to 40oz bottles for consistent comparisons.

There are a lot of water bottle options in 2022, with more certainly coming onto the market in 2023.  Many of these are great alternatives to expensive Hydro Flasks.  But while each person may have their own reasons to buy from one brand or another, we believe the best water bottle is the one you’re using (as long as it’s reusable).  Get a bottle for yourself, a friend, or a family member, and it’ll help improve hydration habits while also minimizing plastic waste from single-use bottles.  And those are both wonderful reasons to invest $20-$50 in a new bottle that you can reuse for years to come.

When we released our first version BottlePro cup holder adapter in 2015, we had no idea if it was going to sell.  But we used our prototypes for a few weeks and loved having our big Nalgenes close at hand while driving, so we figured this product could help others too.  Soon we realized that many other people really wanted a way to keep their large Hydro Flask, Nalgene, YETI, Klean Kanteen, Takeya, or other large bottle nearby while driving, instead of having it roll around on the passenger seat.

Fast-forward 7 years.  We're on our 3rd generation adapter, BottlePro Max, which works for many more situations.  Let's see what it looks like and what you can expect.

See our Release Video below for a video summary, or you can read through the post below!

Your BottlePro Max will come in a box like this.  Open it, and you’ll see an insert with info about our company.  Just contact us if any issues come up.