 HOW TO REMOVE THE SPOUT FROM HYDRO FLASK'S FLEX STRAW LIDIf you’ve had one of the original Hydro Flask straw lids, then you probably know how to take off the spout for cleaning. A common question people have about the new Flex Straw lid is whether you can do the same thing. The good news is that you can take off the spout, but it’s a little more difficult and you have to do it a little differently. Here's how to remove the spout from your Hydro Flask Flex Straw lid for cleaning. A Video ReviewIf you'd rather watch a video on this topic, check out our YouTube video.
It covers most of the same information, just in a different format if videos are more your style. Step 1: Open the spout to 45 degrees Step 1: Open to 45-degrees First, open the spout to about a 45-degree angle. This is important to help prevent damaging your lid and to make it easier to pop the spout off. You'll see why later. Step 2: Push the spout to the side and up Step 2: Push the spout up and to the side Then grip the cap like this with the spout between your thumb and index finger. (This is called the thenar web space for those who wanted to know!) Push the spout to the side while also lifting upward some, and it should pop out. Having trouble?If you’re having trouble, try keeping the lid on your bottle for leverage. We find this makes it a lot easier. Why is the 45-degree angle important? Why is the 45-degree angle important when taking off the Flex Straw spout? Once the spout is out, you can see how the grooves align with the pegs in the cap base, which is why it helps to pop it off at a 45-degree angle. If you try to pop the spout off at a different angle or push it beyond open like with the original straw lid, then you run the risk of stripping the pegs or grooves so they don't line up as well. Your lid may still work OK, but it probably won't open and close as crisply / nicely. Thanks for your support!We’ve included a link to the Flex Straw lid below. If you purchase after clicking the link, we earn a small commission. Every little bit helps our business, and we really appreciate the support. Thanks again, and happy hydrating.
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 Are Narrow or Wide Bottle Openings Better?When you’re buying a reusable bottle, one of the first decisions you’ll have to make is whether to get a narrow mouth or wide mouth bottle. Virtually all bottle brands have narrow mouth and wide mouth options, so this is something you’ll need to think about whether you’re looking to buy a Hydro Flask, Nalgene, or any of the countless other bottle brands on the market today. We’re going to review the main factors you should be thinking about when making your decision. And spoiler alert, we have a pretty strong opinion on this one. Please note that some bottle brands have different terminologies. For example, Hydro Flask has a “standard mouth,” and that’s what we would classify as a narrow mouth design. Links are given to the Amazon listings for each product. Thanks for your support! Narrow Mouth vs Wide Mouth - A Video ReviewIf you'd rather watch a video than read our post, then check out our Youtube video below! We review the same information and give our recommendation on whether narrow mouth or wide mouth bottles are better.
Factor #1 – How Easy is it to Drink from a Narrow vs Wide Mouth Bottle?One of the most common reasons that someone might prefer a narrow mouth is that it’s easier to take sips of your drink, and this is certainly true with the base bottle. With wide mouth bottles it’s not uncommon to take a sip of water and accidentally splash yourself in the face. Then don’t be surprised when your friends and family make an Airplane reference about having a drinking problem. Narrow mouth bottles help prevent this issue. But if you have a wide mouth bottle, you can easily avoid this problem by purchasing a different style lid, like a straw, sip, or chug style. For Hydro Flasks, see our videos reviewing their Flex Straw and Flex Sip lids to take a closer look. Or get a splash guard, like a SplashPro for Hydro Flasks, or Guyot or Watergate for Nalgenes. So all-in-all, there’s not much of a difference here between narrow and wide mouth bottles, other than the small cost you might run into if you’re buying a different lid or splash guard. Lids to Prevent Spills
Alternative: Splash GuardsFactor #2 – How Easy is it to Clean a Narrow vs Wide Mouth Bottle?First off, regardless of which bottle you use, we highly recommend getting a bottle brush to help make cleaning your big bottle more easy. But in general, you’ll find narrow mouth bottles more difficult to clean than wide mouth bottles. Narrow mouth bottles limit the size of a bottle brush you can fit, and with smaller brushes, the bristles usually aren’t long enough to easily reach the spot where the bottle widens just under the neck. Wide mouth bottles can fit bigger brushes with longer bristles, so it’s easier to clean this area. So when it comes to ease of cleaning, wide mouth bottles are the clear winners. Factor #3 – Adding Ice and FlavoringsMany people like to add ice or flavorings to their water to change things up, but if you get a narrow mouth bottle, you’re really limiting what you can do. Adding ice is more tedious, and that’s if your ice cubes even fit. Some bottles, like narrow mouth Nalgenes, have really small openings that don’t even fit most standard ice cubes. And odds are you won’t have an easy time adding fruit or tea leaves since most infusers won’t fit. You can add liquid flavorings and flexible tea bags to narrow mouth bottles, but that’s about it. Wide mouth bottles are much more versatile than narrow mouth bottles. Its easier to add ice, fruit and tea infusers, and other natural flavorings. Our FlavorFuze Pod fruit infuser fits great in most wide mouth bottles, and you can fit many common tea infusers as well. So when it comes to adding ice or other flavorings, wide mouth bottles are better than narrow mouth bottles. Accessories to Add Flavoring (Narrow Mouth)Accessories to Add Flavoring (Wide or Narrow Mouth)Be sure to check your bottle's mouth diameter before buying an infuser. But in general, most popular wide mouth bottles tend to have mouth openings that are at least 2.0 inches diameter. So get infusers that are less than 2" around and you should be good.
What about the Cost?You might be asking if narrow mouth or wide mouth bottles are more expensive, but the opening style really is not much of a factor. The variables that make the most impact on the bottle cost are the brand and bottle size, not the opening style. Our RecommendationSo when it comes to deciding whether narrow or wide mouth bottles are better, our opinion is that wide mouths are the clear winners. They’re easier to clean, they’re more versatile when it comes to adding ice and flavorings, and you can make it just as easy to take sips as a narrow mouth bottle by getting the right lid or splash guard. Do you agree with our recommendation? Let us know! Which Hydro Flask Lid Should You Get?Congrats, you have a Hydro Flask (or are thinking about getting one soon)! It's hard enough deciding which Hydro Flask bottle to get, but have you also thought about which lid you'll use? Hydro Flask has four (4) lids available right now on Amazon: Flex Cap, Flex Sip, Flex Straw, and Straw Lid. In this video, we go over how each one works, what we like and don't like about each design, and how we use them. If you'd rather read through the review than watch the video, see the written summary below. SummaryHydro Flask has four lid options, and you might be asking which lid is best for you. We've reviewed and tested each lid extensively, and here's what we think. Links are in the description. Which one is best for you? Well, it depends on how you want to use it, but we can tell you how we like to use them.
Flex Cap
Make It Even Better with a SplashPro Splash Guard Flex Sip
Make It Even Better with a FlavorFuze Steel Flex Straw
Make It Even Better with a FlavorFuze Straw Infuser Straw Lid (Original Design)
Also works with a FlavorFuze Straw Infuser  Loose Leaf Tea in Hydro Flasks - A Match Made in HeavenMany people search Google for things like:
We get a lot of questions about this too. Hydro Flasks are primarily used for water, but plenty of people would love it if they could have different flavors, like fruit infused water, coffee, or tea. In particular, tea is what we're focusing on today. And check out our FlavorFuze Steel Mini demo video at the end!Can You Make Hot Tea in a Hydro Flask?
And unlike some concerns with plastic and even aluminum, from what we have found, stainless steel won't leach chemicals or pollutants into your beverage. Flaske has a great article covering more details about the question of "Are Stainless Steel Water Bottles Safe to Drink From." So does Elemental Bottles, where they recommend looking for bottles that are either made from #304 or 18/8 stainless steel (Hydro Flasks are made from 18/8). We highly recommend checking these articles out if you have any other questions or concerns. Best Hydro Flask Bottles for TeaYou should also consider what type of Hydro Flask you want to use, since that can have an effect on which type of tea infuser will work best.
Tea Infusers for Wide Mouth Hydro Flasks (like the 12/16/20oz Coffee Bottles and also 32oz/40oz Bottles)Now that we know putting hot tea in stainless steel bottles like Hydro Flasks is safe, let's look at the best ways to do it! OPTION #1: MAKE IT SEPARATELYHistorically, the most common way to enjoy tea in your Hydro Flask has been to brew it outside of your Hydro Flask first. Then just pour the tea into your flask, and you're good to go. This is great for many people because they already have tea-making equipment. You'll also need to go this route if you are using a narrow-mouth Hydro Flask bottle.
OPTION #2: MAKE IT IN YOUR HYDRO FLASKYou can save yourself some extra dishes and time by brewing your tea right in your Hydro Flask! But this option can be a little trickier because not all tea infusers and strainers will fit in Hydro Flask bottles. The inside diameter of wide mouth Hydro Flasks is right around 2.1 inches across, so be sure that your strainer is smaller so it can fit!
FlavorFuze Steel Mini Demo
My Soda Habit Story
I'll be 35 years old tomorrow, and I've had a soda habit since I was a kid. Growing up, it wasn't uncommon for me to drink 2, 3, or even 4 sodas per day. As you might guess, I've also been overweight most of my life too, which is certainly not a coincidence. But at 35, I finally kicked my soda habit. I'm down almost 10 pounds this year, and best of all, I feel like what I'm doing is sustainable.
Here's what's working for me, and hopefully it'll help you on your journey too. Step 1: Know the Problem
If you're reading this, then you've likely already heard or read about the major health issues that can result from regularly eating or drinking high levels of sugar.
And a lot of other people have too, judging Google Trends. The interest-over-time for "Low Sugar" has been slowly-but-steadily increasing over the last several years.
Google Trends - Searches for "Low Sugar" for the Previous Five (5) Years
Of all the ways that consumers regularly ingest sugar, sugary beverages are the primary culprits. These include:
According to the American Heart Association, the maximum recommended sugar intake is 36 grams of sugar per day for men. For women, it's 25 grams. Each one of the drink examples above is either right at those limits or way above them, all from one drink.
Seeing how bottle and can sizes vary, it's also interesting to look at the sugar concentration as shown below. One of the more surprising realizations for most people is how most fruit juices really aren't good for you. Sure they provide some benefits like vitamins and other nutrients, so in that way they are better than sodas. But the sugar content per ounce for Minute Maid orange juice is essentially the same as a Coke! 
There are plenty of people smarter than me that study this topic for their day jobs, so I'll leave it to them to provide additional details and research about sugar and health. Here are some of the more helpful articles we've read.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Guidance on Added Sugars WebMD: How Sugar Affects Your Body American Heart Association: How Much Sugar is too Much? Healthline: 11 Reasons Why Too Much Sugar is Bad for You And keep in mind that diet sodas aren't free-and-clear of problems either. There is growing evidence that drinks with artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are bad for you as well, as discussed here. Step 2: Find Your Real Motivation
You can always have a combination of motivations, and many of these are related (like weight loss and long-term health). But whatever the situation, the key is to figure out what primary focus and goal really motivates you.
A Personal Story - My New Motivation
After reading articles about how sugar essentially acts like a poison and how sodas in particular are "empty calories" that provide no nutritional benefit, I knew it was in my best interest to quit.
Each time I tried to change, I would start off a few days or weeks without sodas, but then I would slip and start drinking them again. The most common backfiring strategies I used were:
The reason that these backfiring strategies worked on me was that I hadn't determined what my real motivation was yet. I said I wanted to lose weight, and that can work for many people. But the problem, for me, is that I'm fairly comfortable in my own skin already. Also, I have always been overweight so it's not easy for me to truly realize how much better I might feel to achieve a healthy weight. It was more abstract. But as I got older, something happened. I started thinking more about how little time we truly have, and how chronic diseases that we always read about and learned of back in school are very real. And then someone very close to me passed away. He smoked most of his life, and though he was finally able to quit a few years ago, by then the damage was done. He developed cancer and passed away earlier this year. He urged me to improve my habits now and to learn from his life experiences. This changed my motivational focus.
Instead of just wanting to lose weight, my new focus became achieving better long-term health. This seemingly small change in my focus and goals made all the difference for me.
Step 3: Strategies for Change
Once you know what really motivates you, it's time to start thinking about how you'll make changes.
There are many strategies that you can use to cut out soda from your diet. Here are a few.
A Personal Story - My New Routine
Honestly, I've used all of the strategies listed above to varying degrees. But the ones that helped me the most are #1 and #4. By drinking more water, I've been able to feel fuller and am less likely to drive to the store for a soda. And by using a flavored drink alternative, I can still take a break from "boring" water each day and satisfy my need for flavor.
This is what's working for me.
Need another bottle? Check out Hydro Flask's Amazon store.
Step #4 (If Needed): Don't Be Afraid to Reset
Stopping any habit can have its ups and downs. It took me over a dozen attempts over the years before I reached sustainable change. Don't feel ashamed if you don't succeed initially. Re-evaluate your motivations and strategies, and keep trying.
  After debuting just over 10 years ago, Hydro Flasks quickly gained traction as the go-to insulated water bottle. For many people, the simple benefit of having a bottle that is vacuum-insulated was enough of a selling point. For others, it's the clean, yet stylish design. Whatever the reason, Hydro Flask continues to build its following and shows no signs of slowing down. It's only natural what happened next. A whole range of accessories have been developed with the goal of making life with these amazing but cumbersome bottles a little easier. We here at BottlePro got involved in this niche early with our cup holder adapter, so we've seen it grow over the years, including new notable accessories coming available fairly often. Here are some of our favorites for the best accessories for Hydro Flasks in 2022 (focusing on 32 and 40 ounce bottles). ACCESSORIES FOR GETTING AROUNDThe most common accessories for Hydro Flasks involve making it easier to bring your bottle wherever your adventures take you. These include cup holders, bottles slings, and handles. #1: Cup Holder Adapter
#2: Stylish Bottle Sling
#3: Heavy-Duty Bottle Sling
#4: Leather Bottle Sling
#5: Paracord Handle
ACCESSORIES FOR PROTECTIONNext, consider investing in something that can help keep your bottle looking great for years to come. #6: Bottle Sleeve
#7: Bottle Boot
ACCESSORIES FOR FLAVOR AND ICENow that your bottle is easier to bring along with you on your adventures, it's time to think about ways to improve what you're actually drinking! #7: Flavor Infuser
#8: Ice Alternative
#9: Splash Guard / Ice Stopper
ACCESSORIES FOR CLEANINGIt's not the sexiest category, but you should certainly put some thought into cleaning your Hydro Flask. #10: Brush Kit
Bonus: Bottle Tablet Cleaners
Hiking the Colorado National Monument, Independence Monument (And What we Used for hydration)3/30/2022 The Colorado National Monument is a relatively lesser-known park, at least compared to nearby Arches and Canyonlands in Moab, Utah. But as Grand Junction locals know, that almost makes it better. You won't get the massive crowds like you do around Moab, and the scenery is out of this world. Here's our recap of our hike on the amazing Independence Monument hike, starting from the lower trailhead. Location, Parking, and Services
Hydration Products and Accessories We Used while Hiking1) Iron Flask 40oz Wide Mouth (Fire): See on Amazon
2) BottlePro Cup Holder Adapter: See on Amazon 3) FlavorFuze Straw and Straw Lid Kit: See on Amazon 4) HikerPouch Leather Bottle Sling: See on Amazon  (As an Amazon Associate, BottlePro earns from qualifying purchases.) Proper hydration is a key and highly-effective way to help with losing weight. Benefits of drinking enough water each day include:
But a common complaint that people have (including myself) is that plain water is boring. If you're like me, after awhile, it's good to drink something with a little flavor. For the longest time, I was satisfying these flavor cravings with soda, Gatorade, and other sugary drinks. That's where fruit infusing comes in. Fruit infusing is the healthiest way to add flavor to your water and can be a game-changer in the quest to drinking more water each day. With all of that in mind, many people ask what is the best type of fruit infuser for losing weight? The best type of fruit infuser that will help you lose weight is the one that you'll consistently use. So the most important thing is to get a fruit infuser that fits your lifestyle the best.Here we'll review some of the most popular infusers on the market, and hopefully you'll find one that fits your lifestyle, improves your health routine, and helps cut out those unhealthy sugary drinks. These are our five picks for infusers you could use to lose weight. Au Naturel (aka, No Infuser)
Best Option for Single Serve Drinks and Nalgenes
Best Option for Hydro Flasks, Iron Flasks, and Other Insulated Bottles
Best Option for Groups and Small Gatherings
Best Option for Larger Groups and the Workplace
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