 YETI Chug Cap Stripped Threads - A Video ReviewIf you'd rather watch a video about this topic, then check out our YouTube video!
Or keep reading our full post below. How to Avoid Stripping Threads with YETI's Chug CapAt BottlePro, we’ve mostly focused on Hydro Flasks over the years. But one of our New Year’s resolutions is to give some other brands more love, and at the top of that list is YETI. YETI is possibly the most popular premium bottle brand on the market today, and for good reason. Their products cost a relative fortune, but that’s because they are over-engineered and designed to last for many years.  YETI's Popularity Increasing Compared to Hydro Flask
Given that YETI is a premium brand, all these negative reviews seemed odd so we decided to order a chug cap to test it out and see if we could recreate this issue. We ordered a YETI Chug Cap in December, 2022 from YETI’s storefront on Amazon. Interestingly, the storefront showed this product as unavailable when we went back in early January when we were making this video, but we assume the listing will be back up and running soon. It might be wishful thinking on our part, but maybe they’re updating the design to fix the issue we’re about to talk about.  Our first impression is that the cap is well-built and feels very durable. It definitely feels more heavy-duty than competitors like Takeya, ThermoFlask, or even Hydro Flask’s new Flex Chug. Before we really tested out our lid, we took a closer look at the pictures from the negative reviews. Our lid seems to be identical based on the locations of a few key features, which gives us confidence that both we and the reviewers used authentic YETI lids.  Authentic YETI lids - our lid has the same features as the reviewers' lids Recreating the IssueThe next step was to try to recreate the issue. We tightened the lid as much as we could by hand, but this did not seem to do anything to the threads. Next came the real cross-threading test. We tried screwing the lid on-and-off at different angles. This includes pulling up and pushing down on the lid so we got the full range of taking the lid on and off. This is when we started to see some wear-and-tear that looks consistent with the other reviewers. In particular, we started seeing some evidence of cross-threading where the black plastic threads started to get flattened out on one side.  Starting to see cross-threading damage within a short time The problem with cross-threading and thread wear in general is that the issue accelerates once it starts. So even though we were clearly stress-testing the lid by exerting quite a bit of force at different angles, the fact that we were able to create this amount of wear-and-tear over a few minutes is concerning. We can absolutely see how the lid could wear down quickly like so many reviews have mentioned. Why are the Threads Getting Damaged so Easily?There are likely two main culprits to this problem. Reason #1 The first is that the clear plastic on the base threads seems to be significantly harder than the black plastic on the spout cap threads. And because the clear threads have fairly sharp angles on the cross-section profile, these threads can cut into the softer black plastic relatively easily.  Harder clear plastic than black plastic  Sharp thread cross-section profile Reason #2 Because of the thread design, the lid can start threading on at a pretty good range of angles. This makes it easier to start closing the lid, which can make it a little easier to use the bottle. But a side-effect is that this can cause the threads to not line up as intended, leading to more thread wear.  Thread tolerance Either one of these problems by themselves probably wouldn’t be much of an issue, but the fact that they both are happening together is leading to increased thread wear. Reason #3 *Update 1/23/2023* Someone gave us feedback after we posted this video saying that their threads stripped because they used a hot drink, and the heat made the threads more malleable, causing them to fail. If you want to use a hot drink like coffee or tea, a better lid option would be the Hot Shot lid. YETI's ResponseAs far as YETI’s stance goes, their response to one reviewer was “what you are experiencing isn’t something that happens often but can be caused by cross-threading and/or over-tightening your Chug Cap. Over time this will strip the threads.”  YETI's response to chug cap threads stripping We find this response a little disingenuous given that many people are having this same issue, especially when you consider that a large number of people experiencing this threading problem probably won’t take the time to write a negative review. That being said, YETI’s diagnosis of the root cause of the problem seems to be accurate. What Can You Do about YETI's Chug Cap Threads Stripping?#1 - Get a Replacement
If the button link doesn't work, go to https://www.yeti.com/warranty-information.html. Then under “READY TO GET STARTED?”, click the link for “WARRANTY CLAIM FORM”. #2 - Get a Different Brand If you’re deciding which bottle to buy and don’t want to run across this issue, one obvious solution is to choose a different bottle brand. There are plenty of water bottles on the market today, and some bottles like Takeyas usually come with a chug cap included. One thing we love about Takeyas is that the spout cap is attached to the cap base, so there’s no chance of losing or dropping the spout cap. ThermoFlask also has a similar cap style. Links to each bottle's listing on Amazon are included. #3 - Get a Different YETI Lid If you’re a YETI fanatic, you know that going with a different brand isn’t an option. In that case, consider using a different lid since none of the other lids seem to have the same type of threading issue. Currently YETI has six (6!) lid designs that fit their Rambler series bottles. We'll be testing all of them in an upcoming video, so stay tuned! #4 - Keep Using the Chug Cap, but Be Careful! Even though it may seem like we've been trashing on YETI's Chug Cap design, we actually really like it. If you want to stick with the YETI Chug Cap, just be mindful of how you use it. Make sure you have the spout cap aligned properly and perpendicularly to the base as much as possible before you start threading it on. To be extra safe, just give the spout cap an easy spin without adding extra force. The cap threads on really nicely and easily when it’s aligned properly, and then you can just snug it up a little more to make sure the seal is leak-proof. Whatever you do, don’t pull out the gun show. You shouldn’t have to use much force or effort to get a good seal, so if it feels like you’re straining to get the cap on, then odds are it’s not aligned properly.  We hope that YETI will take a closer look at their Chug Cap soon and redesign to help prevent this issue from happening, either by fine-tuning how the threads interact, changing the plastic composition, or maybe even overhauling the design.
4 Comments
Eric
1/20/2023 06:37:00 pm
I just submitted a claim to yeti for this exact reason and then this page came up as one of my suggested pages. If you use it for hot drinks the heat makes the threading more malleable so when you tighten it down it strips easily. I normally use hotshot cap for coffee but was late for an RMV appointment and didn't have time to clean my only hotshot cap, my bottle cap failed while I was waiting in line (can you say FUN!). If they changed the material to match their other caps this wouldn't happen nearly as much.
Mike
1/23/2023 08:45:27 am
Thank you for the comment! We tested a warm drink when we were making this video thinking that heat could be a factor, but it didn't have an effect for us. Maybe we didn't get it hot enough for long enough to affect the threads. After hearing that you experienced this issue because of heat, we've updated our post and video descriptions to include a recommendation to use a different lid for hot drinks. Thanks again.
Paul
3/7/2023 07:52:58 pm
There's a better way to not cross thread caps, or anything with threading. Put the threads together like you normally would to thread them, and then rotate them opposite the thread direction until you feel a click (this is the threads lining up). Then rotate to tighten.
Laurel Herzog
8/25/2023 06:05:17 pm
I have had two chug cap lids break down in the the threads - I think it's due to extreme outdoor temperatures. If the cap is left off the bottle for a short time in extreme temperatures (think Texas in the summer), the threads of the cap become too malleable, then distort when replaced on the bottle. I'm going to submit a claim to Yeti now that I've experienced this twice. Leave a Reply. |
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