On my ever-expanding quest to find companies creating amazing, eco-friendly outdoor gear, I came upon HYDAWAY, which specializes in reusable eat and drinkware innovations for people on the go.
Niki Singlaub, founder and chief designer with an impressive background in product development, recently sent me three products to try out: the 12 oz collapsible cup in red, the 16 oz collapsible drink tumbler with a beautiful Cascadia design, and their fern green 25 oz collapsible water bottle.
As a writer for the world’s first multifunctional dog bed – RuffRest® – I love sleek and compact products that do a lot of heavy lifting. As you can imagine, Hydaway did not disappoint.
On different days, I tried all of these items in various settings: at home, on the go, and on the trail. In every circumstance, they were very portable by compressing and tossing them into my bag, lightweight at just a few ounces, incredibly convenient for those times I needed a food or drink container, and a breeze to clean. Because these are reusable water bottles, one no longer has to buy the individual plastic ones. This saves a ton of money and is thousands of times more eco-friendly. I love having a lighter conscience, as well!
THE TEST
For the 12 oz collapsible cup, I tried both hot and cold breakfast foods. On day one, I poured myself some granola and topped it with some organic soy milk. The cup looked small but held an impressive amount of food (remember, it’s just 4 ounces shy of holding a pound). I was initially worried that my food would smell or taste plastic-y or chemical-y, but I was pleasantly surprised. Hydaway products are made with 100% food grade silicone and are BPA-free, to boot. My cereal stayed cold and tasted great – the same as it would have tasted in a ceramic or glass bowl. I loved how it felt in my hand, too – solid, densely packed, and small enough to palm.
The next day, I wanted to test the smell and taste of hot food by scooping some boiled oatmeal into the cup. There are products out there (I’m traumatized forever by you, Amazon) that mix silicone with plastic, resulting in off-gassing and leaching of chemicals. But not Hydaway. The results were the same as the day before: there was no smell or taste other than my maple syrup, cinnamon, and salted butter oatmeal! Pro tip: this little cup works great as a snack holder in the car. I popped it into my cup holder and poured some Corn Nuts into it. No more rummaging through infuriatingly-small snack bags or dangerously inverting them into your mouth while driving!
Later that day, I took my 16 oz collapsible drink tumbler with me while running errands. What’s brilliant is that even though it looks like it may not fit some cup holders (especially old cars with tiny cup holders), it’s malleable, so it can be squeezed into anywhere! I like that it comes with a koozie to keep drinks hot or cold. I had some iced tea with several ice cubes in there, and it stayed cold for over three hours.
Finally, on a trail run, I packed the 25 oz collapsible bottle with water and a packet of electrolytes mixed in. I love that you can either use the lift-up spout to drink, or, as I prefer, screw the lid off altogether and drink straight from the lip of the bottle (I didn’t want to get sticky electrolyte water in the spout). There is a handy little handle that lifts up from the lid, as well – which I used to attach to a carabiner inside my backpack to keep the bottle from sliding around. There is just enough space to slide a finger under the handle in case you want to carry it that way.
For a limited time, Timberdog fans can get their hands on Hydaway’s collapsible wares with an exclusive, 15% sitewide discount. Use coupon code TIMBER15 at checkout or simply follow this link.
As for a discount on the RuffRest Ultimate Pet Bed, sign up for our newsletter on timberdog.com, and use code ILOVEMYPUP10 to receive 10% off at checkout.