By Kotaro Ito & Justin Hsieh, Staff Writers
When it comes to student accessories at Fountain Valley High School (FVHS), few things are more ubiquitous than the Hydro Flask. Indeed, the quirky logo and bright matte colors are as much of a staple in everyday life as the refreshment of the cold water that they preserve. Yet in recent times, the increasing prevalence of functionally identical bottles sans the Hydro Flask logo, often at cheaper prices, have brought up an uncomfortable question: are Hydro Flasks overrated?
Since the Hydro Flask brand was born in 2009, it rapidly established itself and its products as some of the most classy, useful and widely appealing accessories on the market. The effective and practical technology, ergonomic design and distinctive outer coloring of the bottles won over the hearts of countless. People came to count on the everlasting chill that they provided. For a time, it was almost as if we were in a golden era of Hydro Flasks.
Then, strange things began to happen. Here and there, bottles began to pop up that were uncannily similar to Hydro Flasks, but were undoubtedly not the same. Unfamiliar caps, foreign colorways and alien logos made a quiet entrance into the sidelines of the accessories arena. For a time, they remained relatively unobtrusive, and we were largely able to dismiss them as knockoffs or outliers. Yet the fragile peace could not last. As more and more of these seeming impostor bottles began appearing in our everyday lives, loyal Hydro Flask fans were finally forced to investigate.
The bottles in question were primarily from two brands: Takeya (also known as ThermoFlask) and Fifty/Fifty. Like Hydro Flasks, the products of these brands used double wall vacuum insulation to keep beverages at desired temperatures for nearly identical time frames, if not longer. What’s more, they are often cheaper, with the 40 oz. models of Takeya and Fifty/Fifty ringing up at $34.92 and $29.95, respectively, in comparison with Hydro Flask’s $42.95. Takeya and Fifty/Fifty were also favored by many retailers, with Costco’s choice of ThermoFlask being one of the driving forces behind its diffusion into the mainstream. All of these advantages made it a matter of common sense to leave Hydro Flask for other bottles. Hydro Flask devotees responded by reflexively decrying the new brands as second-rate intellectual property thieves that must surely be of lower quality than the time-tested bottles that they held so dear.
This is where we are now. A survey of FVHS students revealed an approximate 50-50 (not to be confused with Fifty/Fifty) split between those who remain loyal to their trusted Hydro Flasks, and those who gladly took up the new bottles for reasons of cost and convenience. The divide runs through social groups and demographic cohorts, and can often pit friends against each other in debates about the respective merits of their favored bottles. So, who is right?
The answer: it’s complicated. Contrary to what many diehard Hydro Flask supporters will proclaim, Takeya and Fifty/Fifty bottles are neither disreputable nor technically deficient. In truth, the brands all use almost identical materials, technology and design. The younger brands are often more affordable. But it’s also far too early to write an obituary for Hydro Flasks. While they may have lost their edge in some aspects to their competitors, they remain one of the most well-respected, high-quality providers of insulated bottle technology on the market. Takeya and Fifty/Fifty have made remarkable strides in catching up to the Hydro Flask level, but the older company hasn’t been sitting still and watching them go by. Hydro Flask continues to develop at the cutting edge of their market niche, with ever-expanding options for bottle size, cap and color; container styles (including beer and wine, coffee, food, and cooler products); and accessories such as slings and boots, as well as a new made-to-order bottle customization platform.
At the end of the day, there really is no right answer. Hydro Flask did not invent vacuum insulation technology (in fact, it was first patented in 1909 by); it simply packaged it in a new and appealing style that brought it into popular use. If Takeya and Fifty/Fifty are able to do the same, more cheaply and easily, then perhaps the mantle will rightly be passed on to them. But in the ever-changing world that we live in, it’s impossible to predict. Even now, other brands like EcoVessel and MiiR are appearing on the market, bringing with them even newer design and technology (EcoVessel is actually triple-insulated). The important thing to remember is that this cycle of competitive rebranding happens all the time, and is a normal mechanism of a free market. So, no matter what the future may hold, for now the answer is simple: you do you.
