New Think Sport Stainless Steel Water Bottle is the Cadillac of BPA Free Bottles

by on January 16, 2008 in Kids Cups, Dishes and Utensils, Reusable Bottles for Adults

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I can’t wait another minute to tell you about the new Think Sport Bottle! It was created by the same masterminds behind Think Baby Bottles and Sippy Cups, which made me take a hard look at it right away.

What’s so great about these bottles? Here are my favorite features:

  • It’s virtually indestructible. I gave a very manly black Thinksport to my Dad, who we call Mr. Destructo for obvious reasons. He has done his best to crush it, break it, even force leakage – but to no avail! He gives it a hearty thumbs up.
  • It’s just so darn good looking. The bottle is not only attractive, but its shape is perfect for gripping.
  • It’s insulated. This is what distinguishes it from other non-plastic bottles I’ve used. My drink stays cold for hours with no condensation on the outside.  I’ve had ice cubes left in my bottle after six hours in the hot sun, and when left inside, ice water stays cold for up to 24 hours!  Prefer to drink hot tea, coffee or cocoa?  The Think Sport bottle will keep is warm for up to 8 hours while remaining cool to the touch.  Amazing.  Read more about our experiment on that here.
  • It’s a safer alternative to toxic plastic. The bottle is free of bisphenol-a, lead, phthalates and cadmium. There is no lining on the inside of the bottle and the company does third party testing to ensure it stays toxin-free.
  • It’s the perfect size. The large bottle holds 25oz and the small bottle holds 12oz.  The spout is the perfect size for taking a moderate size swig. It also comes with a little screen that snaps into the larger opening (which by the way is great for adding full size ice cubes to my drink). The screen helps keep tea leaves and ice from blocking the opening.

Well, that gives you a good look at my new best traveling companion. I don’t go anywhere without it.

Jeremiah of ZRecs fame challenged Think Sport to a BPA Free Water Bottle Showdown on his new blog Gardenaut. We weren’t surprised at all to hear that our favorite 25oz Think Sport bottle won the contest hands down!

Kathy of Safemama also tried a Think Sport bottle out too. You can read her review here.

>> 10 EXCUSES to Buy a Stainless Steel Water Bottle

>> Top 5 Stainless Steel Water Bottles

UPDATE 4/29/08: Think Sport bottles are now available in a “Mini Me” size! The 12oz stainless steel bottles just hit the shelves at The Soft Landing.

UPDATE 5/14/08: The manufacturer has recently upgraded the Think Sport bottle strap assembly. The strap is much more durable, but also more difficult to twist open/closed at first. It just needs to be broken in like a new pair of shoes, then you’ll have the most wonderfully durable and intensely insulated stainless steel bottle on the market. It’s our personal all-time favorite!

UPDATE 9/22/08: NEW 12oz black Think Sport bottles are now available!  The 25oz black Think Sport bottle is finally back in stock too.

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  • Dana

    I agree, if it was manufactured in Canada or USA I would purchase this. People want close to home manufactured goods and are willing to pay the higher price tag. People are tired of everything they own made in China, Vietnam, Pakistan etc. Bring it home-people will pay for a “homemade” product.

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com softlanding

    Hi Kristina and Dana,

    You both mentioned wanting a stainless steel bottle made in the US or Canada. We’ve never found one, and we’re acquainted with every bottle currently on the market. The makers of Thinksport made a valiant effort to manufacture their products in the US, but they found it was cost-probitive at close to four times the amount. No one, not even someone dedicated to China-free lifestyle would pay $90 for one water bottle.

    While China isn’t our first choice for product origin, we are happy to purchase products from a well-respected company like Thinksport. Their testing practices and quality monitoring are far beyond most companies, so we know we’re getting a non-toxic product.

    If you’re choosing to avoid China-made products in an effort to shop closer to home (decreasing transportation costs etc), then we encourage you to continue doing so. If you believe that avoiding all products made in China equates with product safety across the board, you might be surprised to read the HealthyToys.org FAQ detailing the percentages of toxic test results of China-made vs. US-made products for 2008. Their testing results are proof-in-point that the country of origin does not automatically determine toxicity. It’s more the company doing the producing than the country of origin.

    Sincerely,

    Alicia

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com softlanding

    Hi Kristina and Dana,

    You both mentioned wanting a stainless steel bottle made in the US or Canada. We’ve never found one, and we’re acquainted with every bottle currently on the market. The makers of Thinksport made a valiant effort to manufacture their products in the US, but they found it was cost-probitive at close to four times the amount. No one, not even someone dedicated to China-free lifestyle would pay $90 for one water bottle.

    While China isn’t our first choice for product origin, we are happy to purchase products from a well-respected company like Thinksport. Their testing practices and quality monitoring are far beyond most companies, so we know we’re getting a non-toxic product.

    If you’re choosing to avoid China-made products in an effort to shop closer to home (decreasing transportation costs etc), then we encourage you to continue doing so. If you believe that avoiding all products made in China equates with product safety across the board, you might be surprised to read the HealthyToys.org FAQ detailing the percentages of toxic test results of China-made vs. US-made products for 2008. Their testing results are proof-in-point that the country of origin does not automatically determine toxicity. It’s more the company doing the producing than the country of origin.

    Sincerely,

    Alicia

  • Gerry Picha

    I bought 3 bottles, the bottles seem great but how come no one mentions that you can’t get the little screens out because the handle doesn’t stay on and the plastic strap that holds the cap on isn’t lasting 60 days. One is broken and the others are getting that way..

  • Gerry Picha

    I bought 3 bottles, the bottles seem great but how come no one mentions that you can’t get the little screens out because the handle doesn’t stay on and the plastic strap that holds the cap on isn’t lasting 60 days. One is broken and the others are getting that way..

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com softlanding

    Hi Gerry,

    That’s not a common occurrence with Thinksport bottles, so that’s probably why you haven’t seen it mentioned here before. Thinksport ran into a few bottles with handles that popped right off, and they’re offering replacements for those.

    You might just contact the company you purchased your bottles from and let them know. You can also contact Thinksport directly at info [at] thinksportbottles.com – they’re really great about handling situations like this.

    Alicia

  • Laura

    For those looking for stainless steel bottles manufactured in Canada, both Purica and Watergeeks look to have manufacturing plants in Canada. Purica advertises itself as 100% Canadian. The Watergeeks bottles can be purchased right from their website, and for Purica, go to their “Where to Buy” link and there are some online retailers listed. My husband purchased one of the 18oz Purica double walled flasks and he loves it.

  • Laura

    For those looking for stainless steel bottles manufactured in Canada, both Purica and Watergeeks look to have manufacturing plants in Canada. Purica advertises itself as 100% Canadian. The Watergeeks bottles can be purchased right from their website, and for Purica, go to their “Where to Buy” link and there are some online retailers listed. My husband purchased one of the 18oz Purica double walled flasks and he loves it.

  • Laura

    Also, should have mentioned that Purica and Watergeeks bottles are comparative, if not cheaper than the other bottles mentioned previously.

  • Laura

    Also, should have mentioned that Purica and Watergeeks bottles are comparative, if not cheaper than the other bottles mentioned previously.

  • cherie

    I was just wondering: why did you state that there are no Canadian made bottles, and Laura just listed 2 companies?

  • cherie

    I was just wondering: why did you state that there are no Canadian made bottles, and Laura just listed 2 companies?

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com Alicia

    Hi Laura and Cherie,

    Thanks for pointing out the Purica and Watergeeks bottles, Laura!

    I’ve contacted both companies and I’m waiting to hear about whether they’re actually made in Canada or not. If so, that will be exciting news!

    @Cherie – hopefully you realize that we wrote this article back in early 2008, so many of our comments/updates were made before these new possibilities were available :)

    We’ll let you know what we find out,

    Alicia

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com Alicia

    Hi Laura and Cherie,

    Thanks for pointing out the Purica and Watergeeks bottles, Laura!

    I’ve contacted both companies and I’m waiting to hear about whether they’re actually made in Canada or not. If so, that will be exciting news!

    @Cherie – hopefully you realize that we wrote this article back in early 2008, so many of our comments/updates were made before these new possibilities were available :)

    We’ll let you know what we find out,

    Alicia

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com Alicia

    Hi Laura and Cherie,

    We just heard back from Watergeeks with a very helpful clarification on which products are made where:

    “All of our plastic bottles are made in Canada or the USA including all drinking bottles and personal hygiene product (shampoo, soap, etc) bottles. The stainless steel drinking containers currently come from China. Like most of our competitors, we also have our stainless steel bottles manufactured overseas to ensure we can price them competitively without having to sacrifice quality or safety. We use the same high quality, food grade, stainless steel used in the cookware and utensils you have around your home to ensure they are safe to drink from. We also test the products coming from overseas throughout the year to ensure they are meeting the specifications we demand. We have looked at producing the stainless steel bottles in North America several times but it is too price inhibitive.”

    Hope that helps clear up any confusion,

    Alicia

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com Alicia

    Hi Laura and Cherie,

    We just heard back from Watergeeks with a very helpful clarification on which products are made where:

    “All of our plastic bottles are made in Canada or the USA including all drinking bottles and personal hygiene product (shampoo, soap, etc) bottles. The stainless steel drinking containers currently come from China. Like most of our competitors, we also have our stainless steel bottles manufactured overseas to ensure we can price them competitively without having to sacrifice quality or safety. We use the same high quality, food grade, stainless steel used in the cookware and utensils you have around your home to ensure they are safe to drink from. We also test the products coming from overseas throughout the year to ensure they are meeting the specifications we demand. We have looked at producing the stainless steel bottles in North America several times but it is too price inhibitive.”

    Hope that helps clear up any confusion,

    Alicia

  • Paul

    I just confirmed with Purica, there stainless steel water bottles are also made in China. I have never seen a stainless steel water bottle made anywhere but China, so I was suprised to hear otherwise. There are not so good manufactures in China, BUT there are also some very good ones. ThinkSport and Klean Kanteen seem to have very good products, but there are lots of low quality stainless steel water bottles out there. One of which is one I recently found at Walgreens by SubZero for under $4. Although it stated it was stainless steel, it was of very low quality and of dubious safety standards.

  • Paul

    I just confirmed with Purica, there stainless steel water bottles are also made in China. I have never seen a stainless steel water bottle made anywhere but China, so I was suprised to hear otherwise. There are not so good manufactures in China, BUT there are also some very good ones. ThinkSport and Klean Kanteen seem to have very good products, but there are lots of low quality stainless steel water bottles out there. One of which is one I recently found at Walgreens by SubZero for under $4. Although it stated it was stainless steel, it was of very low quality and of dubious safety standards.

  • AnnaZed

    Will this bottle fit in thewater bottle cage on a bike?

    A standard one like this:

    http://www.rei.com/product/735868

    what is the diameter of the bottle?

    anyone know?

  • Barb

    So, how much does it cost??? Shipping too or where to purchase one near Dayton, Ohio

  • http://thesoftlanding.com thesoftlanding

    Hi Barb,

    You can find Thinksport bottles in 25oz for $20 and 12oz for $16 at our store (http://www.thesoftlanding.com). To estimate shipping charges, just add items to your cart and enter your zip code.

    Best,

    Alicia

  • Sylvia

    Hello I too have been looking for a water bottle made in Canada but does not appear to exist. I found an item from a Canadian company (made in China) called PureHydration. They are similar to the ThinkSport bottle but look nicer and come in 3 sizes with 2 screens. When I emailed them to ask where they were made they also told me the factory is ISO certified.
    (http://www.pure-hydration.com) is the url.

    Sylvia

  • Jianbaoju

    Wiggy's has stainless water bottle, MADE IN USA… not cool looking but definitely USA made.

  • bigbuddha

    Wiggy's site says it's made in India.

  • bigbuddha

    Wiggy's site says it's made in India.

  • Crickette

    I wish the Thinksport bottles came in 1Liter sizes :(

  • lindie

    ThinkSport has a very nice design and is a great product. We also have a nice stainless steel bottle that you should check out. <ahref=”http://urbancanteen.com/stainlesssteelbottles

  • kmakifl

    I just got my 25oz bottle, does the top pop up for a sip bottle also? There was white ring in the package, does this stay all the time?

  • Edoles

    where are they made

  • http://www.thesoftlanding.com softlanding

    Hi Gerry,

    That’s not a common occurrence with Thinksport bottles, so that’s probably why you haven’t seen it mentioned here before. Thinksport ran into a few bottles with handles that popped right off, and they’re offering replacements for those.

    You might just contact the company you purchased your bottles from and let them know. You can also contact Thinksport directly at info [at] thinksportbottles.com – they’re really great about handling situations like this.

    Alicia

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