Some background, followed by a much-deserved song of praise:I came across this jug at the end of a long, frustrating search on and offline.
A rugged 1-Gallon''er would be an easy find, one would speculate: boy, I think I''ve heard celestial choirs when this one finally entered my radar. I spend much of my days driving, and I''m constantly, insatiably thirsty. Cup-holder sized bottles last me about 20 mins. on a good day, and constant gas-station layovers get old pretty darn fast. My duct-taped solution was to simply pick up a good ole'' 1-gallon handle of store brand distilled aqua, and stash it on the floor behind the passenger''s seat. Cheap, easy, and accessible. Right..?? Well, yeah... Except their push-in caps are so flimsy they''re almost gravity-dependent. And so a moderately aggressive lane change would invariably knock that bugger over -cap blasting out New-Year''s-Eve-style -and the next thing you know, you''re kneeling in some greasy parking lot for 20 mins., wasting two paper towel rolls in an futile attempt to soak up three inches of murky car floor sewage. 3-4 replays of this spiel, and you''re elbows-deep into a rigorous shopping escapade. A very promising, stupidly expensive PBA-Free (or whatever fancy acronym they used to justify the price tag) bottle from ''Whole Foods'' ended up leakier than an ''84 Corvette. So.. NOW WHAT??
Enter Columbia Upland. It takes no more than five seconds of inspection to become thoroughly impressed with the superb design and rugged construction of this container. A far-cry from your run-of-the-mill Walmart fare, this thing is clearly in it for the long-haul. The jug itself is made of industrial-grade material: tough, thick, unyielding and durable; an utter antithesis to the cheap, pliant plastic we normally associate with Rubbermaid jugs. Thanks to a snug-fitting cap, a hefty rubber washer, and a well-designed, retractable spout, the unit is indeed 100% leak proof -just as advertised. My baptism of fire -holding the filled-to-the-brim jug upside down for several minutes, and rigorously shaking it -hasn''t produced as much as a solitary rogue bead.
That was all I needed, but there was more: firstly, the hefty insulating sleeve. Living in the high desert, extreme temperatures year-round would readily freeze -or boil -anything left in a car with little effort. That sleeve would, at the very least, delay that outcome -and I consider that a huge perk.
The sleeve is also furnished with a thick, cushioned handle; an adjustable shoulder strap; and a velcro''ed side pocket for your random stashing needs.
Another cool touch is the FreezeStick(tm). Roughly the size of an ice pop, this puppy sports a fill cap on the bottom, while it''s top sits flush against the jug''s mouth. Just a nifty, built-in alternative to spout-clogging ice cubes.
In short -you really can''t go wrong with this one. The design and execution are damn near flawless -and I''m one picky SOB. The only thing you''d want to remember: whether you decide to use the freeze-stick or not, it has GOT to be installed for the jug to properly seal. I learned that the hard way -so you don''t have to. ;)
Buy Columbia Upland 1-Gallon Hydration Jug Now
This is one of the most ridiculous items that I''ve ever purchased. The other two reviewers seem to *love* it which is what convinced me to buy it. Therefore, please allow me to give you the other side of the story.1. What I wanted was a 1-gallon container that I could use to keep 1-gallon of liquid cold in my hot car. This container should be easy to drink from, easy to wash, sturdy, and does not spill.
2. What I should have purchased is a 1-gallon cylindrical cooler from either Coleman or Rubbermaid. Eventually I did do this. I got my Rubbermaid one for $9.99, and it is perfect. Instead, I also paid $21.99 for this ignorant thing. Don''t make the same mistake.
3. This thing is an oddly-shaped plastic jug that comes with an insulated sleeve that zips on to regulate the temperature. In principle, there is nothing wrong with the concept. However, the insulated sleeve does not keep the liquid as cool as the technology of an insulated cooler. That is the first drawback. (It''s more expensive and does the first job less well.)
4. Next, the thing is completely oddly shaped and not easy to drink from. With the cylindrical cooler, you either hold it around the sides or hold it by the upper handle. Since it is of uniform shape, it''s easy to drink from. This thing is not uniformly shaped. One side is narrower than the other. I''m assuming the narrow side is that way to better fit a human hand. However, it doesn''t. It''s awkward. It is much easier to drink from it holding it from the handle of the insulated sleeve. However, still it is extremely awkward. A gallon of liquid is heavy. Therefore, you have to be able to hold it in a non-awkward fashion distributing the weight uniformly in order for it to be of use. This thing misses that mark by a mile.
5. The odd shape of the thing also makes it topple over more readily in the car. A cylindrical cooler stands much more securely. This thing is hard to wedge in to a space in your car and so spends most of its time toppled over on its side leaking.
6. Yes, it leaks. It does leak. I am not saying that it runs like a sieve. However, it leaks. This even is true if you use the frozen inset cylinder. Other reviews state that it does not leak if you use the inset. Not true. It only would not leak if it had airlocked rubber around the rim. It does not. Thus, it leaks. It topples over and leaks.
7. Finally, what is the purpose of this thing? The insulated sleeve is camoflaged leading one to believe that it is something that you would take with you into the woods. No way! If you''re headed into the woods, you''re not going to wedge this heavy, awkwardly shaped, leaking thing into your backpack. (You''re going to bring a platypus bladder or some other similar contraption). So was it designed for you to put it in your hunting pickup and drive it into the woods? Maybe, but you''d be better off with a cylindrical cooler for less than half the money. So why? It really is not clear to me.
Bottom line: do not buy this thing. It''s ridiculous.
Read Best Reviews of Columbia Upland 1-Gallon Hydration Jug Here
Bought this for the size of the convenience however the cap doesn''t close correctly and in the meantime it has spill twice inside of my car. I called Amazon about and they had no idea what I was talking about however it was sold by them....INCREDIBLEWant Columbia Upland 1-Gallon Hydration Jug Discount?
The only complaint is the freezer piece inside is very fragile. Most of them are the same. If you drop them they crack. Once the ice piece is craked the jub will leak when you put it up to your mouth.
