Review of the vapur Shades Collapsable Water Bottle

The vapur_® Shades ½ L water bottle actually lives up to the hype surrounding it. This is definitely not your standard collapsing camping bottle. Talk about handy and durable! Made by the Vapur company in the USA. It comes in many different colors and several patterns, so everyone is sure to find a pleasing color: gray, green, cyan, pink, purple, and several different patterned designs. I chose “cyan” (a nice almost-cobalt blue color).

• It collapses as you drink the water, taking up less and less space among your stuff.
• Its leak-proof claim seems to be valid, with a very modern, high-tech looking gasketed main lid and sipping “straw”.
• It is also convenient because you can get a tremendous amount of water out to drink through a fairly small-diameter sipping tube (the “custom Vapur SuperCap”) simply by squeezing the container.
• Although the incredible seal is tough, it is very easy to open, even by folks with mild arthritis issues.
• 3-ply construction is very durable for camping, picnicking, and other random occasions in addition to being super convenient on your desktop at work or on your lap.
• The bottle is VERY efficient at dispensing large quantities of water quickly.
• For everyone’s benefit, it is made out of BPA-free nylon and polyethylene.
• It comes with a detachable carabiner to hook to your daily gear anywhere that’s convenient.
• It's awesome for travel because you can squeeze it into small spaces, especially when it's empty and you roll it up.
• You can even add ice through the wide-mouth opening!
• The company’s web site (https://www.vapur.us/) FAQ says that they will last 3-4 years depending on “use and abuse”.
• And, the price is right: around $10 and under.

and, saving the best for last:

• It’s dishwasher safe.
• It’s freezer safe.
• No, it doesn't do windows. Sorry.

So, next time you exercise, go hiking or rock climbing, or have a kids’ party, toss a couple of these in with your gear or in the freezer in case any bumps require a soft, gentle ice pack that’s reusable time and again, washable inside and out, and multi-purpose.

• Don't fill the bottle all the way up and then drop it on the floor or it will break apart at the seams.
• I assume that when using this product in the freezer it should similarly be filled only slightly with water, but no such warning was on the packaging.
• One thing I learned right away: don’t fill up the bottle, open the lid, and squeeze water into your mouth with both hands like you might a regular bottle: I got drenched the first sip I took.
• This might not be a good choice for young or even school-aged children because, as I mentioned above, it’s easy to get a lot of water all over the place.
• This might not be a good choice for households with dogs or cats that like to chew on everything: my guess is that one bite from a cat or dog would either puncture the walls of this bottle causing immediate leakage, or would significantly weaken the walls in multiple places, thereby reducing the life-expectancy of the bottle. If used to pour water into a cup or pet dish, and if monitored closely to keep it away from biting dogs and cats, I see no reason why this wouldn’t be ideal for them, also.

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