Drink to This

Sports bottles aren't just for athletes, runners and gym-goers anymore. They've become an important sidekick for the health-conscious person. We're all thirsty, but with water becoming the drink of choice, and those consuming it not wanting to dispose of dozens of single-use water bottles a week, end-users are seeking a reusable and reliable sports bottle. With a few fills, we easily can reach the recommended 64 ounces of water a day. Besides quenching thirst, here are some of the top demands end-users have for a sports bottle.

Make It Insulated
The same insulation that keeps your coffee warm in your tumbler keeps your water chilled in your sports bottle. For the user tired of drinking lukewarm water while on the go, insulation is your answer. Adam Kovar, vice president of operations for ETS Express Inc., Oxnard, Calif., has noticed end-buyers are going for higher price points, as they understand the more expensive models' insulating capabilities. "There's a huge difference from a single-wall to a double-wall bottle, but they're willing to pay more when they actually understand how it affects their experience. Which is they put cold water in it and three to four hours later it's still cold versus they put cold water in it, and it's a single-wall bottle, and then it condensates and sweats all over the desk or whatever paper they may leave it on—which vacuum doesn't do," he said.

Double-wall insulation reduces the amount of energy that is released from the bottle, retaining the internal temperature for a longer duration and eliminating that condensation. Vacuum is the most effective insulation, followed by foam and air, respectively. If your clients aren't sure which works for them, let them see them in action. "Send a foam piece. Send a vacuum piece to your clients and let them try it," Kovar said. "They almost always get hooked to the vacuum one unless they're just overwhelmed with the style of the foam one."