I am using Camelbak products for over 20 years and they never disapointed me. When Camelbak asked me to test their new Podium® Steel 22oz Bike Bottle I was excited and intrigued at the same time.
About Camelbak
Bicycle enthusiast Michael Eidson was competing in the “Hotter’N Hell 100,” and that’s exactly what it is to this day: a 100-mile road race, over four days in the grueling summer heat of Wichita Falls, Texas. Water is vital to surviving the race, but there are few places to refill, let alone time to stop. An emergency medical technician by trade, Eidson came up with a solution on the fly: he filled an IV bag with water, slipped it into a white tube sock (yes, an actual tube sock), and stuffed the whole contraption into the back of his bike jersey. He then threw the hose over his shoulder and clamped it shut with a clothespin. Hands-free hydration was born. And CamelBak was created to pursue it.
The Podium® Steel 22oz Bike Bottle
When you’re charging uphill, you need hydration that’s close at hand but stays out of your way. Our Podium® Steel 22oz is made from premium 18/8 stainless steel with a sleek design and expanded capacity so you can carry more water without ever slowing down. The high-flow cap means there’s no squeezing necessary, so you can stay focused on crushing your PR, not your bottle. Built with a double-wall vacuum insulation to keep things cold for your entire ride, and a leakproof lockout that makes spills a thing of the past, it’s the first thing you’ll reach for when you need to refuel for the road ahead.
Features
- GREEN: Made with safer chemicals, designed to preserve resources and diminish disposables.
- Double-Wall Vacuum Insulation: Temperature defying chill
- Lightweight Design: So lightweight you might forget it’s there
- Hours Cold: 18 hours
- No Squeeze Required: Just grab, lift, and sip
- 18/8 Stainless Steel: Tough as nails, but doesn’t taste like them
- High-Flow Cap: Logic-defying sipping ease
- Leakproof Lockout: No spills, all thrills
- Optimized Cage Fit: Fits most bike cages
- BPA Free: Ride dirty, drink clean
- Easy-to-Clean: Made for that post-ride convenience
- Compatibility: Universal Cap System
- Wears In, Not Out: Built tough enough to endure the scrapes and scratches that are inevitable with bike cages, both Podium Steel and Titanium will likely eventually show some light wear that doesn’t sacrifice the integrity of the bottle itself.
Testing
It occurred on a 3 months period with a lot of temperature variations. The first thing as a reflex you will probably do is to try to squeeze the bottle and after few attempts, it will go away. The high flow cap is perfect and allows to have the perfect sip each time you need it. Since I have carbon fiber bottle cages, I did not encounter any scratches but I drop it a few times and it never dinged.
In conclusion
For me the Camelbak podium steel is a no brainer when its comes to cycling but you need to be willing to invest a little bit to get these at a price of 59.99$ cad
