Thermoses

A vacuum flask is an awesome invention. You’ll only truly understand its value when, after long hours in the frozen wilderness, you sit down next to the campfire, pour coffee in your mug that you made at home, and it is still hot! Hot damn! Or the other way round: when it’s hotter than hell, a double-wall insulated bottle keeps your drinking water cold for a long time. 

An insulated flask swings both ways and solves these first-world problems at once. No black magic tricks, simple physics: The vacuum bottle traps the heat or cold inside, and won’t let the outside air to fuck it up.

Which thermal flask is the best for you?

Most vacuum-insulated bottles are made for drinks— coffee, tea, water, etc. — and they either have a screw-on or a button-operated cap. The button-operated cap opens with one hand and is very handy when you’re hiking or cycling. And the old-school screw-on cap has worked in the days of yore and works now. It is simply a matter of preference and how you wanna use your flask.

There are also wider thermal bottles for food, which can easily fit the spoon. You can use them for soup, stew or porridge, and they are very easy to clean afterwards because of the wide mouth. If your world is so busy, that you only have time to eat your lunch from a thermos, these ones are the way to go. And even if it says food, you can also use it for drinks, too.

Thermal flasks are normally made from steel, which means that they are very durable, and you won’t be swallowing any microplastics. In other words, a BPA-free thermos is a good thing.

The size matters

Thermos bottles are found in many sizes, from half a liter upward. Select the size based on your needs. Half a liter is perfect for shorter trips. 1-2 liters is good for the whole day or for more people. Larger bottles weigh more, so there’s no point in hauling a huge canister with you when day-tripping alone.

Three things to consider when selecting a thermal flask

Volume: A small thermos is enough for short trips, a larger 1-2-liter flask is fit for more people or the whole day.

Mouth size: A narrow opening is better for drinks and the wider mouth thermos is better for food, such as stew.

Cap type: The button-operated cap is very handy when on the move; the screw-on cap is simple and very reliable.

The thermal bottle ain’t the tiniest piece of equipment to take along, but it might be sorely missed when you desperately need it and its in the cupboard at home.