Thermos bottles have been around for more than 100 years. A new type is made for your morning coffee or tea.
It stands 8 inches tall and can keep liquid hot half the day. Bring it on a hike, even stowed inside a backpack, and the vessel will not leak.
Called the Travel Tumbler, the $24.99 product melds a traditional Thermos bottle with a mug.
I have used Thermoses for years in the outdoors, from camping trips to winter ice climbs. Hot chocolate or dark coffee when you’re cold or far from the comfort of home is a godsend.
The brand’s basic technology hasn’t changed in decades. Stainless steel walls with an airless chamber in between allow liquids — hot or cold — to maintain a steady temperature nearly unaffected by the outside air.
I tested the Travel Tumbler against its thermo-regulating claims. The company touts 5 hours of temperature-maintaining effect for hot liquid and 9 hours for cold.
Indeed, ice chips floated in my drink still after a whole night uninterrupted on my kitchen counter. The ambient spring air, at about 60 degrees, did not effect my hot coffee much either. It stayed steaming hot even after 5 hours outdoors.
The Thermos mug — official name: Vacuum Insulated Black Trim Travel Tumbler — is hardly a new concept. Cup-like vessels of similar design have been around for years.
But the Travel Tumbler adds a new type of lid. It screws on tight and offers sips of hot liquid via a button that pops open a hidden valve.
Its lid is leak-proof when snapped closed. That’s something I appreciate for hiking, walking around the block, or with a cup of something hot (or cold) on a bumpy ride in the car. —Stephen Regenold
