SAVE 10% £27.00
SAVE 10% £22.49
£23.99
£4.79
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Camelbak has improved the humble water bottle with a soft, lockable mouthpiece, better seal and materials that don't affect the taste of your drink.The beauty of the standard water bottle is its simple design and cheap cost. Carrying water in a bottle doesn't need to be overcomplicated – but that hasn't stopped Camelbak having a go at improving it. And after the first couple of glugs, the Podium won us over. It's basically a water bottle with a soft tipped bite valve replacing the tough plastic teat on regular bottles. The valve can also be locked off and the screw top is better sealed than your traditional design. Taste, or lack of it, is also noticeable and Camelbak's claim that it lets you 'taste your beverage – not the bottle' is spot on. The quality and versatility of the Podium makes the simple art of carrying and drinking water that little bit more refreshing. When we go out riding it's the bottle we've been grabbing before anything else. It's incredibly easy to use, gives a good flow rate and you don't have to worry about closing the valve after drinking.
Twice the price of a regular bottle – but worth it
Best known for the original rucksack water system, Camelbak is aiming to update the humble water bottle in a similar manner.A special plastic offers a soft, squeezy wall and less 'taste' to your water, but it's the cap/valve that's really clever. With a lockable valve it's possible to fill your bottle and leave it on its side or in a bag with no leaks, which makes it useful far beyond just cycling. The valve itself has also received some attention with a flap inside, similar to a ketchup bottle, which means you don't have to open or close it to use. Just squeeze it for water flow.At first it takes some getting used to but not opening the valve saves time when riding hard and has no downside.
Being able to lock the bottle is fantastic and means that the extra cost compared to a standard bottle is easy to justify.