I can sum up this review of the CamelBak Podium bottles with one statement:
Best. Water bottle. Ever.
…except for one thing: it’s not made with the new super-green biodegradeable plastics like this and this.  The functionality of the bottles is superb, though, and they are BPA-free.  It’s also quite pleasant not to have to smack the top of it against your ass when you’re riding to close the top.
Besides cycling use, they’re perfect for putting “purple juice” in for youngsters because they can be dropped, knocked over and otherwise thrown around without spilling insta-stains on your carpet.  They also smuggle margaritas into open air concerts quite well.
What else can we say about them?  Well, we weighed them.  Click ‘more’ if you care about that (Garmin obviously has a hidden advantage), otherwise, we highly recommend you replace your current bottles with these as the need arises, and we hope CamelBak makes the switch to a plastic that better addresses the cradle-to-grave concerns in future models.
Maybe it’s just my mismatched cages, but they look good on a bike, too.
69 grams for the BikeMonkey version (21oz).
76g for the silver one.  Interestingly, this one’s also harder to squeeze.  It’s one of the first ones we got, so I’m not sure if they’ve reduced their plastic use since launching them, or if the silver color causes the plastic to be slightly harder.  It’s a mystery that will never, ever be solved.
65 grams for the Garmin team bottle.  This must be why Tyler Farrar has been on a winning streak lately.  Lighter bottles.
102g for the Podium ChillJacket version.  The ChillJacket bottles are taller like the 24oz, but they only hold 21oz due to the internal displacement of the extra thickness.  This is my favorite bottle of all time, and it keeps a sports drink cool for at least 90 minutes on a hot, hot ride.  Worth every penny.
MSRP’s:
- 21oz: $8.00
- 24oz: $9.00
- ChillJacket: $12.00
