One of my resolutions for 2011 is to treat my body better, and an important part of that is drinking more water. I drink water every day and therefore always have a reusable water bottle of some sort in tow. The newest addition to my lineup is the ALEX water bottle, which I was sent in mid-December to try out. I knew if Long Tran from Yanko liked it, I probably would too.
ALEX stands for “Always Live Extraordinarily,” which I don’t think I do. My life is pretty boring, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t start now, right? ALEX launched last August by former Oakley Marketing Manager, Chris Hotell, his Mom, Marta Hotell, and his Olympic Snowboarder wife, Gretchen Bleiler. You gotta love family businesses.
ALEX is a BPA-free stainless steel water bottle but what makes it different from other reusable water bottles is that it’s modular. ALEX has both a screw-top and a screw-bottom — making it easier to clean and travel with. The modularity also allows you to have fun with it by mix-and-matching with other parts, which you can buy separately from ALEX’s website. It’s dishwasher friendly, the strap is made from recycled plastic water bottles, and it’s made of BPA-free 50% recycled, 100% recyclable. It’s also covered in eco-friendly powder paint.
I spent a lot of time with my ALEX — it hung out with me while I blogged, went to the gym, I brought it with me in the car to run errands, and to yoga. Overall, I really like it. It’s super easy to clean, which is probably my favorite aspect. So long as you tightly close the bottom and top pieces, there’s no leakage. One thing I think would be great is to make an ALEX cosy, because boy, does that stainless steel get cold — sometimes colder than the water inside! Overall, I really like the design and functionality of ALEX, plus it’s fun. In my book, that is a winning design trifecta.
Edit: Someone asked me if the water tasted metal-ish. It certainly has a different taste than my non-metal water bottles, but the taste is no different than any other metal water bottle that I have used.
Lydia Chambers on 02.22.2011 at 16:33 PM
It’s really pretty difficult to put style in a water bottle, but clearly this company has tried hard to do so. To me, it seems a bit overdone to the point where the bottles don’t look like water bottles, they look like medicine bottles. I don’t have any trouble keeping my stainless steel water bottle clean because the opening at the top is very wide. Also, I’d hate to have two places where my bottle could leak if it’s not screwed on correctly. I’m doubting these are worth paying a premium for.
AJ on 05.12.2011 at 14:26 PM
ALEX water bottle is terrific! It is super easy to clean and the seal is really not too difficult to figure out. I have also had FANTASTIC experience with their customer service. They have always replied promptly (within a matter of hours, even during the holidays), and have sent whatever I needed immediately (a lost piece, etc.).
This water bottle is a little over-the-top, but well worth it if you use it every day (which I do).