CamelBak Podium® Chill™, Water Bottle, 21 oz, Black

Replaced my old Podium Chill bottles with the new ones. The biggest positive is that they better fit a variety of cages. Of the five varieties of cages that I use, they fit them all well. The shape works well in that the bottles sits straight in the cage. As always, they keep drinks cool nicely.

I just love these Camelbak bottles. The single greatest feature is no having to physically pop open the drinking spout. Once the open valve is turned to the drink position, the bottle self seals and all you have to do is squeeze. I simply cannot have another type of bottle. My particular model is in a nice yellow and even has reflective surfaces. They are light and keep liquids fairly cool for at least an hour. When it's hotter than 90f (30c), then the insulation doesn't last that long, but it really has not been a problem with me. Overall, these bottles are amazing!

I live in Eastern North Carolina where it not hot but humid. Insulated bottles are not a luxury, they're a must. These things flat out work. Also, they're easy to clean.

These Podium Chill bottles are GREAT! , keep beverage cooler, fit cages good, easy to clean , have replacable parts and very stylish color & graphics with PBA . WOW ! Dan

I wanted a bottle to put in the cage that holds a beverage on our bikes. We had been taking a ordinary bottle of water. Most of the time we would be chasing it because it didn't fit well in the cage. The CamelBak did the trick. Fits our cages well and dose not fall out. It stay cool long enough for our rides. If I was out longer then a couple hours then I would want something that stays cool longer. I find the bottle easy to drink out of. We bought two and my wife had a little learning curve. Both of us found the on and off lever very tight and difficult to move with out two hands. Makes it a little difficult to take a drink while actually riding. When drinking the water has "0" taste of plastic. Kudos to the engineers that choose the material. Feels great in the hands and doesn't slip in you hands. Nice product. I would have given it a 5 except for the extra tight lever to turn the water on and off.

The bottle definitely keeps water colder longer than a standard bottle with no insulation. Will it keep ice for hours? No, it won't, but it isn't designed to function like this. It's not a vacuum insulated bottle. They advertise twice as long as a standard bottle and I'd say that's about right. What I like about it the most is that it seals. On long rides, I mix powder with my water. I have never had a standard water bottle that didn't seep at least a little. The seepage causes the bottle to get all stick and sometimes if roads are really bumpy it dribbles down the side of my bike. Not the end of the world, but annoying nonetheless. The Camelbak bottles seal nice - both the cap and the nozzle.

Many people here have complained that they could not find cleaning info. I just bought my bottle yesterday so don't have an informed review, but complete cleaning instructions are on the site. Go to the Help Center, Care and Cleaning. There is a section for each product, with text and a video. Could the highlights be on the tag or bottle? Yes, there is definitely room for improvement in communication. And yes, it is upper rack dishwasher safe.

The clear plastic part at the mouth ripped immediately. This bottle also has an annoying small inner part that separates from the cap in order to wash, which is easily lost.

I bought these bottles because the redesign was supposed to be easier to use and clean. While yes, the parts do come apart and are easier to clean once disassembled, the process actually hurts my fingers. I am not making a mountain out of a molehill here--turning the valve via the small wing arms hurts because the edges are too sharp, and the fit is too tight. The old version could be unlocked with one hand or with the bottle in the cage, but the new one is so tight that you have to hold the top in place so it does not come unscrewed while opening the valve. Taking the top apart to clean is even worse. Pushing the valve through the top requires you to again press your fingers against sharp plastic edges to force it through, and popping the retaining ring back in place when reassembling is equally painful. It would be one thing if this was just due to initial tight fit, but I have disassembled these bottles after every use to stay on top of keeping them clean, and they have continued to be a challenge. I would also chalk it up to an outlier with tight manufacturing tolerance, but I bought six of these bottles (two insulated 21oz, three standard 24oz, and one 21oz with dirt cap), and they are all terrible.

This is my first CamelBak product. Can I put it in the dishwasher? It's got a big tag with no real useful information. It says to go to the website for care instructions. This is irritating. I don't want to have to do more work to find out information that every other plastic food container I have ever bought has imprinted on it. Anyway, I go to the site and what do I find? Nothing about what I was told to come here for. I find the product (this one, of course) and does it tell me if I can put in the dishwasher? Nope. I wasted 15 minutes rereading the description over and over. Don't think I did.