****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
TLWR;Great cup that works as stated, unless you get a faulty lid, which Hydrapeak will warranty, or you can play the exchange game with Amazon until you get a good one.Get one if this cup fits your needs, and if you can deal with a little adversity if needed!----------------------------------------------------------I'll start by saying that my go to insulated cup is my trusty Bubba Hero XL that has lasted years of abuse and is still going strong and I will always recommend it. The lid is leakproof and I use a silicone straw, but to close it requires pulling the straw out (not always an option) or shoving the straw into the cup before closing and having to take the lid off to retrieve it. Other features that it has that I like are a silicone/rubber bottom and an open bottom handle (which I use to hang it on my work cart or even a pant pocket).I was looking for a larger cup with all the same features as the Bubba AND also a built in straw that's still leakproof. This has it all, but the reviews make it seem like it's too good to be true.The first one I purchased works very well. It's the bare steel model and it came with a small dent in it's side. I can't knock Hydrapeak for that, because we all know the randomness/barrenness of Amazon handling and packaging, lol. It is only a little larger than the Bubba, and it's mostly in the bottom diameter which means it'll fit in less cupholders than the Bubba. It fits in my car's cupholder just fine. I decided that if the dent didn't compromise the insulation, I'd keep it.My first test was filling it up 7/8's full of tap water, remembering to pop the sippy end as I installed it (remember, ANY Leakproof lid from ANY manufacturer NEEDS to be vented when installed) and leaving it upside down on a silicone drying mat for an hour to check its leakproof-ness. Verdict, 100% Leakproof.Second, for insulation effectiveness, I filled it 1/3 of ice and 1/2 of tap water (leaving 1/6 of the cup free), installing the lid and set it on the counter for 24 hours. It still had a little bit of ice left after that, so with proper cooling (chilling the interior of the cup before adding ice and refrigerated liquid) this cup should easily keep your drink cold for the claimed 34 hours. ?Now we come to the dreaded straw. When I first had the cup in hand, I flipped it up and took a pull. It felt like sucking on a straw against my hand, a tight vacuum. I noticed that the silicone vent was real tiny. Popping the sippy lid released the vacuum, so I said, "not a big deal if it helps the straw work properly." After testing the leakproof-ness, I flipped the straw and took another pull and it worked. The vacuum effect had almost vanished, only noticable when you flip the sippy lid open. When I finish a cup, the vacuum returns. None of this is a deal breaker for me.Built-in flip straws are very uncommon in cup lids. Most adult drinking vessels with them are bottles and that's not what people who are looking at this cup are looking for. If you get one built like mine, you shouldn't be disappointed. BUT if you don't get one like mine...* Here's the asterisk.I bought a second one for my mother, in the Rainbow color. The only thing I initially noticed different was the rubbery coating used on it. Has a great feel and seems durable.The next day I got a call from her telling me the straw wasn't working! So I stopped by to look at it. After close examination, I discovered that there are 2 versions of the 2 way lid. In picture 1, my lid has a large gasket that wraps around the 'nozzle' area for the straw which actually protrudes into the cup deeper and comes with a shorter straw. The rainbow cup lid in picture 2 has a small donut shaped gasket that had dislodged along the way. The flipper end didn't look like it was seated correctly as well. Even getting the gasket in place didn't correct it. It still didn't work. So it was time to contact Hydrapeak for a new lid.As I sent word for a replacement with Hydrapeak, I ordered a third cup. I know, crazy, but Amazon has an amazing return policy, so why not find out how bad it can be ASAP? Well, the second rainbow came with the same small gasket lid, but everything seemed installed correctly and it worked just like my first one did.Hydrapeak did contact me back, apologized and said they'd send me a replacement. We'll see how long that takes and I'll update this if and when I get the replacement lid or if there are any other issues.****Update****Received the replacement lid very quickly. They said they'd send me shipping info first, but it just showed up a week after the correspondence. It is the same style as my first one.Hydrapeak, you rock! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
