We reviewed the Under Armour water bottle to see how the popular brand stacks up against the stiffest competition at a similar price point.
Most people agree that they don’t drink as much water as they should. Water bottle manufacturers have attempted to change this habit by producing water bottles with more pizzazz.
The most popular bottles these days are sleek and stylish. Optimized for on-the-go lifestyles, they’re insulated to keep contents hot or cold for hours on end. With so many competitors on the market, Under Armour rose to the challenge and began producing its own snazzy water bottles.
The Under Armour Water Bottle |
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Under Armour is an athletic apparel brand that has been around since the mid-1990s. The Under Armour water bottle is just one product in the company’s arsenal. Even so, you can likely find an Under Armour water bottle that works best for you. The brand offers both stainless steel and plastic choices when shopping through their website. In our review, we’ll be focusing on their best-selling Under Armour Dominate bottle. It’s truly the best all-around water bottle Under Armour has to offer. To see how it triumphs in the market, we compared several aspects of the bottle to some of its toughest competition Specifications: Under Armour Water BottleWith water bottles, you’ll want to pay close attention to capacity and temperature retention. Not all stainless steel bottles are insulated, and it’s this insulation that keeps your drinks cold all day. The target food grade for water bottle stainless steel is 18/8, and any plastic components should be BPA-free. Other potentially important features to consider are the color options or lid style. What You’re Getting: Under Armour Water Bottle
What You’re Paying For: Under Armour Water BottleWhen you invest in a water bottle, you’re getting some nice features to make the investment worthwhile. Insulated stainless steel means the bottle won’t sweat in the heat, and the liquid will stay cold for several hours. Stainless steel is also tough; it’ll handle accidental bangs and falls better than plastic bottles. With stainless steel, you also usually don’t have to worry about BPA.
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Capacity
Under Armour has the largest capacity at this price. It tops out at 24 ounces, with the S’ip by S’well bottle close behind at 23 ounces. The Klean Kanteen classic in our comparison only has a volume of 20 ounces, and the Hydro Flask allows for 21.
Temperature Duration
Before we explain the numbers, it’s important to know that Under Armour does not recommend using this bottle for hot beverages. Customers who tried reported that the contents stayed warm for up to 5 hours, but the company insists that the bottle is not built to handle high temperatures.
If you’re only planning to use the bottle for water, or other cold drinks, then this is not really an issue. The Under Armour Dominate should keep contents cold for up to 12 hours.
Hydro Flask and S’ip by S’well double this spec, claiming to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours. When it comes to hot beverages, S’ip by S’well beats the Hydro Flask with a hot duration of up to 12 hours versus Hydro Flask’s length of 6 hours.
Klean Kanteen blows all of these out of the water. Hot beverages should stay hot for up to 20 hours, while iced drinks can last up to 50 hours. The wording of the spec is worth noting because there is a difference between cold and iced. Iced implies that you’re adding ice to an already-cold beverage so that the ice will help it stay cold for a longer period of time.
This wording enables the company to claim a longer duration than drinks that go in cold without ice. Still, keeping hot beverages hot up to 20 hours is a significant difference from the other bottles in our comparison.
Color Choices
S’ip by S’well stands out as a brand for its variety of colors and fun patterns. These patterns, however, are only available on the smaller 15-ounce capacity bottles. The S’ip by S’well 23-ounce bottle comes in just seven colors with minimal variety. Still, you have two more choices than Under Armour offers in its 24-ounce Dominate.
Under Armour’s color choices are also quite neutral, with red being the brightest pop among the shades of gray and black. Not everyone wants a pop of color in their water bottle, but those who do may pass on this Under Armour bottle.
Klean Kanteen has 10 color choices, and Hydro Flask has 11. What’s great about Klean Kanteen is the option of matte finishes for an overall calmer look. The color options with both of these bottles are not only plentiful, but they also offer a wide variety, providing a rainbow of colors.
Lid Style
With lid style, there isn’t necessarily going to be a winner and a loser. Lid style depends largely on your personal preference and lifestyle. We do like that the Under Armour’s Dominate lid is a flip-top lid. With this design, you’re able to open the bottle one-handed by pressing a well-placed button with your thumb. All the other lids in our comparison have to be twisted off, requiring two hands.
Both the Klean Kanteen and Hydro Flask bottles have loops or handles incorporated into the design of the lid. This enables the bottle to be attached to bags. It also makes the lid easier to hold while drinking. S’ip by S’well’s bottle includes a basic silver cap. This brand does not offer alternative caps unless you want to purchase from a third party.
Hydro Flask provides the option of buying a sports cap for easier access to your water on the go. Be aware that this cap makes the bottle more expensive at almost forty dollars, and this cap is not leak-proof.
Grip Features: Under Armour Water Bottle
Under Armour is the only brand that has a silicon grip embedded in the design, to prevent the bottle from slipping from your hand. This type of grip is very reliable, but it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing. The other brands in our comparison appear sleeker with the absence of this grip.
Hydro Flask and Klean Kanteen solve the grip issue by using a powder-coat finish. This finish adds to its durability, and the added friction makes the bottle easier to hold. S’ip by S’well has no such solution, but the design of the S’ip by S’well bottle is thinner and taller, so it’s easier to wrap your hand around it.
Customer Satisfaction
When we look closely at the reviews themselves, it becomes clear that Under Armour has a problem with lid construction. Customers complain that their lids have broken after dropping the bottle. This problem is even more difficult because Under Armour doesn’t sell replacement lids. The product warranty claims to replace any piece at no cost but contacting the company does seem like a lot of hassle to replace something so small.
The biggest discrepancy in reviews seems to be the duration that beverages will keep cold. Most customers are quite satisfied and insist that their drinks stayed at the perfect temperature throughout their entire day. When you test the limits of each brand’s duration claim, it’s possible the reality won’t live up to what each brand is promising. However, most people who use it are going to consume the beverage within the time frame anyway.
Durability can be a subjective point to consider. Some customers report that the paint chips easily on Klean Kanteen bottles. Dissatisfied users of the Hydro Flask report similar problems. Of course, the durability of the bottle can depend on how rough you are with it.
How It Compares: Under Armour Water Bottle
There are several popular brands in the water bottle space. We researched a few of them and compared their specifications to those of the Under Armour Dominate bottle. While the bottles in this comparison are similar, there are some subtle differences that may affect user satisfaction.
Under ArmourDominate 24 oz.
Klean Kanteen Insulated Classic 20 oz.
S’ip by S’well 23 oz.
Hydro Flask Standard Mouth 21 oz.
All of these bottles are made using 18/8 insulated stainless steel. While the styles of the lids are different in each bottle, each one comes with a leak-resistant lid to guard against spills. The price of all of these bottles is nearly identical, but you’re getting a slightly different package with each one.
Pros and Cons: Under Armour Water Bottle
All things considered, the Under Armour Dominate has some good features but also comes with challenges. At this price point, it’s a solid water bottle that fits the bill for storing cold beverages.
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Cons |
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We listed the silicone grip as a pro, but users who are picky about the bottle’s appearance may consider this a con. Color choices, while limited, may not be a problem for someone who wants an elegant stainless bottle in beautiful blacks or grays. The lid wound up as both a pro for its design but a con for its construction. The flip-top lid may be convenient, but it requires using plastic to construct it. It will easily break when dropped.
Conclusion: Under Armour Water Bottle
Overall, Under Armour makes a good product here. You’re getting more drink capacity than you will with any other brand at this price point.
Its design stands out against its competitors with uncommon features, including the flip-top lid and integrated silicone grip. The duration it keeps cold drinks cold may not be the longest on the market, but if you’re drinking lots of water, you’ll refill the bottle before it starts to get lukewarm.
Customers who want a bright, fun water bottle won’t typically find one when shopping from Under Armour. However, some models offer both glossy and matte finishes for a sleek, sophisticated look. If you’re planning to primarily use your bottle for hot beverages like coffee, tea or cider, you’ll want to take a pass on this particular Under Armour water bottle.
Even though customers reportedly used it for hot beverages with good results, the company did not design it with this in mind. The bottle is more likely to fail if you don’t use it as suggested.
Under Armour’s poor lid construction continually comes up, even in the most positive reviews. It seems to be a consistent problem. If you’re set on the unique flip-top lid design, it’s worth trying for the benefits the rest of the bottle provides. Knowing the lid is fragile may just prompt you to be more careful with it.
When it comes to buying a water bottle, it all comes down to your personal preferences. You can’t go wrong with any of the bottles we discussed in this guide. Under Armour’s Dominate water bottle succeeds in most water bottle criteria and users continue to rate it highly despite its apparent problems.
