Walking through the RMA halls, or frankly anywhere in America today, you are bound to see several people with a stainless steel Yeti Rambler or a bright colored S’well bottle. So far, these pieces of drinkware have been huge fads in 2016. Yeti Coolers, Orca Coolers, Camelbak, and S’well are just a few companies that are very popular producers of heavy duty, cold-keeping, heat-retaining, cups and bottles. Yeti has taken it a step farther and has started a whole line of drinkware. Yeti makes a koozie, called the Rambler Colster, a tumbler, called the Rambler Tumbler, that comes in 20 and 30 fluid ounces, a small cup, called the Rambler Lowball, that holds 10 ounces, and even a line of water bottles, named the Rambler Bottles, that come in sizes 18, 36, and 64 ounces. S’well is not far behind Yeti in that they have lots of bottle options as well. They make 3 sizes that include 9, 17, and 25 ounce options. They have many colors, textures, and finishes to go along with the sizes. All of their bottles are equipped with a screw top. This week, we tested which bottle would hold ice the longest.

The purpose of the test was simply to see which bottle could retain ice for the longest period of time. I used Maxwell Miller’s S’well 17 ounce bottle, and my personal Yeti Rambler Tumbler 20 ounce. I put the same amount of ice in each of the cups and placed them in the Media Office with the tops on both. The Yeti was at a slight disadvantage because of the transparent top which also has an uncovered drinking hole. I believed that the S’well would hold ice longer due to the screw top, but not much longer. The room remained at a fairly constant temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit. We started the experiment on Tuesday at 1 PM and I checked the bottles 19 hours later. The S’well had about 80% of the ice remaining and the Yeti had about 65% of the ice remaining. The one day mark really set them apart as the S’well had 70% of the ice left and the Yeti had only 40% in existence after 24 hours. Finally, we checked two days later and sadly, the Yeti only had cold water. The S’well still had many ice cubes floating around. The S’well may have won, but it doesn’t mean it’s the best overall bottle.

Pros of the S’well:

• There are well over 50 color and pattern options to choose from.
• The stainless steel screw top makes it keep your drink colder longer.
• They fit very nicely in the palm of your hand.
• They are durable and rugged.
• They do not form condensation.
• S’well also works with UNICEF to provide countries with drinking water.

Cons of the S’well:

• They are pricey and range from $25-$45.
• They are kind of hard to find.
• They must be hand washed.
• They are not made in America.
• Their openings make it difficult to fit in large ice cubes.

Pros of the Yeti

• They are designed in Austin, Texas.
• A very sturdy container, they are nearly bullet proof.
• They are difficult to knock over.
• Many companies are making these Ramblers in different colors and textures.
• They are dishwasher safe.
• They are relatively easy to find.

Cons of the Yeti

• They are also quite pricey and range from $30-$40.
• They are not made in America.
• The transparent lid causes the ice to melt quicker.