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Nearly 8 million viewers tuned in last night to see who would win Biggest Loser, Season 12.  It had come down to three guys — Ramon Madeiros, Antone Davis, and John Rhode.  Between the three of them, they had lost a total of 576 pounds.  John Rhode, a determined, focused contestant, crushed the final weigh-in, having lost an impressive 220 pounds, and took the title and the $250,000 prize.  (Along the way, he had also set the record for the contestant to lose 100 pounds in the shortest time.)

But Antone Davis and Ramon Madeiros acquitted themselves well, too, so there was really no “loser.” (Anna Kournikova, one of the trainers, said Ramon was “Hot”!)

Actually, all the men on Season 12 “Battle of the Ages” achieved remarkable success with their fitness, health, and weight-loss goals.  Vinny Hickerson came within 3 pounds of winning the “At Home” contest for previously eliminated contestants (he had started out weighing 426 pounds), and looked totally transformed, sporting an air of fitness and confidence, as did Patrick Ferrari.

61-year-old contestant Johnny Forger, who last night could not stop doffing the straw boater he’s taken to wearing, looked great and said “I’m 66, I feel 40!”

And, lest we forget, Ramon had to win the marathon to come back and make the final three.  It was a dramatic and, for the contestants, fulfilling season.

Even more remarkably, Dr. Rob Huizenga, the doctor for The Biggest Loser, reported that the fatty liver disease of the final three contestants had seen exceptional improvement — a reduction in the size of the liver of up to 2 inches was observed — and that two of them (John and Ramon) had beaten diabetes, a medically rare outcome that no drug (as Dr. Huizenga said) could bring about.

Here’s a video of the winning moment from the live Finale:

If You’re Feeling Inspired, the Biggest Loser’s Club Can Help You Reach Your Own Weight-Loss and Fitness Goals

If you’ve been watching The Biggest Loser and have been inspired to pursue your own health and weight-loss goals, did you know that The Biggest Loser’s Club is available to help?  The Biggest Loser’s Club is a comprehensive online weight-loss program that gives you access to the Biggest Loser diet and fitness approach used by the contestants on the show, which has been proven to work by many successful contestants.  The program can be tailored to fit your personal goals and lifestyle.

As a member of The Biggest Loser’s Club, you’ll get help tackling the daily challenges of eating and exercise; access to thousands of Biggest Loser recipes, meal preparation tips, and exercise demo’s (which are also all available on your mobile device); goals tailored to fit your height and weight; and the chance to interact with a community of others and communicate with experts to support your weight-loss program.

You don’t have to be on the show to lose weight.  If Vinny and Ramon can do it at home, so can you!  All you have to do is get started…

Check some of the online “Success Stories” from The Biggest Loser’s Club here.

Right now, The Biggest Loser’s Club is offering a good deal to help you get started:  join today at a special Introductory price and get 3 free books (The Biggest Loser Book, Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, and Biggest Loser Fitness Program)!

The Biggest Loser’s Club is run by Rodale, the publishing and media company that, for over 80 years, has been committed to helping people achieve better health, well-being, longevity, and fitness.  (Among other things, Rodale started the organic gardening movement in America.)

If you’re overweight, there’s no time like the present to not only “save” your life but to dramatically improve it!  If you’re inspired by the success stories you see on The Biggest Loser, take advantage of that inspiration to begin now to look better, feel better, and get more out of life.

Consider letting The Biggest Loser’s Club help you achieve your health, weight-loss, and fitness goals.  Take a look at their site and program by clicking here.

One final observation… If you watched the show, you noticed the new confidence and satisfaction expressed by the successful contestants.  They exuded well-being as they stood on the stage.  Ramon in particular was a “new man” — happier, healthier, more vigorous, more sure of himself. 

If you’re overweight, it is within your power to make the same transformation.  If you’re not overweight, but there are things in your life that are troubling you, why not make the same type of effort that The Biggest Loser contestants make to change it, to transform it to something better?

After all, Ramon, John, Vinny, and the rest were ecstatic about achieving a goal that many take for granted — being at a healthy weight and not dealing with pressing health concerns.  So, if you’re slim, why can’t you be just as happy as Antone, Jennifer, or Johnny?  If you’re at a good weight, but not feeling great, the only difference between you and them is that they have a new-found appreciation for themselves and what they can accomplish.  How they feel about themselves has been improved a thousand-fold.

And that’s the bottom line:  to be happy, you must feel good about yourself.

Just do what it takes to start making that journey.

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Now you can get a high-quality water bottle that is both functional and cool.  And it benefits other folks!  Check out  MiiR Bottles here.  MiiR is a relatively new company that combines practicality, attractive aesthetics, and a social conscience.  These are some of the best water bottles you will find — they work well, you can express yourself with their creative options, and you’re helping a good cause when you buy them.

First, the function:  MiiR Bottles are, of course, BPA-free (see my previous post on healthy, BPA-free water bottles).  They’re made of recyclable 18/8 stainless steel and are also phthalate-free and lead-free.  Even the lids, which are made of #5 polypropylene, have no BPA.   They come in 800 ml (27 oz.), 600 ml (20 oz.), and 400 ml (13.5 oz.) sizes.  The mouth is a good diameter for drinking, pouring, and adding ice cubes.  The bottles’ corners are rounded to eliminate bacteria buildup in the seam.  They’re also dishwasher-safe.

Second, the aesthetics:  MiiR Bottles currently come in 252 different configurations of color, cap-design, and cap-color, with more on the way.  On top of that, you can customize your bottle with a huge selection of “skins” that add an artistic pattern or image to the exterior (which has an inlay panel to accommodate them).  You can even design your own skin based on your personal photos or artwork (and, when you submit your design on the MiiR Community site, you’ll be eligible to win $200).  The skins are easy to place and remove.  And you get a coupon code for a free skin with every bottle you purchase.

Third, your purchase benefits others:  MiiR’s special mission is to make sure that every person in the world has access to safe, clean drinking water.  Currently, over 1 billion people throughout the world do not have healthy drinking water.  Water-borne diseases are a significant killer of children — 4,500 a day.  MiiR, along with charitywater.org, has set out to change that.  For every bottle MiiR sells, one dollar goes to support projects to provide clean drinking water to those who need it.  One dollar provides one person with good drinking water for a year. (See the video at the bottom of this post.)

Update on 9/8/11 — back-to-school deal:  Get FREE shipping on orders of $20 or more using coupon code BACK2SCHOOL (ends 9/30/11.)  Enter the code at checkout.

Imagine that:  buy a cool water bottle and benefit someone significantly for a year.  And when you buy any of the one4one design skins, 100% of the purchase goes to charitywater.org, which uses 100% of its donations to fund clean water projects.

Check MiiR’s website — it’s pretty extensive and creatively web-2.0-ish.  All of the above is described more fully there.  Read their blog to see info on current projects and success stories.

By the way, if you need some additional corroboration regarding their products… Backpacker Magazine chose MiiR Bottles as one of their recommended holiday gifts.

MiiR currently offers free shipping on orders over $40.

If you’d like to see additional water bottle options — such as for lightweight backpacking, or something larger for all-day use, or something collapsible, like the Platypus bottle — see my post on healthy, BPA-free water bottles.

MiiR // Digital Short 001 from MiiR on Vimeo.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too.  Thanks!

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Now that chocolate has been officially labeled as “healthy,” you can have as much as you want.  Not that that really made a difference to those of us who enjoy it — we would have had some anyway.  Here’s where to find some of the best chocolate in the world and realize your own chocolate paradise.

Yes, chocolate is delicious, but the discovery that chocolate contains important antioxidant compounds known as “phenolic phytochemicals” has exorcised the aura of guilt that used to surround this sensuous food (did you know that some women prefer chocolate to sex?).  So it’s been removed from the realm of “candy porn” and transformed into “health food.”  Who would have guessed such an agreeable turnaround would occur?

Well, Woody Allen, for one.  He anticipated the discovery of chocolate’s benefits by decades in his movie Sleeper.  (We’re still waiting for the updated word on cigarettes.)

5% Off Sitewide at Chocolate.com with coupon code MYSPRING! (until 6/30/11)

Chocolate has been on my mind lately.  (Not that it takes too much prompting for me to think about it.)   Easter is coming up and it occurred to me that there are two “candy-centric” holidays each year:  Halloween and Easter.  Eating sweets is an essential part of both celebrations — trick-or-treat candy for Halloween and an Easter Basket for Easter.   These holidays are about six months apart.  I guess that gives candy fans enough time to recover from one before indulging in the next.  Wouldn’t want to overdo it, right?  Except, since chocolate is good for you, why wait?  Unless you simply want to heighten your sense of gratification by making it a rare occurrence.  Regardless, whether you enjoy a chocolate bounty twice a year or give in to your craving daily, the opportunities to partake of great chocolate have never been better.  Get some for Easter, and beyond.  There’s so much good chocolate available that it will take you years to sample a respectable portion.   And new offerings being created all the time.  And it’s healthy!  Below are some great online sites to satisfy your hankering for chocolate.

Chocolate.com

Chocolate.com is the dedicated marketplace for some of the finest chocolate from around the globe.  In just a few short years, Chocolate.com has gathered together an outstanding collection of 208 individual chocolatiers under one online umbrella, selling an unparalleled selection of chocolate-based candy and other foods.  Their website is vast, well-designed, entertaining, functional, and intriguing.  Among other services, they offer customized chocolate gifts, where they design and make chocolate in a shape of your choosing, with your logo or text printed or engraved on it.  They can handle any size of gift from corporate to individual.  They also have an extensive collection of articles about chocolate.  Early in their history they affiliated with Chocolatier Magazine (which became Dessert Professional after merging with Pastry Arts) and the writers have created many articles for Chocolate.com. If you want to learn about the uses, history, nutrition, composition, and many other aspects of chocolate, browse through the articles section of their website.  (For example, if you read through the articles, you would find that chocolate does, in fact, grow on trees — the cacao tree, specifically — and that the scientific name for the tree derives from a Greek word meaning “food of the gods.”)  Chocolate.com also includes an extensive collection of customer reviews of their products, which is helpful when searching for just the right chocolatey thing, either for yourself or someone else.  They offer products that are vegan, organic, kosher, and fair-trade, all easily searched for and clearly described.  They are also known for their excellent customer service.

In other words, if it has anything whatsoever to do with chocolate, Chocolate.com probably has it.

Their website rewards careful browsing (and you can sign up for their newsletter and receive a $5 gift certificate).  Here’s an example of some of their goods:

Mavrakos Marshmallow Eggs from Chocolate.com

You’ll find maybe the best marshmallow eggs you’ve ever tasted from Mavrakos Chocolates, a legendary St. Louis confectionary, which disappeared for awhile (along with these eggs) but is now resurrected.  I’ve had these eggs myself (and given them as gifts) and they really are good.  Apparently the Mavrakos name inspires fond memories in those in and around St. Louis.  Here’s what one happy customer wrote:  “I recently made a trip back home to be with family and was in Dierbergs when I came across a table display with Mavrakos boxes.  I nearly fainted right then and there.  I was so excited, like a kid in a candy store (no pun intended…he he).  I immediately grabbed a big box of Pecan Burrs and held them to my chest and wonderful memories came flooding back.”

Everybody likes Peeps for Easter -- especially when covered with chocolate

Speaking of chocolate and marshmallow reminds me that Chocolate.com is offering quite a variety of candy for Easter.  For example, how about chocolate-covered Peeps?

Right now, you can also get 10% off your order at Chocolate.com using the code EASTER10 at checkout (the field to enter the code appears on the last page of the checkout process).  This is for a limited time, of course.

There are too many great chocolatiers on Chocolate.com to do them justice here; you’ll have to explore on your own.  But just to whet your appetite a bit more, how about Enjou Chocolat?  Started in 1983, Enjou Chocolat has become known as New Jersey’s best chocolate shop — in fact, they were voted Best Chocolate Store in New Jersey Life Health & Beauty Magazine’s “Best of NJ” issue.  They have been featured on Bobby Flay’s TV show “Food Nation” and the founder, Wendy Taffet, lectures on chocolate throughout the state.  They are particularly known for their custom-shaped chocolates.  For example, you might like to try their decadent Chocolate Champagne Bucket and Bottle — that’s right, a champagne bottle made of milk chocolate in a dark chocolate bucket surrounded by truffles (pictured at right).  Whoa.

See all of Chocolate.com’s vendors on one page here.

By the way, you can also find cookies, cakes, brownies, and fudge at Chocolate.com.  And if you know a chocolate lover, what better gift than a subscription to the Chocolate of the Month Club?

Savorique

Savorique is similar to Chocolate.com in that they aggregate many products, but instead of focusing only on chocolate, they include gourmet and specialized foods from around the world.  The common denominator is high quality — which means their sources for chocolate are the best:  artisanal confections from some of the most creative, cutting-edge chocolatiers around.

Gnosis Passion Truffles

For example, there is Gnosis Chocolate, which is dedicated to making the finest organic, raw chocolate using exotic, nourishing ingredients from a number of countries.  One of their best creations is their Passion Truffles, which use the fruit of the theobroma cupuaçu, a relative of the cacao (cocoa) tree.  Cupuaçu is one of the new “super-fruits” gradually coming to the forefront in the search for the most nutritious foods on the planet.  Not only is it good for you, Gnosis Chocolate’s rendition is delicious.   Their truffle recipes also include blue-green algae, coconut oil, and camu camu berry, all organic.

Here’s a video on the health benefits of cupuaçu:

That’s not all that Gnosis Chocolate offers, of course.  They have a variety of chocolate bars and their Hot Chocolate Elixir. 

Here’s a video of Vanessa Barg, founder of Gnosis Chocolate, describing how she goes about creating her luxurious yet healthful products:

Knipschildt Chocolates Signature Collection

Another indication that Savorique goes only for the best is Knipschildt Chocolates, voted one of the top 3 chocolates in the world by Gourmet Magazine.

When you open the box (made of handmade paper) of Knipschildt’s Signature Collection Chocolates, you know just by looking at them that you are in for something special.  Knipschildt uses only all-natural ingredients and each batch is made by hand.  Their chocolates are intended to be a multi-sensory experience.  If you can bring yourself to share these with someone else, don’t be surprised if they say it’s the most delicious chocolate they’ve ever tasted.

Knipschildt makes chocolate art.  And that is reflected in their Eve Kitten Designer Chocolate Bars , featuring images of Gotham’s so-called Lingerie Superhero (creation of designer Nancy Bacich).  Whatever her genesis, she tastes good.

Another unforgettable product from Knipschildt is their Chocolate Quail Eggs – 18 hand-made eggs in a carton (with straw).  They’re made of  white chocolate surrounding a milk-chocolate nougatine center.  Can you say “impressive Easter gift?”  But why just have them at Easter?

Knipschildt Chocolate Quail Eggs -- mmm...

Christophe Artisan Hand-Painted Truffles

Another premier chocolate company Savorique partners with is Christophe Artisan Chocolatier, one of the most artistic of all the chocolate-makers found at Savorique — and indeed, in the world.  If you want hand-painted truffles, Christophe makes them.  Want flavors such as star anise and cappuccino cheesecake in your chocolate?  Christophe does that, too.  Here’s a distinctive gift from Christophe that should get you remembered:  the Christophe Artisan Hand-Painted Chocolate Truffles, containing a variety of truffles featuring such flavors as milk chocolate ganache with orange, white chocolate mango-rum ganache, earl grey tea infused in dark chocolate, and creamy gianduja ganache.  This is indeed a 5-star collection and a work of art.

TCHO Chocolate Bar Luxury Gift Box

Each of the chocolatiers at Savorique has an intriguing story to tell about their company, none more so than San Francisco-based TCHO Chocolate.  Founded by Louis Rossetto, who was one of the original founders of Wired magazine, TCHO (pronounced “cho”) combines hands-on design of its rich chocolate products — from working with the beans to creating recipes to state-of-the-art manufacturing — with a high-tech approach to controlling its production and lab facilities.  It uses an iPhone app to remotely control bean-roasting time and temperature at its facilities in Peru and Madagascar.  How cool is that?  The company has supplied wireless weather stations to cacao farmers so they can understand how climate affects bean fermentation.  TCHO is known for the high quality of the cocoa beans it uses, as well as the unique “flavor profile wheel” it has created to enable customers to easily find their preferred chocolate flavors.  TCHO has rapidly established itself as one of the premier chocolate-makers in the country and has become the private label chocolate supplier to Starbucks.  And it is one of the featured chocolatiers at Savorique.  Try their Luxury Gift Chocolate Bars.  Or any of their other products.  Of TCHO’s chocolate, renowned confectioner Michael Recchiuti was quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle as saying:  “The flavors in their chocolate are really robust, which is good.”  I think you’ll agree that it’s very good.

Rounding out the chocolate companies I’m highlighting from Savorique is Vosges Haut-Chocolat.  They are the epitome of exotic.  This is not your grandmother’s candy.  They include such ingredients as bacon (but then, anything tastes better with bacon), wasabi, curry, hemp seeds, olive oil, chillies, and exotic roots, spices, and flowers.  Savorique carries a good selection of chocolate bars from Vosges.  They bear such fascinating names as Black Pearl Ginger Wasabi Dark Chocolate, Barcelona Salted Milk, and Creole Bittersweet.  Heck, just go ahead and get the whole Vosges Chocolate Bar Assortment Pack and figure out which are your favorites.

You could spend awhile just sampling all of the Vosges products from Savorique.  (Did I mention the Mo’s Bacon Milk Chocolate Bar?)  But you’d just be scratching the surface because they have over 20 superlative chocolate makers, each with a number of unique and exquisite products.

If you’re looking for a gift and having trouble deciding among all the choices, you can use their “Chat” function to ask one of their customer rep’s a question.  You can also recommend a favorite supplier through their suggestion box.

After the chocolate, there are  all the other dessert items from Savorique to try (cakes, cookies, etc.), not to mention the caviar, cheese, wine, condiments, and other products from around the world.  And they have a blog you can read.  You’d better get started.

Romanicos

Next on the list of the best chocolate sites is Romanicos Chocolate.  Romanicos is a chocolate shop located in Miami, Florida that has built an outstanding reputation among chocolate connoisseurs.  About.com named them one of the top 10 online chocolate shops (their truffles were a particular favorite).   Miami New Times newspaper named them Miami’s best chocolate shop in 2006.  And CNN Money chose them as one of the 10 best small chocolate companies.  One claim to fame Romanicos has is that founder Alejandra Bigai, who grew up eating Venezuelan chocolate ( some regard Venezuelan cacao as the best in the world), has figured out how to make rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate without using butter.  So Romanicos confections are scrumptious but can have as few as 35 calories per piece.  All the ingredients are fresh, natural, and the chocolate is made by hand.

Alejandra Bigai has a background in art and it shows in the beautiful design of her products.

Miami Sushi Chocolate from Romanicos

Here’s one I particularly like:  Miami Sushi Chocolate, which is a box of chocolates made to resemble sushi.  Not only is it delicious, it’s visually amazing.

They are also known for their extensive Gift Options, such as the mixed-chocolate Cube Box (pictured below), which includes 12 chocolate truffles, 12 chocolate art pieces, and 12 truffle bites (in other words, something for the person who wants it all) — all for $75.

Romanicos also produces a full line of chocolate bars, including Cayenne Pepper, Wild Cherry, Pineapple and Soy Beans, Japanese Ginger, and Mission Fig.  Or just order a 3-bar bundle.

And then there are the truffles.  They really do melt in your mouth and they really are some of the best chocolates you have ever tasted.  Romanicos’ signature product.

Romanicos Handmade Truffles

Romanicos has been featured on the Food Network more than once.  See the video below to get an idea of how they approach their chocolate art.  And then order something from them.  The prices are reasonable and the quality is out of this world.  (Plus right now you can get free shipping on orders over $55.)

Equal Exchange

We’ll complete this tour of the best portals to chocolate heaven with a company that’s a little different — Equal Exchange.  They began as a Fair Trade specialty coffee company, importing coffee from Nicaragua.  Their intent was to support small, organic farmers — and to revolutionize the way food is produced and distributed around the world.  Twenty years after their founding, they are now partnering with co-operative farmers globally, including in the United States, and have expanded their product line to include Fair Trade chocolate, teas, and snack foods.  They continue to support small farmers that use sustainable farming methods and their business model remains consumer- and worker-oriented.

So what’s the bottom line with respect to chocolate?  The bottom line is that they offer some of the finest Fair Trade Certified chocolate and cocoa available anywhere.  In their “eating green” guide, Bon Appetit recommended Equal Exchange chocolate (the only brand they singled out) and said in particular they loved their Very Dark Chocolate Bar.

Equal Exchange hot cocoa is the number one selling organic hot cocoa in the U.S. (they also have spicy cocoa and baking cocoa).

Their organic chocolate bars are some of the best yet lowest-priced bars you can find online and they contain up to 80% cacao (which, as you know by now, means extra amounts of chocolate’s health-enhancing properties).

So give them a try.  Right now, they’re offering free shipping on orders over $75.  Note that their minimum order online is $25, which increases production and shipping efficiency (and they’re all about sustainability).

They also have gifts:

In general, remember when you order chocolate from any of the vendors reviewed here that it is perishable and so must be shipped relatively quickly, so you’ll sometimes pay a bit more for shipping (unless you buy enough to qualify for free shipping) in order to ensure it arrives in good condition.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this survey of the world of chocolate.  Chocolate is a global phenomenon, a food that people are passionate about, not only because it’s good for you but because it symbolizes love, captivates the senses, and is one of nature’s most rewarding gifts (the “food of the gods”).  Which of the products here will you try first?  Leave a comment below.

If you have found something interesting or useful here on Best Stuff for Men, please consider making a donation, so others can benefit, too.  Thanks!

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The water bottles reviewed here are BPA-free because BPA is bad for you, m’kay?

Most of you will have heard that drinking out of polycarbonate water bottles exposes you to Bisphenol-A (BPA).  Why is that bad?  Because BPA is a compound that messes with your endocrine system and your hormones — and you do not want something in your drinking water to mess with your hormones.

While there is not yet hard and fast evidence of what Bisphenol-A (say:  biss-FEE-nall) will exactly do inside the male body, a recent Harvard School of Public Health study showed that college students who drank out of polycarbonate water bottles had a two-thirds increase in BPA in their urine (admittedly, all these students did attend Harvard).  BPA is known to disrupt hormonal processes. 

Canada, for their part, has already banned the use of BPA in manufacturing baby bottles. 

When the negative news about BPA first came out, Nalgene kind of took it on the chin because their polycarbonate bottles contained BPA and they already had that wide-mouth dribbling problem, which meant that when you were in the car and you tried to drink from their bottles you’d end up dribbling BPA-laced water down your shirt.  However, Nalegene dove head-first into the consumer confidence waters and brought out a number of BPA-free bottles.  Good for Nalgene.  Unfortunately, their bottles are still kind of dorky.

So, what are some good BPA-free water bottles to use?  Below you’ll find a whole bunch of the best water bottles you can get that are BPA-free…

But first consider what you’re going to put in your healthy water bottle.  Are you still buying bottled drinking water?  Well, don’t.  That stuff is a waste of money, unless you’re dying of thirst.  And when was the last time you were dying of thirst? That supposedly healthy bottled water that you buy at the supermarket is often nothing more than tap water.  On top of that, a number of brands have been found to contain estrogen-mimicking chemicals.  Not to mention other potential contaminants.  It’s also more expensive than gasoline.

Tap water in the U.S. is mostly safe, certainly at least as safe as bottled water.  And definitely cheaper.  But there is one question you might want to ask yourself:  are you concerned about things like chlorine in tap water?  How about lead? 

Click for Brita

Though the tap water delivered to your house is supposedly uncontaminated, what is the condition of the pipes where you live?  How old is your plumbing?  I live in a building that was constructed in the early sixties and I’ll bet the plumbing is original.  So I simply filter my tap water using a Brita pitcher and filter.  It removes almost all the chlorine and several other potentially unwanted substances and is not too expensive.

It won’t remove traces of compounds such as pharmaceuticals or pesticides (for that your best bet is a multi-phase system that combines carbon filtration and reverse osmosis), but for what it does and the cost, why not?   Though I don’t panic if I have to drink water from the tap, it’s nice to know that with a filter the water’s a little closer to the way nature intended.

So, what is a good, healthy water bottle to carry that you can fill up with filtered water?  I’m glad you asked.  Here are several of the best BPA-free water bottles to choose from…

Click for the CamelBak Better Bottle

This is a bottle that everybody likes:  the CamelBak Better Bottle with Bite Valve.  You probably have heard of CamelBak in relation to hydration packs.  Turns out they’re pretty good at making water bottles, too.  Men’s Journal rated this bottle 9 out of 10, and ConsumerSearch rated it as the best BPA-free plastic bottle.  It’s available in multiple colors (including black) and 3 sizes:  1 liter, ¾-liter, and ½-liter.  It’s got a handle.  The Big Bite Valve lets you bite down and sip one-handed, so it’s easy to use when driving in the car or during other activities.  (You can also order a “classic cap” for it, which you have to unscrew for drinking.)  It fits in most cup holders.  The bottle is made of a copolyester polymer called Tritan, which is BPA-free and phthalate-free.  Yet it’s still durable like polycarbonate bottles.  It’s dishwasher safe.  And the price is good — $15 and under for most sizes.

The Better Bottle with Big Bite Valve makes it easy to hydrate on the go

You can also get some nifty accessories for it, such as an insulated bottle sleeve for the ¾-liter (25 oz.) bottle that will keep your liquids hot or cold, and which has a side grip strap and an attachment strap.  Darned if those CamelBak people aren’t innovative…

Click for CamelBak stainless steel Better Bottle

And since they are innovative, they make a stainless steel version of the Better Bottle for those who want to avoid plastic (that’s it to the left).  This bottle has also gotten good reviews.  And it offers some nifty graphics options.  Moosejaw has this bottle now for 20% off.

Speaking of stainless steel water bottles... 

Obviously, if you don’t want plastic contaminants leaching into your water, you should avoid plastic.  From a practical standpoint, that leaves glass or stainless steel.  (Of course, you could have a bottle made out of gold, but you’ll probably only do that if you’re a wealthy rapper.  And then you’d need to hire a guy to guard it.  And he’d probably still shoot you for it.) 

Glass is nice, but it breaks sort of easily.  Still, if you’re only going to be keeping a water bottle at your desk or in your car’s cup holder, glass could work.  And it’s cheap.  For example, you could get yourself some exotic European mineral water (bottled in glass, of course) and then re-use the bottle.   Something that has sort of legendary status.  Something like Vichy Catalan (click the text link at left or bottle photo at right and see “Vichy Catalan” at La Tienda). Try some Vichy Catalan bottled water and let me know in the comments section below what you think.  Not that the average American would have a clue what Vichy Catalan was.  But you would know.

But when it comes to active uses — I mean, like, sports — nothing sucks worse than being on a 22-mile training run on the road outside Badwater, California, stumbling in a hole and dropping your glass water bottle and having it shatter, splashing your precious liquid all over the asphalt, where it dries up in the 108° heat in about 4 seconds, and then you have to turn around and try to jog back to town and you get dehydrated, go into severe protein catabolism, your core temperature reaches 106°, and you die from heat stroke.  All because you carried a glass water bottle because you were afraid of plastic compounds leaching into your water.

And it also sucks if it accidentally rolls out of your car and smashes in the parking lot.

Stainless steel water bottles are tough and don’t contain BPA.  There are a number of steel bottles out there and I reviewed a bunch of them.   Some of the more popular ones are not that great.  For example, a number of people like the bottles from Klean Kanteen.  But Men’s Journal only gave them a 7 (that’s a C in my book) and there is enough other criticism of Klean Kanteen in reviews that I don’t feel comfortable recommending them as your top choice. 

So, what are the best steel water bottles?

First, let’s get Sigg out of the way.  A lot of people seem to like Sigg.  Their bottles are, however, made of aluminum, and since aluminum has health-related issues of its own, the bottles have an inner liner to protect you from the aluminum.   Sigg formerly had a good business relationship with Patagonia.  But then Patagonia found out that Sigg lied to them about the inner liner not being made with BPA, when in fact it was.  Patagonia severed their relationship with Sigg and pulled Sigg’s products from their stores.  Sigg now says that its liners are made with a co-polyester coating that is BPA-free.  Do you believe them?

Here are some stainless steel water bottles, both insulated and uninsulated, that are top-rated…

Click to purchase Thinksport Stainless Steel Sports Bottle

First:  the Thinksport 750 ml Stainless Steel Sports Bottle.  It’s gotten good reviews, both from customers, online, and in publications.  The bottle is made with several thoughtful approaches:  it’s double-walled and vacuum-sealed, so it keeps liquids hot or cold; the lid has two opening options (a smaller opening for drinking and a bigger one for adding ice cubes); it’s got a mesh filter in the opening so ice or tea leaves don’t come out when you’re drinking; it’s made of medical-grade 304 stainless steel. 

The company has a cool, informative website.  Plus they’re nicely designed.  You can get it in a 25-ounce size, and in several colors, including silver and matte black.  The price is discounted here.  This bottle has been well-reviewed by, among others, ZRecommends, The Gear Journal, Tennis Magazine, and BigFire Camping Gear.  Another good thing:  I did not come across any complaints that the water from the Thinksport bottle had a metallic taste as sometimes happened with other stainless steel bottles.  Plus I also like the company’s approach to customer service — I read an account of them solving a customer’s problem in a couple of days, and a company representative wrote a response to an issue a reviewer raised on one website.  These guys apparently care.

Click for Thermos 18-ounce Stainless Steel Hydration Bottle

Among the best stainless-steel water bottles is  the Thermos Stainless Steel Insulated Hydration Bottle.  This bottle is also insulated, as you might expect from Thermos, and comes in 18- and 26-ounce sizes.  It’s got two opening options:  a push-button “sipper lid” (which is lockable), and a screw top for pouring and inserting ice cubes.  It fits most auto cupholders.  In checking customer reviews, it was praised by users for its everyday versatility and ruggedness, plus its ability to keep hot things hot and cold things icy.  A cyclist found that it fit well in his bicycle’s bottle holder.  A hunter liked that he could fill it with coffee, toss it in his backpack without worrying about leakage, have the coffee stay warm all day, and that the bottle opens and closes quietly.  In general, customers seem to love this bottle.  It’s not only a good-quality product, the price is quite reasonable.

You can’t go wrong with either of the above stainless steel bottles.  But you may not be a fan of stainless steel or you may have other requirements for your bottle.  Well, there are other options.  Here are a few more that should meet your hydration needs…

Sport bottles and other useful water bottles

Click to purchase New Wave Enviro 2.2 Liter Eastar Resin Bottle

Sometimes you want to carry more water than a 12- or 25-ounce bottle holds — for example, for an all-day road trip in your car.   Or a day-long picnic at a place without drinking fountains.  Or at a construction job site.  Or you want to have enough for more than one person.  This bottle will fit the bill:  the New Wave Enviro 2.2-Liter Eastar Resin Bottle (it also comes in a 1-gallon size).  It’s made of a BPA-free material that has a number 1 recycle code.  The company describes the material as being a rigid, glass-like material that will not shatter.  I don’t know if it’s exactly “glass-like” except that you can sort of see through it, but it is tough, it’s easily recyclable (though you should be able to use this bottle, with occasional washing with soap and water, or a little vinegar, for a long time), and is FDA-approved and NSF 51 certified (NSF International is an organization that develops standards for products relating to public health and safety).  At less than $6, this product is also a bargain.  I’ve used it; it works well.  I’ve also used New Wave Enviro stainless steel water bottles for years and have no complaints.

Click for Platypus PlusBottle from Moosejaw

A platypus is a combination of a duck and a beaver.  (Well, not really, but you didn’t come here for natural history, did you?)  What that has to do with Platypus water bottles I’m not sure, unless it relates to adaptive multi-functionality in an aquatic situation.  You see, the 1-liter Platypus PlusBottle is like no other water bottle on the market.  It’s made of flexible, tough plastic that smooths flat or rolls up when empty, taking up much less space (even when partially full) than a similarly-sized hard bottle.  Stash it empty in your shoulder bag when you’re going through airport security, then fill it up at a drinking fountain to carry on your flight.  Shove a couple in your backpack to fill later when you boil/filter/treat water. 

The BPA-free PlusBottle holds one liter of water.  It’s made with an improved “film” and has the addition of a new, natural, silver-ion-based anti-microbial treatment to prevent “gunk” and preserve the fresh (not plasticky) taste of the water.  The mid-section is tapered for easy handling and there’s a hang loop.  You can use different tops with this bottle, including hydration tubes and related accessories.  And, unlike other healthy water bottles, it can be a conversation-starter as well.  One reviewer said this bottle will get you a girlfriend, guaranteed.  I don’t know about that, but you can start out by offering to let her hold your swollen bottle (or help you fill it up).  This healthy water bottle is made in the USA (the Platypus company has been around for awhile) and is not expensive.  It’s maybe the most versatile 1-liter bottle available.  Platypus has won the award for “Best Hydration System Brand” from Dandelion Magazine (now Women’s Adventure).  Right now it’s under $13 at Moosejaw, one of my favorite outdoor retailers.

Click to purchase the Polar Insulated Water Bottle

Last, I don’t want to neglect you sports-minded, athletic types, especially bike riders, so following are some healthy,  BPA-free bottles that should do the trick for you — first, the Polar Insulated Water Bottle.  It will keep your liquids cold on long rides and should fit most bike water bottle cages.  The smaller size might also fit in day-pack and some fanny-pack water bottle holders for hiking.  They come in 20-ounce and 24-ounce sizes and a variety of colors.  The 20-oz. is 9 inches tall and the 24-oz. is 10½ inches tall (measure your cage clearance before ordering).  They cost only about $9 from TriVillage.

Click to purchase CamelBak Podium Bottle

Finally, we began with CamelBak and we’ll conclude with CamelBak.  The CamelBak Podium Bottle is made to fit bike water-bottle cages.   It comes in 21- and 24-ounce capacities.  The bottle material is called “TrueTaste,” which is a proprietary blend of polypropylene, is BPA-free, and supposedly does not affect the taste of your beverage (a couple of reviewers complained about taste but it could have been a case of not cleaning the bottle thoroughly).  

It has a “Jet Valve,” which is a valve designed to let you suck or squirt the liquid without having to raise or lower a stopper.  (It’s also different than CamelBak’s “bite” valve.)  Reviewers praised this feature, especially it’s leak-proofness and lack of mess, but again, a couple said their bottle leaked.  CamelBak (or Moosejaw) would most likely replace a bottle that had any problems; both companies have good customer service.  They’re around $10, so get a couple so you can go long and hard without getting thirsty.

CamelBak Chilljacket

A superior version of the CamelBak Podium Bottle is the CamelBak Podium Chilljacket bottle.  Men’s Journal picked the 21-ounce Chilljacket Bottle as the best water bottle of the year last year.  The Chilljacket adds insulation to the regular Podium Bottle.  The magazine’s testers praised its ability to keep water or a sports beverage cold for several hours — just the thing for long mountain bike or road rides during the summer.  Click the image to get it from Rock Creek or here to get it from Mountains Plus.

If you prefer a hipper style of water bottle that’s also as functional as the ones reviewed here (and will still work for sports), see my post on the unique bottles from MiiR.

Stay hydrated, my friend.

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