I’m a sucker for several things in this world outside of gadgets and tech. Just ask my wife, and she will tell you I have a collection of hats, backpacks (that rarely- if ever- get used), and tumblers. I firmly believe you can never have too many of these items. Tumblers in particular are beginning to take over cupboard space, and I am under pressure to save only the best of the best and give away a few of my mediocre drink holding pals. My brand collections range from various Yeti’s to Walmart’s Ozark Trail to a handful of off-brand gifts from various companies thanks to spending too much money in their stores (P.S. thanks for the “free gift” once I spent $500).
To steal a line from Zoolander, tumblers “are so hot right now”, but which tumbler should be your go-to when you want your beverage to stay hot or cold for ridiculously long periods of time? I mean, come on, could you imagine going back to yesterday’s forgotten iced coffee only to find it lukewarm? This, my friends would be a travesty of the worst kind. A new tumbler from bobber has entered the fray and has actually convinced me that I have been missing out on a few great features that outperform other brands.
What is a bobber? According to the company’s website it is a motorcycle stripped down of all unnecessary parts so an owner can personalize it. In using the 16oz tumbler, I see the point. The tumbler itself is straightforward, less is more, bare-bones approach that does its job better than its competitors. The bobber comes in a stylish canister that defines this approach and explains just how good it is. The canister boasts that the tumbler will keep hot beverages hot for 12 hours and cold drinks cold for 18 hours. Is it true? It is – in fact in my test it lasted even longer for ice.
I filled the bobber and a Yeti tumbler with the same amount of ice and left them both at room temperature (roughly 68 degrees) in order to find out which insulated beast could keep those rocks frozen longer. The ice in the Yeti was completely melted when I checked back 20 hours later. The ice in the bobber, while mostly melted, still had remnants of cubes inside. I’m not exactly sure when the Yeti tumbler’s ice melted, but the water from the ice was still very cold. I checked back at 24 hours and there was still a remnant of ice.
This beast is able to keep drinks colder for longer due to great insulation in the tumbler itself and in the cap. It also contains a silicone ring that helps maintain temps while simultaneously preventing leaks and spills.
The bobber tumbler certainly does what it claims to do, but hopefully, my sarcasm was noted above as I have to ask – do I need a cup that keeps my beverage cold for that long? Is it worth the cost? I would argue no, I don’t need my drink to stay cold for that long, but it is really awesome and somehow gives my gadget-loving brain peace of mind knowing that it can. It isn’t the insulation alone that should be the ultimate selling point of this new product. It really is the twist-on lid that helped me decide I like this thing better than the Yeti and other brands.
I hate spilling drinks, and for whatever reason, I knock over tumblers more often than typical cups. I see it happen with others too. It likely occurs due to their toughness and portability. The bobber lid allows me to hold the cup upside down if I feel the need – making for a great ingredient mixer at the same time. It will not spill. The only downside – it seals really well. There were a few times where I could not untwist the lid. Thankfully the lid contains a plastic inner-locking mechanism that twists out as well. In other words, if the whole lid gets stuck on somehow, or threaded wrong, you can still wash and use the tumbler.
If you are looking for a great alternative to the over-hyped Yeti, give the bobber a long, considerate look. It is pricey. A 16-ounce tumbler currently costs forty bucks. A Yeti of the same variety isn’t much cheaper. Both companies offer great products, but I have to give the edge to bobber here. The bobber offers a more sophisticated look, keeps cold things colder, hot things hotter, and even prevents spills.
