Lobo 10 oz Spill Proof Insulated Tumbler

10 OZ Spill Proof Insulated Tumbler - Find it on Amazon

There are probably only two conditions in which I wouldn't recommend carrying one of these bad boys. First, if you're doing a long distance through hike, and second, if you hate everything enjoyable about camping. But before you agree, I'll try to run through everything I think is fantastic about this non invasive, essential comfort part of your kit.

First off, let's get one thing straight, this is strictly a comfort item. There are plenty of containers that you can drink liquids out of when it comes to spending time outdoors. Just go to any store that has an outdoor isle and you'll be inundated with endless options for carrying your morning coffee, evening tea, or light night camp cocktail. The truth is that pretty much anything you can boil your water in you will be able to drink out of (please don't sear your lips to something that's been sitting in a hot fire). So why should you get a mug like this one? It just does it better.

Hot Drinks

More often than not, the the main purpose of your tumbler is going to be to keep some type of liquid hot. This is a stainless steel double wall vacuum insulated mug that is common among most of these types of tumblers. In my experience, it keeps your drink warm, almost too warm. After I pour a hot drink into this mug, it's usually let it sit for at least 10 minutes before I even attempt a sip. But once it gets down to that toasty yet drinkable temperature, you can be sure it will keep it there long enough to enjoy your warm beverage. I've kept a drink enjoyable and warm in my mug for at least an hour. I know everyone has a different temperature that we like to drink at, but the cooling process is so slow, that you'll have plenty of time in your preferred zone.

Around The Camp

The other aspect of anything that is worth lugging out into the woods is seeing how it behaves once you get there. So for starters, this thing is heavy compared to other camping mugs you can get. I know it, you should know it, and we should all get over it real fast. I completely understand the benefit of light gear. After having done substantial through hikes, I'm looking to ditch ounces wherever I can. But this isn't meant for that type of camping. If you aren't traveling over 10 miles a day for weeks on end, you probably won't notice the extra weight of this mug, and you will enjoy it every time you need to take a sip out it. This mug is solid, I hesitate to use the term bomb-proof, cause that would be really hard to test, but it'll handle anything you throw at it in your regular camping life. It can be nestled easily into your pack. I like to throw my tea bags or coffee packets into the cup itself and carry it out that way. It is about the circumference size of a small iso-butane gas canister, so you can easily nestle this mug into countless things that are built around those shapes, so such as a Stanley pot, or MSR Windburner, etc...

Design

No frills, slick, solid and sexy. Yes, I said it, this mug is sexy. Sleek lines and contours, fits real nice in your hands, is slightly mysterious and easy to clean up. I love the shape and size of it, I love the stainless steel (though there are other brands with colors available out there), the spill proof lid ensures that your liquids stay hot or cold as long as possible, and that they don't end up anywhere besides your mouth. And while some might consider this 10oz size to be too small for a cold beverage, or too big for a hot one, I found it really does the trick. I get my coffee fix, or enough warm tea to get my body temp up, or just enough swigs of my personal favorite hot cider packet with splash of bourbon. Another thing you might consider is that if you are anything like me, you'll love that this mug has zero permanent branding on it. There's is sort of an adorable cat fox looking thing on the snap lid, but after a couple uses and washes, the image on mine had pretty much worn off. The remaining mug is unscathed with logos or any other impurities. The only thing you'll be advertising is that your camplife game is ON POINT.

The Competition

In my experience being around at least three versions of this same product from different brands, they all do the same thing, and they do it well, and you should never pay more than about $14 dollars for this thing. Oh, and one more thing, spoiler alert, even the fancy brand names ones are made in china... Looking at you YETI. The only thing that separates this version from some of the others, is the lack of branding, and quite possibly the most important thing, the SPILL PROOF LID!!! I can't stress how important this factor is for me and my enjoyment of this product. There is nothing more satisfying when camping, and in life, than having a product do something the right way and not having to worry about it. You put something hot in a mug, it has a lid, and it won't spill. You can get different lid options, but this one particular, with the snapping lock, gives the ultimate piece of mind. You will have no worries when you accidentally knock it over (honestly, we all knock stuff over when we're camping) that you're going to spill your precious hot goods all over the place. You can even pack away a hot beverage in your pack for later!! (put it on your outer bottle pouch just to be on the safe side). Try doing that with the open lid models. Or better yet, pack a few ice cubes it in at home, and save them for that cocktail you want to enjoy after dinner! The sealed lid means less air flow, which means better insulation. There is zero reason for not having this extra feature on your mug. I've seen reviews praising the open lid models, some even on this website, and all I can say is don't buy into the hype!! If you can't stand opening and closing a lid to take a drink out of your camping mug, then you probably would have a hard time even learning how to fill your mug in the first place. Piece of mind, functionality and performance, all enhanced by the snap closed lid. A breeze to clean as well, no downside to it.

Final Thoughts

Bottom line, find the cheap one and buy it. If you love one that doesn't have the snap lid with the original packaging, you can just order one online and find out for yourself which is better! You really do start to get attached to these things. Before you know it, the stainless steel will start to get character scars on it, and you'll be sitting at home with a cocktail in your hand, or in the car with a hot coffee to go. This is such an upgrade over your typical tin red or blue camping mugs that you really will never look back. And while it might not fill the specific look you wanted on your fancy instagram account, you'll survive, and you'll be plenty warm to take all those other camplife pictures you plan to share with the world. Oh, and just wait till you go to your favorite coffee shop and have them fill your own tumbler with your favorite coffee, and let the compliments start to flow. Enjoy your camplife and save the planet one disposable coffee cup at a time!

--José