Polar Bottles

These custom made insulated water bottles were made in limited quantities in both 20 ounce and 24 ounce sizes just for the Heart Rate Watch Company. These Polar bottles are the official bottle of the cycling team that we sponsor, but now, for a limited time, you can own one too!

We tested these water bottles and put them through some hardcore tests and they passed with flying colors.

First we put the insulated Polar Bottles to the heat test last summer. It was simple - water refrigerated down to 40 degrees and place in a regular bottle and our test bottle. Weather outside 90 degrees, ride duration 3 hours. Temperature of water in the regular water bottle after 90 minutes was 73 degrees while the Polar Bottles maintained the water at 55 degrees - over 18 degrees cooler than a standard water bottle!

Next we did a 2 hour bike ride on a 25 degree day in February of 2011. We placed water that was 60 degrees in both a regular water bottle and in our test water bottle. After 90 minutes of riding the water in the regular water bottle was down to 35 degrees, cold enough to give you stomach cramps if you were to drink it too quickly. Our Polar Bottles had a measured temperature of 49 degrees, a full 14 degrees warmer than the regular bottle.

Other noteworthy observations were made regarding these bottles. They are medium squeeze bottles, not super soft squeeze. They have a removable drinking valve for easy cleaning. The bottles are both BPA and Phthalate-free to insure that nothing but what you put in comes back out. They use double walled construction and foil between the walls making them a few grams heavier than traditional single walled plastic bottles, although we find this a very minimal price to pay for having beverages remain at a preferred temperature.

If you would rather use the bottle for hiking, as opposed to biking, there is a removable loop holder around the bottle top. We generally got rid of these for biking but could see where they would be real handy biking or backpacking.

The custom bottles have a small Heart Rate Watch Company logo on them and a small Polar logo near the bottom of the bottles. The design is a custom but, other than this all other features remain the same. Plus the bottles come in two sizes 20 ounce and 24 ounce.

Water Bottles and Hydration Strategies

The old adage drink early and often, well before you are thirsty, is a good one to heed while competing in endurance athletics. By the time you are thirsty you are already well on your way to dehydration.

When you sweat you lose more than just water. You lose sodium, potassium, minerals and electrolytes. Replacing these lost elements is essential to maintaining the proper energy levels and to avoid cramping, bonking and other maladies that dehydration brings. Having a good hydration strategy is key to being an endurance athlete whether you are running a 10k or doing a full Ironman.

Runners generally have feed and watering stations along their routes so there is no need to carry anything, unless you are an ultra-runner or trail runner, in which case you'll want to scope out the Nathan hydration and fueling systems for runners. Triathletes need to hydrate and take on a lot of fuel, especially in the bike portion because a full marathon following a 100-plus mile bike race is grueling to say the least.

Cyclists generally have to take up additional water bottles in races of greater than 50 miles duration to stay properly hydrated. Most races have feed zones for this purpose so you need to coordinate the hand up of water bottles, preferably Polar bottles, at these feed zones. Make sure your feeder knows to run in your direction of travel and to hold the bottle very loosely by its top so you can easily grab it. I see feeders in pro bike races that don't get this right - no training I guess.

When I used to race seriously I would layout all my bottles with water and various hydration products, like Accelerade Hydro, the morning of the race. I'd load up the gels, banana's or other food stuff in my jersey pockets and then put some in panniers to be delivered at the feed station. I'd make sure I knew who was feeding me and what they had on the morning of the race. Just little stuff like this can make a big difference because missing a feed can be demoralizing.

Products We Really Like For Hydration and Re-Fueling

We really like the Accelerade Hydro beverage because it has 35% lower sugar content but still uses the patented 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to proteins which has been shown scientifically in studies to provide more lasting energy. I used to take up a bottle of this type of drink mix and then rotate with a bottle of water.

Long races, running ultras, marathons, Ironman's, and 100 mile plus bike races are going to require a good fueling strategy. You want to avoid real sugary foods that will spike your energy and then bring you back down again. Generally simple carbohydrates are the best, but in a long race a small amount of protein can help according to studies. We'd use banana's, Accel Gel (1 packet per hour) and then add in some other easily digestible food stuffs.

Accel Gel we really like because it goes down like a liquid and does not leave your mouth feeling gummed up like some other gels. Also it contains a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to proteins, so one per hour was the general rule of thumb.

Of course the key to any hydration and feeding program is going with things you have tested and that you know work for you. None of us are the same so our mental state of confidence about our strategy is the most important thing. Don't be afraid to experiment or try new things - BUT, do that in training where the stakes are not so high.

We are happy to have Polar bottles as the official bottle of the Heart Rate Watch Company website. They met our high standards in testing - few products do - so now we can bring them to you our valued customers.

If you'd like to talk with a hydration specialist who can help with you hydration needs than just give us a call at 866-586-7129 and talk to the real experts at the Heart Rate Watch Company.