When our sample CamelBak Forge arrived, I was reminded once again why CamelBak is one of the industry leaders not just in hydration, but innovation. With the Forge, they have taken the travel mug upscale in style and performance.
The Forge is everything we’ve come to expect from CamelBak when it comes to enjoying hot drinks. Double wall vacuum insulation ensures your drink stays hot for at least four hours. (And let’s be honest – if you haven’t finished your coffee in four hours, you’re doing it wrong). Of course, the real magic is in the lid. As much as we tried, we could not get it to leak. There is an O-ring seal, and it seems to be spring loaded as well. So it stays closed until you open it, which can be done with one hand. And you can lock it open, too. The button is hidden under the loop that makes it easy to carry with just one finger. Press the button all the way in, and you can pivot the arms out of the lid, which makes it easy to clean when you’re at work or even at a camp site, and don’t have a dishwasher handy. They even added a little piece to the base, with a cap that won’t shatter when you drop your Forge, but also keeps it from getting dented. Another nice touch is the large threads for the lid. Again, easy to clean, yet seals tight so you never have to worry about leaks. Clever from top to bottom.
CamelBak suggests that the average American throws out 250 disposable coffee cups over the course of twelve months. That number seems a bit high for “average”, but low for me. Given my love of coffee, I’m sure that by using travel mugs, I save at least twice that many cups from going into the trash each year. Either way, we should all try to avoid adding to the landfills. So you may want to consider the Forge when doing your last minute shopping this holiday season. They come in several colors, and two sizes: 16 oz ($30) and 12 oz ($29). camelbak.com
– Brian