The Eco Vessel Boulder stainless steel water bottle and the Fifty Fifty 3 Finger vacuum insulated water bottle are both incredible travel water bottles. We love using both of these bottles and each of them continue to be top sellers so we put them head to head in a product comparison.
Both water bottles were featured in our best travel accessories of 2021 so you really can’t go wrong either way, but each one offers something slightly different and is suited to different trips and travelers. From our hands-on testing we’re comparing the two bottles based on 4 criteria; Insulation, Durability, Design, and Ease of Use to help you choose your best travel water bottle.
Insulation
Both bottles provide layered insulation to keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. We’ve taken each bottle on a number of trips and adventures in the hot summer and the cold of winter and both have excellent insulation. When you’re using the bottle over the course of an average travel day you really can’t go wrong with either but the Eco Vessel Boulder triple insulated stainless steel water bottle is rated to keep the contents cold for an incredible 60 hours or hot for 12 hours.
We tested both bottles’ insulation capabilities for comparison and the Eco Vessel did indeed come out on top. Now, we know it's rare you’ll want to keep something cold for anywhere close to 60 hours but the course of a day is pretty likely. To test this we filled both bottles with water and five ice cubes and left them sealed for 8 hours. The Fifty Fifty was entirely melted (but still refreshingly cool) whereas the Boulder still had 2 half-sized cubes remaining.
When you’re just out for a day there’s no significant difference but the superior insulation on the Boulder clearly has an edge.
Advantage: Eco Vessel
Durability
Both bottles are well built with top quality materials ensuring they will last for years of travels. The most noticeable difference in durability is the outer layer. The Eco Vessel bottle is more prone to dings and dents on the softer exterior. To counter this it includes a silicone bumper to protect the base but the bumper isn't practical if you want to slip the bottle in a side pocket on a backpack. We dropped the Boulder on a recent trip without the bumper and it did leave a dent in it.
We’ve dropped both bottles (for testing purposes!) multiple times and neither of them are immune to falls but do handle them differently. The Eco Vessel’s softer exterior will get marked or dented when it hits something hard like a rock (especially with the silicone bumper removed). The Fifty Fifty 3 Finger takes the falls better; after multiple drops we see no dents or scratches, just minor scuffs. Neither bottle has any color fading and other than the points of impact on the Boulder there are no scratches or significant signs of wear. We have not had the remotest signs of leaks after months of regular use.
Both bottles are great long term investments, but if you tend to go off road more often, or are a bit rougher with your gear, the Fifty Fifty is more durable.
Advantage: Fifty Fifty
Design
Both are great looking water bottles available in a range of colors. Both come in 3 sizes; the Eco Vessel Boulder is available in 20, 24, and 32 oz, and the Fifty Fifty 3 Finger water bottle in 18, 34, and 40 oz. Pictured above is the Fifty Fifty water bottle 34 oz size and the Boulder water bottle 24 oz size.
Both bottles feature food grade 18/8 stainless steel construction which is non leaching and won’t retain tastes or odors. The only difference here is the silicone spout on the Boulder which could retain taste or odor if it goes too long between cleanings.
The Boulder features two openings; a small silicone-ringed opening for sipping and a larger opening for cleaning and filling. The two screw caps are attached with the silicone handle to each other so they can be entirely removed from the water bottle.
The Fifty Fifty 3 Finger features the innovative 3 finger handle that it is named after. We love this handle, it's exceptionally comfortable to carry and gives you extra leverage to open the cap when sealed tight.
The Boulder is objectively the better looking bottle. Some clear thought went into the style, it's sleek, comfortable, and looks great. The Fifty Fifty isn't winning any awards on looks alone, it's actually pretty basic and arguably the 3 finger handle doesn't LOOK the most appealing. But the practicality of the unique handle more than makes up for the basic styling.
Advantage: Tie
Ease of Use
The Fifty Fifty is more of a no nonsense water bottle. The Eco Vessel has more pieces like the silicone bumper and dual opening, putting the Fifty Fifty on top when it comes to simplicity. The wide mouth opening makes it super easy to clean. Eco Vessel has more going on so there’s more to clean but this doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the bottle. The silicone sipping spout is well designed and not common in other travel bottles. The larger opening works well for filling and cleaning.
While the Boulder certainly isn't difficult to use there are more components, meaning more to keep track of and more to clean. There are two lids you have to make sure get sealed tightly, more nooks and crannies to clean, and more pieces that can come out like the silicone bumper or the small silicone ring that seals the smaller opening.
Advantage: Fifty Fifty
Eco Vessel Boulder vs Fifty Fifty 3 Finger
We love both of these insulated water bottles. We have used them each countless times on numerous trips and remain impressed by both. The Eco Vessel insulated stainless steel water bottle looks great and offers unmatched insulation to keep you cool during the longest days in the heat. The Fifty Fifty 3 Finger vacuum insulated water bottle has an innovative handle, it is easy to use, and holds up to bumps and bruises.
The slight edge goes to the Fifty Fifty thanks to the unique handle. But if you rarely carry a bottle by hand and instead prefer to stash it in a daypack or water bottle holder then this feature might not mean as much to you.
You can’t go wrong either way so check out the color options among these two fantastic travel water bottles and you’ll be guaranteed to have a refreshing drink on every trip.