The two issues I've had with this bottle are (1) the shape and (2) how slippery the plastic is. Due to the shape, the place where I grab the bottle to remove it from the cage doesn't really work for then squeezing the bottle to drink. So I have to bite the nozzle and reposition my hand. It's a bit of a pain. The plastic as also slippery when wet. It's fine in summer, but I'll probably drop this on a ride at some point in the rain.
The insulation is okay. Better than nothing but not great.
In hindsight, I would try a different bottle given these two issues.
Generally, of good quality, although, I'd say the insulating effectiveness is marginal (compared to other brands). A more signigficant detractor for me is that it seems like the valve or nipple was not well thought-out. While everyone may not use this water bottle for cycling, that is the intended use for me and, for cycling, it is a bit difficult to open & close the valve for drinking without using one hand to hold the bottle and the other to twist the valve open. For obvious reasons, this isn't ideal while cycling.
I use this bottle from day to day, and it holds up nicely through all the use.
I stopped using the Camelbak bottles a few years ago. There was always trouble cleaning the mold from the valves. Camelbak has supposedly solved this problem with the new easier to remove jet valve. The smaller size (by 1 oz) is a little easier to handle than the previous model. I filled up one bottle with ice, topped it off with water, and my water was cool up to 2 hours in mid 90 degree temps. I filled up the second bottle with water and put it the freezer overnight. Topped it off with water before my ride and the water was ice cold when I reached for it after my first bottle was empty. The water tastes good also, not a plastic after taste like some bottles. For info-the Elite Custom Race cages are a perfect fit for these bottles. Nice snug fit, you won't lose a bottle, and no more rattles.
It's not hot often or for long here in Portland, OR. I purchased these for a typical 3 hour ride and also used on longer rides. I absolutely hate these bottles. I used Camelback Podiums for years and recently have been using Purist bottles. The Camelback Podiums are very difficult to squeeze and do not keep my liquid cool for longer than any of my Purist bottles. Extremely disappointed. I left a couple of stars for the fact that they hold water and the locking mechanism works.
These are the only bottles I buy anymore. In the summer, they keep drinks cold for a fair long while, and in the winter, they don't freeze up. Cleaning has always been a pain, though, and this new nozzle design is much more easily disassembled for thorough cleaning/rinsing.
This bottle is a bit stiffer than the older design, but not horribly so for me. However, if you had squeeze problems with the older design, you may have an even worse time with this.
I honestly don't think my drink is any cooler in this bottle than in a 21oz uninsulated purist bottle. I'd used the podium bottles exclusively a few years ago and moved to the Purist bottles. You have to squeeze the Podium Chill really hard to launch the water into your mouth. The nozzle is less accurate than I remember how the Podium bottles pretty directly squirted water. I tried using it like a Purist bottle's nozzle but again, the plastic is too hard and I only get a sip. I ride road, mtb, and gravel and am pretty comfortable drinking in motion. These bottles have very little use to me, kinda sad.
Keeps your choice of drink cool for an extended period of time. Camelback is a time proven product you can count on to keep your drink cool especially on long rides.
This updated version was supposed to be easier to clean, but it is almost impossible to remove the valve assembly from the lid�and yes, mold grows in it if you ever put anything but water in it, don�t clean it instantly after use and don�t do what one friend does, which is keep the lids in the freezer.
This redesign (2019?) is terrible. They may be incrementally easier to clean than the last design, but the lid traps liquid where the valve fits in the silicone spout - so unless you completely disassemble the lid and valve and clean it with bottle brushes, they are moldy within a couple weeks no matter how much you rinse them. The new lid design protrudes into the bottle with a 1 inch cap, limiting how much ice you can put in to about an inch below the top of the bottle - or else you can't screw on the top. As others have said, the on / off is very tight and the bottle is pretty stiff. They do stay colder than most bottles, but it's not worth it.
Fill 3/4, with cold water top off with ice and put in freezer for one hour. Water stays cool for 2 hours. Yes the top is tough to disassemble and clean once a season. Worth the time to get a cold drink on a 90 degree day. Never experienced any unusual taste from the bottle.
I bought these bottles because I could use it without using my teeth or fingers on the actual spout. This way I can share water with other cyclist on longer bike rides. It works for that. My issues with the bottle are based on how stiff the valve is and how far you have to move it to use it. I am used to grabbing a bottle from the bike cage and open the valve without looking. That move is almost impossible with this bottle. Once I open it produces a sloppy stream of water that will spray in places other than your mouth. The good news is you don't have to touch the spout with your mouth or fingers. The other issue with this bottle is the insulation. Its pretty weak. If you're headed out on a 100F day, don't bother with ice or cold water. Its as if the bottle didn't have any insulation.
This bottle is super tall, so fit could be an issue for some bikes. The main issue I have is that the odor and taste imparted to the water is so bad. It also didn't seem to keep the water that cold.
For me in Southern Utah riding in around 85-100 degrees this kind of a bottle really helps. My electrolyte drink stays cold for about 1.5 hours. I start with a half-filled bottle from the fridge and right before I go ride, I add ice to fill the bottle, and my drink is cold for my whole ride.
I find that Camelbak valves are a little annoying to maintain and clean. I take apart the gray plastic ring and leakproof interior cap (I think that's the function..) after every ride and let them properly dry out. I use these for road riding and they hold up, though plastic like this won't keep super cool once it hits 80+ for a long ride. I stick them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes on extra hot days, and that helps a little with the cooling insulation.
I ditched my old Camelbak Podium Big Chill bottles after dealing with mold in the valve several times. The new Podium Chill bottle has a new valve that is easy to clean. It's shape is easy to grab out of your bottle cage. I ride in 90o temps during the summer and it keeps my water nice and cold. I full them up with ice first and then full with water. When I grab for the second bottle, usually around the two hour mark, it's nice and cold. The only complaint I have is you have to squeeze hard to get water to come out, and it's near impossibe to get the last 2 or 3 oz of water out without taking off the cap and drinking it like its a water glass. The taller shape made me lower the bottle cage on my seat tube as low as it would go, otherwise it would hit the top tube when I withdrew it ( I have a compact frame). I have yet to find a perfect insulated water bottle, but this is close to it, even with the couple of complaints. These work very well with the Elite Custom cages.
The shape is nice and it is easy to get in and out of the cage. Not too tall to cause any problems in my 54cm frame. BUT if this is insulated, then I am Chris Froome! Ha! Water gets warm just as fast as an uninsulated bottle. I leave before sunrise to start rides and the water is always warm within 30 minutes or less.
Great product does not leave that bad taste when your water gets hot. I would definitely recommend this
This is the third Camelbak Podium Chill bottle I've owned. My first one is 10 years old and my second one is five years old. I figure that after 5 years they should be retired. I still have them though in my box of bike gear. I can't bring myself to throw them out.
Let's face it..... not a big difference between water bottles. The insulation on this one works great but I really love the top. It locks shot so when you throw it in a bag to bring it to a ride, it doesn't leak.
