Flasks for hot & cold

With the benefit of keeping hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold, an insulated flask will earn its place in your rucksack all year round, but even more so as the cooler months draw near.

VOLUME

Do you need something to keep a takeaway latte warm, or do you want a day’s worth of cuppas in your pack? Is it just for you, or will you be sharing the contents? These factors, along with how much weight you’re prepared to carry, will decide the volume of liquid you need to fit in your flask.

DRINKING METHOD

Some flasks come with a separate cup, while others are intended to be drunk from directly. The latter of these may have different openings, and some will be better suited to cold drinks than hot, lest you risk burning your lips.

WEIGHT

Remember, one litre of water weighs one kilogram. A flask will only get heavier when full, so consider the empty weight of the flask and its volume to avoid overburdening yourself.

ROBUSTNESS

Most modern flasks are less breakable than the traditional glass insulated models, but some are better than others. If you tend to chuck your pack around with gay abandon, it’s worth making sure you choose a tough one.

LEVEL OF INSULATION

Good insulation comes at a price, both in terms of actual cost and weight. Cheaper, lighter flasks may keep the contents warm for a few hours, but if you want your last sip of the day to be as hot as the first, you may have to spend a little more and tolerate the extra grams.