Nalgene Grip 'n Gulp

Bottom Line

The Nalgene Grip 'n Gulp is described as one of the sturdiest, most leakproof cups available. Parents say it survives being driven over by a truck, hundreds of cleanings and constant toddler abuse -- without ever leaking. Some say the valve is hard to draw from and complain about a slight odor to the lid -- but if you want a high-capacity, leakproof cup, the Grip 'n Gulp is tried, tested and approved.

Ease Of Use

Three easy pieces. The Nalgene Grip 'n Gulp consists of a 12-ounce bottle, a lid with built-in spout and a silicone, spill-proof valve that can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. The valve is pressure-fitted into the bottom of the spout and successfully prevents all leaks -- so long as it is pushed in far enough. The lid fits the cup tightly, and the cup does not leak from the sides.

The valve effectively prevents leaking, but will require more sucking from children to draw water. Some parents report that they have to break or widen the valve seal in order to get a reasonable flow of liquid from the cup. The sides of the Nalgene bottle curve in slightly for a comfortable grip for small hands.

Durability

Practically indestructible. Nalgene has a long history of creating outdoors-oriented water bottles that can stand up to the rigors of hiking, climbing and extreme temperature variation. The Nalgene Grip 'n Gulp bottle is no exception with parents saying that they get years of use from these bottles.

Children will not be able to chew this spout off, and it will take them a couple of years to chew it flat -- but it can be done. The valves are easy to replace, but the lids are not. For kids who have graduated from the sippy spout lid, Nalgene now offers an OTF "On the Fly" leakproof lid that opens up with a larger spout for free-flow sipping. The Grip 'n Gulp bottle is also compatible with Nalgene's classic screw top, making it a bottle even adults can use.

Lifestyle Features

A bigger bottle for thirsty toddlers and kids. With looks similar to that of adult bottles, the Nalgene Grip 'n Gulp is relatively incognito within the world of sippy cups. Holding 12 ounces of liquid it is also larger than many, making it a go-to choice for travel, all-day excursions and lunchboxes. The bottle has a relatively wide mouth, which makes it easy to load up with ice, but it's not an insulated bottle, so it will sweat. The handle-free cup fits easily in cup holders, bags and mesh backpack pockets.

The Grip 'n Gulp functions best as a sippy cup, but parents who aren't worried about spilling can remove the valve for free-flowing liquids. One selling point of the Nalgene bottle that parents really seem to like is that it does not allow odors to escape. A number of parent reviewers said they found their Nalgene bottles under car seats or couches -- filled with milk -- months after they were dropped or tossed there. Not only did the milk not leak, but they could not smell the soured milk until they opened the bottle -- thus saving their carpet and upholstery.

The bottle is made of BPA-free plastic, but the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) points out that the ingredients that make up trademarked Tritan plastic (manufactured by the Eastman Company) are not disclosed. These polycarbonate bottles fall into the #7 plastic identifying system for recycling purposes, which not all community recycling programs accept.