Cooped Up? Get Uncooped.

No matter how dedicated and core we are, a good percentage, if not a majority, of our time outdoors comes in the summer when the mercury is hitting its annual peak. One of the negatives of sweltering temperatures are that they make it very difficult to keep your water or Gatorade cold. And unless you enjoy water that drinks like coffee, this makes for a thirsty day on the trail.

Camelbak sent me some information about its new water bottle--the Podium Ice (or ICE if you're down with random caps) earlier this week. The Podium Ice, which is already on sale, is made from Zero-Loft aerogel, the same revolutionary material that made the Champion Supersuit possible. According to Camelbak's info, the material offers the lowest thermal conductivity of any solid, a property that helps the Podium Ice to deliver cold liquid for four times as long as a standard water bottle.

I'm no stranger to gimmicky bottles. Years ago, I tried out some foil-insulated contraption that offered its own lofty claims of cooling advantages. Simply put, that bottle offered me no discernible, on-trail advantages. I'll be giving the Podium Ice a try to see if it fares any better.

The 21-ounce bottle retails for $20.

• camelbak
• hydration
• water bottles