Testing out the new Thermos filtration bottle in the North Atlantic.
Sea kayaking: my new love.
What a difference six months can make.
Two Springs ago my best friend and I began the Shetland Canoe Club sea kayaking training course, completing a few lessons in the comfortable warm (-ish) waters of the local pool, and then I stood in the path of a rope under strain.
Don’t ever stand in the path of a rope under strain. It does bad things to one’s body. It’s taken these last two years to recover as well as I think I ever will. Permanent structural and nerve damage to my left foot and ankle meant I had to give up my running addiction, and, fed up and frustrated with the nerve pain I was in, I replaced regular exercise with red wine and a bit too much cake. I quickly piled on weight and lost all the muscle tone I’d spent years building up.
I reached a point where I was uncomfortable in my own skin and I had to make a decision: buy bigger underpants or do something about the extra weight.
Six months ago I bought the P90x home fitness program and the lost two stone (30 lbs for my overseas readers) I’d gained. I’m on week 10 of it’s successor, the P90X3, packing a whole hour’s worth of weight training, core strength training and cardio exercises into daily 30 minute routines. I love it and I get narky if I don’t get my daily exercise endorphin fix.
Earlier this year my best friend convinced me to give the Shetland Canoe Club training another go; would I come along with her for moral support. I was unsure at the time that I had the physical strength needed to kayak, and that my ankle would hold out. I need a working ankle to be able to get back into the kayak, should I find myself deposited upside down from it.
I was skeptical, but I was willing to give it a go. I even managed to convince my teenage son to join me. My friend, on the other hand, never showed up for the classes. An unfounded fear of her backside not fitting into the kayak prevented her from taking lessons this year. My son and I persevered.
Last week I passed all the criteria for my one star certificate. Ok, I realise this pretty much just means I can get in and out of a kayak and mostly paddle in a straight line, but I’m really rather pleased with myself. My eldest, on the other hand, has discovered that the paddling during a trip requires effort, and needs a bit more coaxing to come back out with me. Nonetheless, I’m sticking with it – I still have to cross #24 kayak into a sea cave off my 40 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 40 list.
Last week’s beginners session was a 5 mile long paddle up the voe so that we could practice our strokes and get a taste of what the swell of the open sea feels like. When you’re sitting in a boat only a few inches from the surface of the water, the swell seems huge! Fortunately, thanks to stubbornness and the P90X I’ve got the strength to do it. Two different folk commented on the strength of my paddle stroke, and I was secretly really chuffed. My hard work is paying off!
You’re supposed to bring some provisions along with you on trips: something sugary in case you need a quick energy fix and some fresh water.
So, I took my new Genuine Thermos Brand Filtration Bottle for a test run.
Thermos have been providing people on the move with quality food and drink storage containers for over 110 years. Their latest product features an innovative gravity-fed filtration method, which is NSF/ANSI 42 & 53 certified to help reduce contaminants such as aesthetic chlorine, chloramine, atrazine and particulate class V, as well as eliminate bad tastes and odour from water.
It’s a water bottle with a carbon filter, meaning you can take tap water out on adventures with you. Personally, I’m not keen on refilling old used water bottles, or drinking tap water from a flask or plastic water bottle. It just doesn’t taste as nice as I want, so I tend to buy bottled water for my outdoor pursuits – not the most environmentally friendly way of going about doing things.
POSITIVE FEATURES
- It’s sturdy. It is made from BPA-free, impact resistant Eastman Tritan™ copolyester material – so it didn’t break after repeatedly hitting it with my kayak paddle (accidentally, of course!)
- You can use it with one hand (keeping the other holding on to the paddle). The clip can be lifted and lid release button pressed with one hand, and no sucking is needed to get the water out of the bottle. It just pours out easily from the hygienic spout.
- The bottle can be filled up to 128 times before the filter needs to be replaced.
- There’s a carrying loop so you can attach it to your backback (or kayak, just in case!).
- It makes tap water taste nice!
NEGATIVE FEATURES
- It’s rather expensive. At £25 it’s a rather pricey investment.
- It’s a faff to set up. There are seven different components you need to take apart and wash before first use. The filter needs to be soaked for an hour and then rinsed under cold water for three minutes before you can drink from it. Then, once you’ve done that you need to fill the bottle, allow it to filter, pour that water out and refill it again before using. I had to repeat this step three times before bits of carbon stopped falling out of the filter.
- The filtered water section at the bottom isn’t particularly large, meaning you can’t take a really big swig of water without waiting for it to filter some more before you can continue. I realise that size of compartment is ok for average sized sips, but sometimes, after massive energy expenditure, you need a really good glug of water.
All in all it is a pretty snazzy water bottle, and I think it’s well worth the price. £25 for 128 refills. 128 bottles of water at 60 p each would cost over £76! Replacement filters are also available.
You can buy the Thermos Filtration Bottle from the Thermos website, Amazon and John Lewis.
You can find out more about kayaking in Shetland by visiting The Shetland Canoe Club and Sea Kayak Shetland websites, and following them on Facebook (Sea Kayak Shetland)(Shetland Canoe Club).
GIVEAWAY
Thermos have very kindly offered the chance for one of my readers to win a Genuine Thermos Brand Filtration Bottle RRP £25 of their very own!
HOW TO ENTER
For your chance to win a genuine Thermos Brand Filtration Bottle RRP £25 enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Come back and tweet about the giveaway every day for more chances to win!
TERMS & CONDITIONS
This giveaway is open to UK entries only. Entrants must be age 18 or over. The winner will need to respond within 7 days of being contacted; failure to do this may result in another winner being selected.
The prize is offered and provided by Thermos. The prize is to win a genuine Thermos Brand Filtration Bottle RRP £25. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable.
There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary to enter this giveaway. The promoter (Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary) reserves the right to cancel or amend the giveaway and these terms and conditions without notice.
Entry into our giveaways will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
If you need some help using Rafflecopter, here’s a quick clip to show you how. Rafflecopter will pick the winner at random from all the entries received. I will be verifying entries and any automated entries or those who have claimed they have made the mandatory blog post comment and really haven’t will be disqualified. It’s mandatory!
Closing date is midnight on Monday 6 July 2015 (GMT) and the winner will be announced shortly afterwards.
Don’t forget to visit my Giveaways Page for other fab prizes!
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Disclosure: Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary received products from Genuine Thermos Brand as compensation for this post. All views and opinions expressed in the post are my own and no other compensation was provided. With thanks to Angus Nicol from Sea Kayak Shetland for the kayaking photographs.
t in the park
cycling trips
me and my partner do a lots of SCUBA diving and you get really thirsty, so would be ace for this
long walks up the moors x
Trekking in the rain forest in Sri Lanka next year
cycling with the family
I think my eldest would nick it off me for his Duke of Edinburgh expeditions as he’s just got his pack through
Balance boarding, walking and kayaking – I’m still doing a double kayak as I have real issues with timing my stroke to paddle ( I go in circles which is highly amusing for everyone else – not so much for me!)
just a walk in the countryside is an adventure nowadays
My commute to work
I’m on maternity leave with my nearly 10 month old who loves being outside! We go on adventures to the beach, to the local woods and we went to Devon as a family recently.
Long walks 🙂
I would bring it to work with me, to encourage me to drink more water during the day.
I’d take it when I go linedancing
Take it with me on the train to keep hydrated
Camping in the Brecon Beacons
the drive to our summer holidays on a good day 1 1/2hrs but a bad anywhere up to 3hrs
cross country runs with my running club
This would be great when I go hiking!
I’d take it to Zumba with me
Hiking with the family
The commute to work – feels like an adventure some days!
walk wit a dog
Long walks in the country
cycling with the family
hiking in Devon
camping trips!!
Walking days with the kids.
Walking in the Lake District
I would take it on a trip to loch ness not far from where I live
Quad biking in Egypt
Not particularly an adventure but this would be really handy on my commute every day.
Cycling trips
Walking along – ad swimming in! – rivers in Somerset and Gloucestershire
Walking
hiking trips
Definitely take this when I go travelling, hopefully next year.
on walks with my dog
All of them – from hiking, to cycling to anything I dream of!
going for long walks in the countryside
Climbing at The Roaches or at Portland
kayaking along the north devon coast
when out waking in waes
On walks on the beach and moors of our lovely North Yorkshire.
The next in my list of adventure sports to try is canyoning.
My everyday walking with my daughter –
My hubby teaches a martial art class to children every week – hes not as young as he used to be so needs the best hydration possible
We are going on an adventure holiday to France soon and this would be perfect. It is very clever. I want one 🙂
long walks in the countryside
Walks with the family
Just about to do a weeks walking this would be perfect.
When I go walking
Climbing Steel Rigg
I’d go for walks with it
In a couple of years time maybe hiking or camping but initially it would be my most exciting adventure of all – labour! Due at the end of the month.
Geocaching!!
Cool prize giveaway
Kayaking in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario
Seafishing in my kayak in the English CHannel
on archaeological digs and walks
I’m going paddle boarding for the first time in August.
My two children do Dartmoor wild camping in preparation for events like Ten Tors and South Moors river walk so this would help stop them from boiling the water for 20 mins to mix with their porridge etc
walking the dog
Taking the Dog for long walks in the countryside
Running and Hiking
Adventure walks with my son
wild swimming
camping.
whilst walking
Lots of family day trips!
i would take it on my skiing holiday
when i go for long walks and running.
Everything from my weekday cycle commute, to marathon training on the trails
This would be brilliant for when I go walking with my daughters 🙂 xxx
Trail running
No where as exciting as the pictures but I would take it on a long walk to a country park 🙂
Competing in dog agility
my partner is a kayaking fanatic so would be great for him!
Would use it for camping.
Long countryside walks, exploring canal banks and woodlands.
I would take mine for a workout at the gym!
I’d keep it in my bag for all occasions
Lots of walking and camping in the Lakes!
Camping!
I try to go out walking every day, so it would be ideal for this.
We like going on long road trips, so this would be perfect. South Coast this Summer!!!
I would take it on my daily walks which have had to replace my running due to an injury.
I would bring it along for my Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition, because I think I will need it!
I would send with hubby for his trail runs
On our summer train journey around the UK
Walks in the country
this will be handy on the long walks I will be taking with my dog when I get him
Not sure I do adventure, but it would be handy on a nice long country walk
This looks great. There’s a natural well near the Sunday football field. That would be handy.
This looks like a great bottle and I would take it out on our kayake which we use on the canal so a much more sedate affair:-)
on our very long walks x
i would take it camping
Family camping
mountain walking
I would take it camping
Running, PIlates, the school run!
Holiday walks with the boys.
I’d take it with me when we visit relatives in India. We boil the tap water and let it cool down before drinking it, and it always tastes dreadful, so another way to get clean filtered water would be useful.
i’m training for a marathon so this would be ideal!
On Go Ape.
I would take it camping
I love sea kayaking too so would use it for that
Skiing trips, walks with the dog, picnics and holidays 🙂
I would take it camping
I’d take it on holiday to Spain!
Walking holiday in Ireland
If I won the bottle, it’d come with me on what will hopefully be many a hiking trip once I’m finished with university!
I’d take it Rambling with me 🙂
I would take it to festivals
I will bring it on the adventure trip I have planned next year to South America. Would definitely be handy to have
Mountain Biking
I’d take it on my hikes across the moors.
I would take it on school run adventures.
This would be fab whem hubby does his cycle road races
Work – which is always an adventure.
just to the gym x
Fantastic for when treking
I would take it camping with me when where out walking for the day.
I’d take it on a hike across the local countryside.
Camping with the kids!
At the gym
I would take it on all My Travels 🙂
I would take it camping with me
Wild camping with my son
walking in the lake district – wonderful weather and scenery x thanks
Walking in the Mournes
Travelling, walking, running, living!
Could be useful whilst hiking.
Very nice, i would take it with me hiking
I would take it with me to my next festival! Haven’t got any tickets yet but will do hopefully soon! x
I would give it to my son to take on Cub camp 🙂
I would give it to my daughter when shes out with the Air Cadets on their missions
It’ll come camping with my university friends later this summer
It would come on mini-breaks with me to the countryside
Long walks with the dog.
Hiking…it’s a must have!
a grand sailing trip along the south english coast
when i’m out dogging
I’d take it literally everywhere, to work as we no longer have a water cooler. To the gym which I walk to every morning and when out adventuring at the weekends.
It would be ideal for hiking.
I would take it hiking with me.
I would use it on my family camping trip this summer
I would use it on my commute on my bike to work
Walking up Munros
On weekend walks with the children
I’m hoping to do lots of sailing on our wayfarer this summer, and all that crewing and hiking out is thirsty work!
I need to drink at least 3 litres a day (medical reasons) so I will take it everywhere!
I always carry water with me so this would go everywhere but would be especially handy on holidays.
Would be nice to have some clean filtered water on the train and tube
weekend cycle trips
Family picnics and days out!
I’m gradually trying to work my way around the SW coastal path at weekends. I’d take the bottle with me then.
Good luck with your 40 things list.
Days out at the beach
camping holidays
Cycling round the Lakes 🙂
Days out at the beach
I’d take mine to work, to try and encourage me to drink more and to take to meetings.
Holidays, mountain climbing and picnics and days out.
Camping with my nephews.
my daughter would use this on her duke of Edinburgh
Holidays in Cumbria, trips to the gym and days out to the seaside.
On all our summer holiday days out :0)
I live at the beach so I would take it with me when I go.
Walks on the beach
some canoing
Id take it walking with me! x
Festivals
Camping and hiking through the brecons
Camping, hiking and caving
Congrats on losing two stones, you’ve done fantastic. Thanks for the lovely giveaway, if I won this I’d use it on my daily walks, picnics and when I go on holiday,
Camping!
When walking up the mountains
Travelling around UK.
I too am turning 40 very soon and have a list of adventures to complete….the bottle would be perfect!
Walks in the Lake District
I’d use it on long hikes to stay hydrated
This would be brilliant for everyday life, going to work on public transport in the summer months is a nightmare, so need this for easy drinking, also be good on my desk as if it got knocked over would not spill, result
when we go camping xx
My regularhikes around the cotswolds
Camping, our long walks and bike rides
I would use it everywhere when I go for walks, pole fitness class, swimming and gym sessions
Sounds like a portable Brita Filter.
I would take it with me in the bike.
I’d come in handy on camping trips.
I’m not very adventurous but would love to take it on days out over the summer x
My morning walks
I’d take it walking in Alcudia
Hiking with the dogs.
I’d take it to Ju Jitsu classes 🙂
camping trip with my family
Days out with the fam and to the gym (big adventure for someone as unfit as me!! ;-))
Kayak fishing most weekends
Camping trips, walking breaks, you name it!
Biking with the kiddies. x
hiking and sightseeing trips
I would take it on our adventures around the Lake District
On long walks in the hot summer
This would be ideal for my long Summer cycling journeys
I’d take it with me on our historical sightseeing trips. And, more mundanely, the commute to work 🙂
To the gym x
My adventures tend to be more low key now that my children need to tag along, but our rambles in the countryside and beach are where I would take it.
Jogging along the Jurassic coastline.
when the hubby takes me fishing
My morning walks
My partner works away in other countries a lot I’m sure he’d make good use of this
I would use it when we go walking and foraging.
anywhere and everywhere! 😀
on my long walks
I would carry it when I go bird watching.
Long walks and days out
my daughter would take it swimming
Hiking along the Pennine way
Cycling trips
hiking in the lakes
Hospital appointments I was up there for 5 hours n Wednesday!
We send a lot of time in Wales and love Cadar Idris so would probably use it there.
#UKBloggers
To go on long walks in the countryside
walks and going out to sea in my dad’s boat!
lots of long walks in the fresh air
I would be taking it on cycle rides with family
Congratulations on getting your certificate! I’ve been looking into getting one of these bottles for a while, they do sound good x
Well done on getting back “on the horse”!