Updated by Swimming World Staff.
First appeared April 2019 By McKenna Ehrmantraut, Swimming World College Intern
Swimmers live in the water, but remember that while you may be immersed in it, your body still needs to stay hydrated.
Every swimmer has their go-to water bottle that they swear by. It’s always on deck, with them in class or even on their nightstand: a swimmer is rarely seen without one.
Everyone is unique, and swimmers across the country are reflecting their personalities through their choice of water bottle. With a variety of color options and stickers, athletes make their distinct mark. Indoor and outdoor swimmers alike from different states, climates, and backgrounds share their favorite tools for hydration with Swimming World below.
Photo Courtesy: Kate Santilena
Hot when it’s Cold Outside…Cold When it’s Hot
Paige Nagahama, a swimmer for University of Hawaii’s Masters Swimming Team, loves how her Hydro Flasks can keep things colder or hotter for longer periods of time and shows off her personality through the fun colors. She uses her big blue Hydro Flask for water during tough morning practices, and the black one for her coffee boost. Growing up in Hawaii, she picks stickers promoting ocean-cleanup brands to show her support.
Photo Courtesy: Alyssa, D’Esposito
Swimmer Alyssa D’Esposito from Arcadia University praises the durability of her Hydro Flask. She says: “I traveled 4,300 miles to Positano, Italy — training daily in cliff swims — and always came back to my Hydro Flask cold and full. It never failed me.”
Photo Courtesy: Kristy Kinzer
Personality in a Bottle
Sarah Anderson, an athlete at Western Michigan University, loves her Hydro Flask water bottle for many reasons. A major perk is that it fits really well in her car cup holder – not many water bottles do that. As seen in her decorative choices, Anderson says: “You can really learn a lot about me by just looking at my water bottle stickers! I love Sweetwater Donuts, work at Gazelle Sports, love being outside and love supporting my school!”
Photo Courtesy: Madison Beckemeyer
Swimmer Madison Beckemeyer from Arcadia University says her Hydro Flask’s stickers, dents, and scratches “add character” and reflect her many adventures. On warm Puerto Rico training trips, she can fill it with ice the night before and still enjoy ice-cold water throughout the morning. At the beach, it never sweats — so no sticky sand or drips — making grueling workouts a bit easier.
Photo Courtesy: Olivia McKelvey
Florida Tech swimmers Mikaela Barger, Katie Crocker, Emma Oleniczak, Peyton Baranowski, Drew Bastian, Alice Pennings and Savannah Brennanall love how Hydro Flasks can keep their water nice and chilly even when sitting in the blazing sun for their three-plus hours of practices. They also enjoy the wide assortment of colors and styles to choose from. The majority of them express their personality through their water bottle by covering it with stickers or wristbands.
Photo Courtesy: Aaron Jolly
Takes a Beating, but keeps you Drinking
Aaron Jolly, a swimmer for Beloit College, loves his Hydro Flask because it is durable enough for any and all adventures, and has a simple yet colorful aesthetic. He has covered his Hydro Flask with lots of stickers not only to represent who he is and where he’s come from, but also to remind him of all the places he’s visited and adventures he’s embarked on over the years.
Photo Courtesy: Ana Kohout
Ana Kohout, another swimmer from Beloit College, loves her Hydro Flask because it’s the perfect size for her cup holder and keeps her water icy cold on the musty, hot pool deck. This bottle is very personal to her, because it has memories quite literally ingrained into the bottle with all of the scratches and dents from her many adventures and everyday life. It is her constant, trusty companion.
Photo Courtesy: Lianne McCluskey
Swimmer Aidan Coffin Ness from Smith College says, “I love that my Hydro Flask has stickers that make me smile — I can tell it’s mine immediately. The fun colors stand out and make me happy.” Her favorite sticker, “Be Brave,” came from a leadership conference. She’s also added a succulent from a best friend and a “Celebrate Love” sticker from an event at Smith College.
Photo Courtesy: Kaylie Williams
Swimmer Kaylie Williams from Beloit College swears by her Hydro Flask — whether it’s water or coffee, it stays at the perfect temp. She says, “It’s durable and brightly colored — just like me!” Her bottle is decked out with stickers from California and her adventures. She doesn’t plan a theme — she just spots a sticker she likes and arranges it in a fun way.
Photo Courtesy: Annalise Christy
Annalise Christy, a swimmer from Arcadia University, loves that her Hydro Flask keeps her water chilled and icy all day long, even if it’s in the scorching summer heat. She personalized her water bottle by having the back engraved by her favorite surf store.
Photo Courtesy: McKenna Ehrmantraut
Swimmers Sydni Resnick and Josie McCloughan from the University of Puget Sound love their Hydro Flasks. McCloughan says, “I can decorate mine with stickers so it’s obviously mine — and it keeps my peppermint mocha warm on snowy days.” Resnick adds, “It replaces disposable bottles everywhere I go — school, training, vacations — and it’s my go-to travel companion.”
Are you going green with reusable water bottles? If so, what does your water bottle say about you? Tell us in the comments below!
-All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
