The Eddy+ received average-to-above average scores in our rating metrics, with its strengths being durability and weight.
Performance Comparison
We were quick on the draw with the Eddy+. This bottle is light and easy to carry.
Ease of Use
It seems like the Camelbak Eddy+ is designed with this metric in mind. The whole point of the bottle is to make drinking easy, and we found that the days we had the Eddy+ with us were days where we drank a ton of water. The retractable straw feature and carrying handle make up the bulk of the lid. The carrying handle is large enough for three fingers to fit into it and allows the bottle to be carried easily in hand. The handle is similar to the Hydro Flask Standard in terms of size.
We loved the retractable straw feature on the Eddy - it facilitated hydration on the days we brought this bottle out and about.
The retractable straw is the Eddy+'s claim to fame. When the straw is in the closed position, it is out of the way and doesn't leak. When open, the straw will leak a little bit if tipped on its side or upside down. The Eddy+ compares to the Klean Kanteen Classic in terms of ease of one-handed drinking. We preferred the Klean Kanteen overall because of its stainless-steel body and sports cap that was easier to use overall than that of the Eddy.
Durability
Overall, this bottle proved to be very durable. Its plastic body bounced off the ground when dropped, remaining pretty much unscathed. The updated lid seems like it is made out of more burly plastic than the previous version of this bottle, improving its overall durability. We felt like the Eddy+ compared to the Nalgene Wide Mouth in terms of overall durability. The straw and bite valve are the weakest points of this bottle, and if you are prone to chewing on the straw, it will definitely wear out quickly. Luckily, Camelbak sells replacement parts for the bottle online.
If the straw gets moldy or old, replacement parts are sold online for relatively cheap, adding to the longevity (and long-term price) of this bottle.
Ease of Cleaning
Here our take on the Eddy+ gets a bit conflicted. On one hand, the bottle is easy to clean, with only a few different parts that are all dishwasher safe and able to be disassembled fairly quickly and easily. On the other hand, the bottle seems to attract mold and get dirty pretty quickly with consistent use. We found the straw and to be pretty hard to clean by hand.
We tended to use the Eddy+ as a bottle for just water, which allowed us to wash it less frequently.
Other bottles with many moving parts received similar scores to the Eddy in this metric. The LifeStraw Go, the Simple Modern Summit (with the flip cap), and the Contigo Thermalock Glacier all received similar scores in this metric due to their comparably complicated lids.
Weight
With a measured weight of 7.1 ounces, the Eddy+ is one of the lighter hard-bodied bottles in this review. The Klean Kanteen Classic and the Platypus Meta are both around the same weight, with the Classic weighing 7.4 ounces, and the Meta at 8 ounces. We felt like the Eddy was light enough to compete with the Nalgene Wide Mouth as our go-to for hiking. The Nalgene weighs 6.25 ounces and has a much simpler design.
The Eddy+ is lightweight enough to bring most places without a second thought. We brought this bottle to the climbing gym, the coffee shop, and on hikes.
Taste
The Eddy+ did not excel in this metric. The rubbery bite valve and straw seemed to impart flavor. When we filled the bottle with sports drink mix, these fruity flavors seemed to linger for days after. Similarly, the Simple Modern Summit had lingering flavors in its flip cap lid — both lids have many nooks and crannies where flavors can live for weeks if the bottle is not cleaned frequently. The Summit has the advantage of having interchangeable lids, which kept flavors separate and the bottle cleaner overall. Also, the Eddy+ had a plastic-y flavor initially that took a few days of use to get rid of. This same thing happened with the Hydrapak Stow, since both bottles have silicone parts that have a pretty district smell.
The Hydro Flask, shown on the right, was much better at shedding flavor than the Camelbak Eddy on the left.
Best Applications
We found the Eddy+ to be a great everyday bottle — especially when we were trying to drink a lot of water. The sippy straw is highly addictive, and we found ourselves refilling this bottle constantly. The fact that the Eddy is lightweight makes it portable for both urban and outdoor use. We liked bringing it on hikes, since it has a large capacity but a fairly low-profile shape that didn't seem to take up too much room in our packs. Besides the fact that it is made of plastic, the Eddy is a great around-town bottle, too. That said, we prefer a glass or stainless bottle for everyday use to reduce our contact to plastics.
The 0.75-liter Eddy+ works well in urban and outdoors settings. Here, we stashed it in our bike bottle holder on a commute.
Value
Sold for $15 online, the Eddy+ is a pretty good option for folks on a budget. The bottle is durable, long-lasting, and versatile — we find that versatility is a big factor in a bottle's value; bottles that can be used in many different situations are good investments overall. Its stainless-steel counterpart, the Klean Kanteen Classic is significantly more expensive, with a price tag of $21. On the other end of the spectrum, the Nalgene Wide Mouth retails for $11 and is a simple bottle to the Eddy+.
Conclusion
The Camelbak Eddy+ is a slightly revised version of a classic. This plastic bottle with an integrated straw has been replicated and emulated by many different bottles over the years. We like the Eddy+ because it is simple, inexpensive, and versatile. There are a few drawbacks with the bottle, though, that take away from it winning any awards in our eyes. The tendency toward funk build-up and the lingering flavors that occur with the straw and bite valve take away from the overall positive experiences we have had with the Eddy. Overall, this is a good bottle, but not our favorite pick.
