Review: SIGG 1L bottle

 I saw a review on Personal Armaments by Rob, on his Vintage SIGG Stainless Steel bottle, and I was reminded that I hadn't yet done a review of my own SIGG, which has been a steady companion through some pretty rough times, and as you can see it has weathered it pretty well. This is the 1L aluminium bottle, in the Gold Maha style offered by SIGG a few years back.

The great thing about SIGG aluminium bottles is that they are pressed from a dingle puck of metal into the bottle form, no seams, no edges and a unibody construction. The design is smooth and elegant, wit ha good sized lip ad a neck that allows a lanyard to be tied up to it. I've fitted mine with a piece of kendo himo cordage, with a knotted end, which I often carry mine around by, looped through the stopper hole, and pinched between knuckles. The inside of the bottle is coated with a plastic liner, which is reported to remain unbroken and in contact with the metal, even through denting and dropping.

 The lid is a high density plastic, with a rubber gasket, and has fared pretty well over the years, although I have had to replace one due to the threads wearing down a little. Powdered sports drinks being abrasive more than anything, I think. I've certainly dented my bottle often enough, and inspection of the inside show no signs of damage. Around the lip I've noticed a little pealing, which was more pronounced on my last bottle.

Yes, last bottle. This one is unfortunately not the same one I initially bought in 2008, as I managed to mess up the threading somehow, and even replacing the cap wouldn't give me a reliable seal. Not a fault of the bottle, per say, apart from a too-fine fine thread perhaps. Some of the external paint has been banged off, but that's more of a mark of pride to me (and my paleo-friends, who initially inspired me to purchase a SIGG). I carry mine in a FUP pouch, usually slung on the main body-strap of my messenger bag, but have also taken to wearing it on my hip when I have been running in preparation for the Tough Mudder Melbourne.

The bottle is not insulated, so a hot drink will transfer heat directly to your hand, and a cold one will warm in the sun, but for carrying a liter of fluids around all day in the city, hiking, on the car or at big-desk meetings I am very glad to carry my Maha SIGG.