Kleen Kanteen

The whole BPA (Bisphenol A) issue worries me. We are a Plastic Water Bottle Family. We need portable water. We are always on the go, as are most American families with school age kids. All three kids play sports, and DS12 carries a water bottle to school.

When I started paying attention to the BPA issue, I got rid of any plastic water bottles marked with a 3, 6, or 7. Apparently, anything with a 1 is considered safe for one-time use (Poland Spring bottles, for example). To further complicate matters, recent news reports suggest that leaving plastic water bottles in an overheated car renders the contents unsafe. That, of course, leads me to wonder if Poland Springs (or any) delivery trucks ever overheat. Are the trucks air conditioned? Somehow I doubt it. (Obviously, I can out-worry anyone, with the things I think about.)

So in a quest to minimize our plastic water bottle use, I purchased a Kleen Kanteen at a local sporting goods store a few months ago. I decided that DS12 could carry it to school, eliminating the need for a new bottled water every day (which he questions anyway, especially when Earth Day rolls around).

The Kanteen I purchased is aesthetically pleasing: a cool, shiny metal. It doesn't impart any taste to our well water, which tastes so fresh and clean in a glass, but not in plastic. And if you add ice cubes in the morning, it really keeps the water cold all day, at least indoors.

There are some downsides to the Kanteen, however. First of all, it's heavy! Filled with water, it adds a significant weight to the already overweight backpack. But my biggest complaint is that the bottom dents, significantly. I don't know if the contents of the backpack dent it, or if DS12 drops it during the day, but our Kleen Kanteen now looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I'm wondering if the insulated totes sold as an accessory to the Kanteen would help. However, it would add another piece that would need to be washed.

Finally, I wonder if equipping everyone with a Kleen Kanteen might be a bad idea in the warmer weather. When I wash the Kanteen with hot water, the metal heats up so rapidly that it quickly becomes uncomfortable to handle. I think you would have to keep the Kanteen in a cooler outdoors, or the water inside would heat up. Perhaps the insulated tote would help here, also. I may have to try it. As usual, there are no easy answers.