In all kinds of weather: The Hydro Flask

Recently, we had one of the coldest days here in Gainesville with temperatures as low as 26 degrees. Being raised in South Florida, but born in Long Island, New York, I felt more like I was back in New York when I woke up at 8:30 AM for work. Even with the heat on, I felt extremely cold in my house so I craved something warm to drink on my way to work, but I was running late as it was, and there was no coffee shop on the path of my morning commute. So I decided to make some tea. Rather than attempt to drink it out of a mug in the car, I decided to use a "stocking stuffer" Christmas gift I received from my mom.

The Hydro Flask, as it was called on the flask itself, is minimally designed flask with the theme of simplicity. My Hydro Flask is a blue stainless steel, vacuum insulated, and has the standard mouth size option. The flask could come in other sizes up to 40 oz and the mouth could also sized as an alternate "wide mouth" option. The 21 oz bottle is seemingly durable yet also lightweight and  comfortable to hold. This makes it perfect for walking to class down university or this spring break when I'll be skiing in Colorado. The inside of the bottle is without aluminum lining unlike most flasks and is BPA free, making it environmentally friendly.

The top of the bottle is sealed with a screw-in cap. The cap, when properly screwed in, makes the Hydro Flask spill proof even when I drop it off my desk accidentally at work. I'm sure it could survive drops from higher heights because this flask feels extremely durable. It was made for being carried while commuting, exercising, or traveling. The strength of the stainless steel, the tough texture of the outside of the flask, and the screw in cap ensure the flask's contents will never spill. Perfect for those who are prone to spilling hot liquids in the car. Although the cap is tightly sealed when closed, it is easy to remove as well as screw in. Just a few easy turns and the cap pops off or tightens in. 

However, the overall best and more impressive feature of this exceptional flask is it's about to retain the temperature of it's liquid content for such a long period of time. While I've personally never had any water or tea in my Hydro Flask for more for a few hours, the website claims it could retain cold temperatures for up to 24 hours and hot temperature for up to 12. I have no doubt that these claims are true. On warmer days, I'll fill my flask up with some ice and Gatorade for the gym. By the end of my workout, the ice is still intact and the Gatorade still ice cold. On my cold, miserable trek to class my tea stayed steaming hot the entire time. Even when I was in class was my tea still steaming. In fact, when I was walking into my house around 4PM after my long day of classes, the tea was still exceptionally warm.

So whether you're a student, a bodybuilder, a hiker, traveller or someone who is simply a fan of their beverages retaining their temperature for as long as possible, I recommend you purchase the Hydro Flask. It puts reusable plastic bottles and portable coffee mugs to shame. Under 20$ on Amazon, this flask is a steal. I give it a 5/5 rating.

American Sniper: Not your typical war movie

American Sniper was similar to many other war movies of the past, such as Saving Private Ryan or The Hurt Locker. However, one striking difference is that it is without the pro-American patriotic glory that is in other war movies. That being said, it is not an anti-war movie in any way. The movie, based on the biography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, was more of a testament than a statement.  It is a tragedy that highlighted the dangers of war on the frontline and at home in the states. Directed by Clint Eastwood, the movie has already become the highest grossing U.S. war film of all time.

            The movie follows Chris Kyle from his youth growing up in Texas, to his four tours spent in Iraq shortly after 9/11. Portrayed by Bradley Cooper, Chris Kyle was a Christian, rodeo-loving cowboy and what his father called a “shepherd dog.” As shown in the movie, even at a young age Chris Kyle felt he had a duty to protect those he cares about. A scene in the early part of the film shows Kyle fighting off a bully in defense of his younger brother. While he protects his other brothers, usually in a bleak and lonely tower or rooftop, Kyle gains the reputation of a military legend by racking up 160 confirmed kills. Kyle immediately experiences the mental hardships inflicted by the devastating theater of war by having to snipe a mother and son who attempted to sabotage Marines with a live grenade. You see his eyes blankly stare through his rifle’s scope; his mind wounded from something not even training could have prepared him for.

  While his peers commend him for his work, Kyle remains humble and stands firm that his work is nothing noble, but that it is his duty and it is what he must do in order to protect his fellow soldiers. He is a man of few words, as seen in interviews such his interview with Conan in 2012. As he returns tirelessly to Iraq for a third and a final fourth tour, tensions increase with his wife as she questions why he keeps returning, a question we don’t directly receive. It wasn’t for the thrill or glory of war, but perhaps the feeling of a need for Kyle to return to face the demons that sit in the Middle East. As Kyle sits in the middle of an approaching sandstorm, he proclaims to his wife that he is finally ready to come home. Reintegrating into civilian life is just as hard as training for Kyle. Sounds of war, machine guns, explosions and the cries of the wounded haunt him as he sits with his wife and two children.

This movie was not intended by director Clint Eastwood to be a political statement. It’s the story of a man’s life in the midst of a war that echoes the public opinion similar to the Vietnam War. It’s a side not many of us are too familiar of seeing in regards to our generation’s drama of the Middle East. We are used to seeing speeches, gunfights, and explosions on the news; but this movie is a softer side of a long war that has arguably defined the early 2000’s. Chris Kyle’s struggles on tour in Iraq as well as at home are similar to many soldiers who come home and unfortunately struggle to reintegrate into society. Regardless of your political views, I believe American Sniper was not a testament of modern U.S. military achievements but rather a tragedy highlighting the tolls that this war takes on our soldiers.