We are back in Vermont! Thanks to everyone for the support, cheers, emails, hellos and for helping us spread the word about Bivo during our Big Bivo Roadtrip! This message from Scott B from Hotter N’ Hell made us so happy:

“Just wanted to stop by to say a big Texas thank you for being at the HH100 consumer show. My wife and I were in the market to replace some bottles this year. After stopping by the booth and listening to Robby talk about the bottle, we continued on through the show. After thinking about it some more, we decided to buy a set for each of us. After trying them out Friday morning, then all day on the event. All I can say is wow. The Bivo Trio is absolutely the best bottle I have ever used in my 18 years going to Hotter’n Hell. They worked so well keeping the drink cold, I had to keep requesting no ice at each rest stop. Something I never wanted to do before. Great bottles! I am so glad you were at the show.”

We continue to reflect on what we learned on the road. It was such a good experience to see you touch the bottles, ask questions and make decisions on which bottle to pick. This week, I wanted to focus on Raw versus Coated because that was a common discussion we had at events!

We originally launched with just coated (no raw) because we loved the feel and performance attributes of the silicone coating. The colors all have a silicone coating on them which we added for extra grip in the hand and the cage, as well to add little extra protection from rattling in the cage (particularly metal ones!). After some consideration around the scratching of the coating and popularity of stainless steel, we decided to add the Raw version as well and it now makes up about 30% of our sales.

Why do people pick Coated?

• Grip! It really does add grip to the bottle. This is particularly nice when your hands and/or bottle are wet.
• Color! It’s fun to have the color pop on the bike (or desk)!
• Rattle! While the shape of the bottle is the biggest help for keeping the bottle quiet in the cage, the coating helps prevent those little noises, especially while using a metal cage.

Why do people pick Raw?  

• Finish! The coated bottles are prone to scratching over time, especially in muddy or dusty conditions. Robby likes to tell people that if you are the type of person who parks their car in strategic locations do it doesn’t get scratched, you probably should buy the raw.
• Steel is real! But seriously, people really like the stainless look. Steel has become really popular as a bike material and that has translated into people liking the raw look of the bottle on their bike.
• No stick! If you plan to put your bottle in a hip belt or backpack, the raw slides in and out of fabric easier than the coated version. When I Nordic ski, I tend to use the raw so it slides in and out easier in my water bottle carrier.

We like to show people how the bottle will scratch over time (left photo). Those bottles have been well love and we borrowed them for a photoshoot from Sam Noel and Adam Morse. Funny thing is, they both wanted their bottles back after the shoot because they had a special attachment to them. Scratches and dents can tell stories about the adventures they have taken you on. But, we recognize that's not for everyone, so we created the Raw too!