Christmas is literally the best time of the year. The food. The parties. The tree…and yeah, the presents! As you kick up your feet, grab the RTIC Tumbler (30 oz). That ‘drinkie’ friend or partner will love it. Plus, it doesn’t cost much.
While vacuum-sealed, stainless tumblers have been around for a while, its just recently that we’ve started seeing them get popular. All these can be attributed to success of YETI Rambler tumblers, but others have also released equally durable tumblers. For instance, Wal-Mart launched its Ozark Trail branded tumblers, and more recently RTIC have more budget-friendly versions of the popular drinking cups.
RTIC’s tumblers are available in three sizes (20-ounce, 30-ounce and 40-ounce). Our review unit is the 30-ounce version, which is a direct competitor to YETI’s 30-ounce Rambler. For a double-walled and vacuum-sealed tumbler, the idea of keeping your coffee hot or iced juice for hours on end.
Closely, the RTIC tumbler looks identical to the YETI Rambler, both are made of stainless steel. I got mine from a friend, and after two weeks I felt it deserves a few minutes to share the experience. The stainless steel (in fact, it is high-grade) casing feels durable enough, but I was more interested in the shatter-proof lid and the double-walled and vacuum-sealed profile for maximum temperature control.
RTIC Tumbler: Keep it iced for over 24 hours
On the first day, I filled the cup with ice and then added the water. While at the office, I took sips from time to time, and by midday had to top-up with more water. Surprisingly had ice for the whole afternoon.
With the cup, I realized that the first time you use it for ice water, you may lose a little more ice, but if you use it daily for ice water, it does last even longer.
I feel this is the case because the first day, the ice will have to make the cup cold on the inside. That said, I have had the cup hold ice for 24 hours, that’s by the next morning when I woke up.
Later, I did use the cup for coffee on a cold evening a cold evening during a cross-country drive. It was too cold, and I would certainly see my breath, but it managed to hold my coffee warm after 5 hours on the trail. The base is slim, and fits to a standard car-cup holder perfectly, and is easy to grip since it’s not as wide as YETI’s ramblers. The difference becomes clear as you move up the body of the cup. The YETI is wider than the RTIC, but the latter is taller.
The RTIC tumbler is sweat proof, which is a nice thing, as you can put the cup on wood and won’t sweat leaving an ugly ring on your furniture. Its to is made of plastic to create an ‘air-tight’ seal, but it gets a spot on the lids where you can easily insert a straw. This feature isn’t available on the YETI ramblers.
For those of us who like to drink from a straw, that’s a bonus right there. Still, on the YETI, the drinking slit is wide enough to fit a standard straw. If you’ll be using it always on the go, RTIC makes a spill proof lid that you can buy separately. The lid is just a thin film that weighs hardly anything.
Considering a gift for a ‘Drinkie,’ better get one
The budget-friendly RTIC Tumbler is nicely designed and is exceptional at keeping drinks cold. Its double-insulated walls can maintain ice for well over 24 hours. Also, with its sweat-proof, insulated design, you’ll never have to deal with a condensation ring on your dining table. All that, added to its friendly pricing, the RTIC Tumbler deserves a top spot in your gifts list. The YETI Rambler remains our top pick for travel tumblers, offering a sleek design and keeps your drinks cold or hot for long.
Recommended Configuration
BEAST 30 oz Teal Tumbler Stainless Steel Insulated Coffee Cup with Lid, 2 Straws, Brush & Gift Box by Greens Steel (30oz, Aquamarine Blue)
$18.39 in stock
7 used from $26.25
The Review
RTIC Tumbler
The budget-friendly RTIC Tumbler is nicely designed and is exceptional at keeping drinks cold. Its double-insulated walls can maintain ice for well over 24 hours.
PROS
- Affordable
- Durable
- Cools for long
CONS
- Small capacity
Review Breakdown
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ARS SCORE
