Does Dropping a Hydro Flask Ruin It?

When you own a Hydro Flask from time to time you're likely to drop it, especially if you're like me and have kids who also use it.

Does dropping a Hydro Flask ruin it? Will it ruin the insulation and cause it to stop working? Or are Hydro Flasks strong enough to handle drops and keep on working?

I've got personal experience with this and have also done a lot of research and here's what I've found.

Dropping a Hydro Flask will likely dent or scratch the outside but it's unlikely to ruin the vacuum insulation completely. Most Hydro Flasks will still work just as well after being dropped.

Will Dropping a Hydro Flask Ruin The Insulation?

I'd only had my Hydro Flask a few months before I was hopping into my car after work and I dropped it out of the car door onto the concrete.

It got a dent in the bottom (which you can see up above) which was a bummer. But luckily it still worked just fine and the damage was underneath so it wasn't super noticable.

Dropping a Hydro Flask is unlikely to break the vacuum insulation and your Hydro Flask will likely keep drinks hot or cold just as well as it did before you dropped it.

Hydro Flasks are made from an inner and outer wall of stainless steel. In between these two walls they suck out all the air and create a vacuum.

You Hydro Flask generally only stops working where there has been a break in the vacuum seal and the vacuum fills up with air. Learn more about why a Hydro Flask stops working.

Dropping and denting the metal of your Hydro Flask doesn't mean that air can get into the vacuum. This is why dropping your Hydro Flask generally doesn't ruin the insulation.

The most vulnerable area of your Hydro Flask and the area most likely to cause issues with the insulation is the very middle of the base of your Hydro Flask.

This is the spot where they suck out the air to create the vacuum and then they seal up this spot with their unique “TempShield.” This seal is the weakest link and if your vacuum breaks it's likely from an issue in this area.

Cosmetic Damages From Dropping Your Hydro Flask

While dropping your Hydro Flask may not ruin the insulation it will likely cause damage to the exterior of your Hydro Flask.

While a Hydro Flask is made from stainless steel and a durable powder coated paint it isn't bulletproof. So dropping your Hydro Flask will likely cause some damage

Dents

Hydro Flask's are made from a thin stainless steel so when you drop them it is very common for them to dent.

Above you can see the bottom of my Hydro Flask which was dented by my kids. I have no idea how they damaged it so badly and so extremely, but kids will be kids.

Chances are you dents won't be as big as mine. You can actually remove some dents from your Hydro Flask by using a hair dryer and dry ice.

Scratches/Paint Chips

It's also very common for Hydro Flasks to get scratches or paint chips when dropped.

The powder coated paint is strong and durable with normal use but big bumps and high impact events like dropping it onto concrete, or rocks or something hard is likely to scratch the outside of the bottle.

You can fix light scratches on a Hydro Flask with some super fine sandpaper, but to fix a paint chip on your Hydro Flask you usually need to paint over it or cover it up in some way.

Dirty Marks

When you drop your Hydro Flask on the ground, especially if you drop it in the grass or the dirt it may get dirty marks on the outside of the paint.

Luckily the paint is durable and doesn't stain easily. Most of these marks will wash off with a quick clean. I showed this in my article/video on do white Hydro Flasks stain easily?

What To Do If You've Ruined Your Hydro Flask

If you've dropping your Hydro Flask and you have in fact ruined the insulation then what can you do about it?

See If It's Covered Under Warranty

Hydro Flask bottles comes with a limited lifetime warranty that covers you against manufacturing defects, including loss of insulation.

However, it doesn't cover you against you damaging your Hydro Flask yourself and breaking the insulation that way. It also doesn't cover dents or wear and tear.

However, it may still be worth getting in contact with Hydro Flask and letting them know the insulation has broken. If your Hydro Flask doesn't look extremely damaged then they may actually be willing to replace your bottle for you.

You can learn more at Hydro Flask's warranty page.

How To Protect Your Hydro Flask Against Dropping

If you want to protect your Hydro Flask against damages caused by dropping it then you'll want to take some steps to protect your Hydro Flask.

There are a few different things you can use to prevent your Hydro Flask from getting ruined if you drop it.

Silicone Boot

Hydro Flask sell slip on silicone boots in lots of different colors that protect the base of your Hydro Flask from getting damaged.

These come free with the Kid's bottles (very smart) but you can also buy them separately and they aren't too expensive.

It's a good way to keep the bottom of your Hydro Flask protected from general wear and tear as well as from dropping it.

See the latest price of Hydro Flask silicone boots

Sling

You can also get slings for your Hydro Flask which add an extra layer of insulation as well as protection.

They also come with a shoulder strap so you can easily carry your Hydro Flask with you if you want to.

See the latest price of Hydro Flask slings