Bulk Pro Water Bottle Review

Bulk Pro Bottle

• Holds plenty of water!
• Good quality plastic
• BPA Free
• Cheap
• Have to screw cap off each drink!

“This faithful water bottle has served me well. It’s not as easy to drink out of as some though, with the cap needing to be removed each time.”

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Last week one of the products that arrived at Home Gym Experts office was a giant water bottle. I’d been expecting it to be large… but wow – this is a beast! This is a full review of the Bulk Pro bottle (available cheaply on Amazon UK). If you’re looking for a way to keep up your hydration, this guide’s for you.

What is the Bulk Pro Water Bottle?

The Bulk Pro is a large water bottle designed to keep you hydrated for long periods of time. If you’ve ever run out of drink during training, you might want to splash out on one of these (pun intended).

Most of the pictures don’t do the Bulk Pro justice. It’s a whoppingly huge water bottle that holds over 2 litres of water. It has a metal screw-on top that’s held in place when taken off by a thick fabric belt. It has a large, textured hand grip on one side (it’s too fat to pick up one-handed without this).

Hobbit’s door, you’re going to have to drink from it like you would a cup. Your lips aren’t going to stretch around this.

What’s it like to drink out of?

To take a swig of your drink you’ll need to unscrew the metal cap. This takes around 3 twists to remove or add back. The bottle opening is completely different to other tops I’ve drunk out of. This thing measures about 4cm in diameter. Unless you’ve got a mouth like Hobbit’s door, you’re going to have to drink from it like you would a cup. Your lips aren’t going to stretch around this.

This takes a bit of getting used to as your lower lip is on the rather chunky threads of the screw on top. The inside of the bottle top itself is a bit on the sharp side but it’s not especially uncomfortable. Although it might chaff after a number of uses.

Big ‘n’ Heavy

My 10-year old daughter swears one of he classmates brings one of these bottles to school each day.

I mean, What!? This thing is one huge bottle!

Mine measured just under 27cm tall and around 12cm wide. Once filled, it weighs around 2.2kg, although you can obviously fill it with less water if you choose.

Stability-wise, assuming you’ve filled it almost to the top, this thing is very cumbersome to drink out of. That’s not necessarily the bottle’s fault – we’re talking 2 litres plus of water here. I found that although the handle does a fantastic job, I was using a second hand to steady it.

An enthusiastic slurper could easily find themselves with a bit of extra refreshment down their tank top if they’re not careful.

How does it compare to other bottles?

The Bulk Pro bottle obviously holds a lot more than a regular-sized bottle. The image below makes the regular gym bottle (right) look tiny by comparison. And that bottle isn’t exactly small either. The Bulk is a bit harder to move around though, due to its weight and size.

And drinking from that really wide top takes some getting used to. On the up-side, I regularly run out using normal bottles which won’t be an issue with the new beast.

Thickness and quality

The bottle has some extra-thick bands running around it and, on the edges especially, it feels extremely robust. We’re talking about a plastic bottle here so it is going to bend and move if you squeeze it but even when it’s full, it doesn’t wobble as a regular 2-litre bottle of water does.

If I was being picky, I’d ask for an ever so slightly thicker grade of plastic but, honestly, I think this is plenty-tough  as-is and as long as it doesn’t smack into a kettlebell or other metal stuff in your home gym, I can see this lasting a long time.

The cap especially is of excellent quality with a brushed steel look to it.

Plonking this bottle down next to the weights bench, I like how this thing doesn’t fall over, even if you knock it.

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Review: Things I like about the Bulk Pro Water Bottle

You are not going to run out of water

Unless you’re running across the Mojave desert in the afternoon, this bottle will likely keep you hydrated during the most sweaty of workouts. You’ve got an absolutely massive 2 plus litres of water here.

No weird taste

Ever buy a bottle and you can literally taste the chemically-ness of it? Could be my imagination but I swear some plastic bottles make the water taste weird. I’m happy to report that’s not the case with the Bulk Pro. The only thing you’ll taste here is that sweet water after your last set. Perfect.

BPA Free

There are all kinds of reasons you don’t want plastic with BPA in it. Thankfully this bottle is BPA-free.

It’s cheap

I got my Bulk Pro water bottle on Amazon and I paid just under six pounds for it. It’s roughly half the price of other oversized water bottles.

It seems tough

Having read some people on Amazon had had issues with the strength of their bottle, with some claiming there might have been a bad batch from the factory, I was slightly more critical of my bottle. I’ve not had a chance to use it long term and, chucking it about in the gym, but I’ve tested knocking it into different weights and the casing seems strong.

The handle makes it easy to hold

This is what you want on a water bottle – a big proper way to grab hold of it. The vertical handle fits well in your hand and it’s easy to pick up, even with sweaty hands.

Solid metal top that doesn’t leak

Although I’m not a fan of screwing tops off and on each time I want a drink (more on that below) the top that comes with this bottle is big, well made and surpasses what you’d expect from a cheaper water bottle.

You won’t run out of water with this bottle

Great design

The design of the Bulk Pro water bottle is awesome. There are several thick, textured bands running around it and the subdues colours are sleek and modern. As sleek and modern as a chubby monster of a water bottle can be. Everyone I’ve shown my new bottle to were impressed with a) its size and b) how good it looks.

I know some people on Amazon didn’t like the branding across this bottle but I don’t agree. I think it’s understated and no more garish than other bottles or sports products.

this bottle should last a long time and overall cut back on plastic.

Downsides to the bulk pro bottle

As always, there are some things with this product that didn’t taste so sweet. And yes, some of these are very nit-picky!

It doesn’t fit in most standard bottle holders

Whether you’re on a treadmill, bike or recumbent, it’s likely the sheer size of the bottle will mean it won’t fit in a regular bottle holder. That’s kind of a shame as part of the benefit of a larger bottle means you don’t have to stop training to fill it up.

Obviously, rowers will be fine here and if you’re using something like the assault bike, you’ll be praying to get off it between sets anyway. You might be able to come up with your own solutions to this one but just be aware that the Big Boy of bottles also won’t play well with your current holders.

You’ve got to screw the cap on and off each time

A slightly unfair criticism as most (adult) water bottles will have a screw-on and screw off cap. This always made me uncomfortable when I went to public gyms on a hygiene level. In the home gym (or at your desk) it’s just an extra second or two, but it’s not a huge issue.

It’s plastic

At a time when many people are trying to get rid of their plastic, there’s no getting around the fact that this is another whopping chunk of the stuff. That being said, there’s a huge argument to be made that this will save on other plastic bottles, especially if you refill from the tap.

As mentioned above, barring some gym catastrophe, this bottle should last a long time and overall cut back on plastic.

The bottle top holder is fabric

You’ll never lose the top from your Bulk Pro bottle because it’s attached with a super-strong belt. It’s flexible and doesn’t get in the way when you’re screwing it on and off. One downside is that when you wash your bottle, it will get damp and take a while to dry. It does actually come off so as long as you remember to unhook it, this won’t be an issue.

Verdict: Does the Bulk Pro Bottle earn a place in your home gym?

The Bulk Pro is an absolute monster of a bottle. From my testing, it was sturdy and robust and while it might come off worst in a tussle with the hard edge of some gym gear, I found it to be extremely well made.

You can’t knock the capacity of this thing either. Whether you’re looking to make sure you get 2 litres a day or don’t want to run out of juice in a spin class, this bottle has you covered.

Design-wise, it looks awesome. Minimalist and modern.

On the downside, that top can be sharp and there’s no getting around the fact the opening at the top is on the large side. It’s also heavy – which will be a pro or maybe a con, depending on what you’re looking for.

For me, this is a fantastic addition to your home gym and for a few pounds, it’s well worth the price too.

Other uses for the Bulk Pro

Another cool thing with this bottle and the amount it holds (close to 2 litres) is that it serves as a good reminder of how much you need to drunk on a daily basis. I always lose track of how many glasses I’ve had, or how much of a bottle of water I’ve had (normally someone comes along and makes a cup of tea using the bottle I was pouring my glasses out of).

The great thing about this whopper of a bottle is you can take it with you and see exactly how much of that 2 litres you’ve drunk. Little tweaks like this can make a big difference.

Bulk Pro Tips

Here are some things new users might find helpful.

How to clean the bulk pro

While your dishwasher likely won’t harm your Bulk Pro, it’s not going to clean it either. Thankfully, there’s a simple way to keep the bottle in good nick.

1. Put a drop of fairy liquid in there
2. Screw the top securely back on
3. Pretend you’re making a cocktail – Shake the heck out of that bad boy.
4. Rinse it out with fresh water and your bottle will be good as new.

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty

Studies have found that even a little dehydration can affect everything from your sporting performance to your mood. And by the time you’re thirsty, it’s too late – you’ll already be dehydrated. Get into the habit and have plenty of water with you when you train. Not a problem if you opt for one of these beastly bottles like the Bulk Pro.

Dealing with the sharp top of the bottle

When plastic gets cut down in the factory it can often have a sharp edge. If you’re finding your bottle top is a little harsh on your top lip, try running some sandpaper, or nail file around the inside edge of the bottle. Make sure you wash it out thoroughly. Try drinking again and you should find things feel a lot more gentle. Your upper lip can thanks us later.

References and further reading

• Find out more about BPA and how it affects the body on MayoClinic
• MayoClinic – How much water do you need?
• Get in touch with Bulk Pro here
• NCBI – Practical Hydration Solutions for Sports
• UConn Today – Even Mild Dehydration Can Alter Mood