You know the feeling - after a long day of hiking, legs aching, you totter up to the crest, the end of the trail. Wearily, you lower yourself down onto a flattish rock and survey your surroundings. A loud noise from below your ribcage soon reminds you however of how many calories you just expended. That's right - it's time for lunch. On a cool fall hike, nothing feels better than a hot mug of tea at the top.
That's where this mug comes in.
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| David's Tea travel mug, disassembled |
Most travel mugs are designed for coffee, America's hot beverage of choice. If you, however, enjoy steeping leaves and drinking the resulting concoction, this mug may be for you. It contains a built in tea strainer, as well as an additional strainer that sits under the mouthpiece so you don't ingest any stray leaves. Alternatively, if you wanted to leave your leaves to steep all day, you could simply use the secondary strainer rather than the basket.
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| Dry tea leaves |
Note the ample size of the basket, allowing you to steep large leafed teas, such as oolong or certain whole leaf herbal teas.
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| Steeped leaves |
This large tea strainer allows for plenty of room for the leaves to expand, which produces the best flavor.
I typically steep the leaves ahead of time and remove the basket prior to transport. This prevents the tea from becoming oversteeped. One of the downsides to this mug however is that there is no way to remove the steeped leaves from the mug without removing the entire basket, which must then be stored separately. However this does avert durability issues I have experienced with other steeping mugs, which employ various mechanisms to pull the strainer up and away from the liquid.
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| Tea basket with secondary strainer on top |
So, why is this mug so great for traveling tea drinkers? Well, the built in basket allows you to steep your tea in the mug itself, rather than steeping it separately and pouring it in. The double-walled stainless steel construction easily keeps tea hot for 9-12 hours, perfect for a long day hike.
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| Note the locking mechanism for the cap |
A switch on the cap allows you to lock it closed, so the button is not inadvertently depressed in your pack (and tea spilled everywhere).
I will note that, while the mug is leak-proof, it is not foolproof. What I mean by this is, you have to take the extra few seconds to make sure the lid is screwed on completely. The lid will feel pretty secure when it is, say 90% screwed in; however, if you leave it like that, it will leak if the mug is tipped over. So just make sure the lid is completely tight.
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| Yum! Tea! |
Finally, all of the parts are easy to clean. The mug itself is wide-brimmed (but not so wide it won't, for example, fit in an outside backpack pocket), which makes it easy for bottle cleaners and hands to fit inside to wipe it out. It is sadly not dishwasher safe, however.
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| Note the rubber seal |
Components of the cap are also large and easy to clean, without tiny nooks and crannies for unfriendlies to flourish.
Because the mug is slim, it is easy to find space for it in your daypack (or lunchbox, or wherever). I haven't had the mug long enough to comment truly on its durability, but all of the components appear sturdy and well-made, including the straining basket, which tends to be more delicate.
So, to recap:
Who is this mug good for?
Anyone who wants to drink tea on the go, whether while hiking or at work, who would appreciate the simple, easy to clean design of the David's Tea Travel Mug.
Who should pass?
If you don't steep loose leaf tea, you can get by with a simple travel coffee mug (perhaps
this one). If you are looking for a mug that will keep your beverage hot for > 10 hours, perhaps choose another mug. Finally, if you don't want to have to fuss with separately disposing/storing steeped leaves, this mug won't be for you.
Note that this post is not sponsored in any way.
That's it! Keep on hiking, folks, and don't forget to subscribe and follow me
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