Have you ever had a travel mug that was supposed to seal tightly, put it in a bag, and then found out that it didn't really seal as tightly as you had hoped (as evidenced by a small puddle of coffee at the bottom of your bag)?  Well, I have.  Despite numerous attempts, I've not had much luck in finding a mug that keeps coffee hot and inside the mug for a long enough period of time to take it anywhere further than class.  I have one mug that I can throw in my bag and take to class, but it's not big enough or insulated enough to take on a "trip".  Really, I need something I can throw in a bag, take hiking or leave in the car for a while, and come back later to a HOT beverage. 

I did some Amazon shopping (since I still have $113 dollars of Amazon money to spend!), but didn't find anything that peaked my interest.  Then I took a field trip to REI, and after reading some reviews (ALWAYS read reviews!), I snagged the 0.5L Bullet Vacuum Bottle.  I don't know what the difference is between a bullet vacuum bottle and a thermos, but to me it just looks like a thermos. 

Reasons I liked it were:

• Reports that it kept things HOT for a long time (like overnight, or in the freezer).
• Good capacity without being too bulky.
• Color (I got it in Marine Blue). 
• A cup on the top. 
• General trusted REI quality.

I took it hiking with me today (read about the hike here) to see how it fared.  I put the coffee in about an hour before I left for the hike.  I did preheat the thermos with hot water, but only because my heat was out, and my apartment was about 50 degrees.  I doubt I'd need to do that in normal conditions.  So I threw it in my bag, we drove an hour to the state park, and hike for about an hour (maybe a little more) to the top of the fire tower.  Here's the proof.