We get thirsty when we are out on the water, and have tried more than a few drinking mugs and bottles over the years. Our current favorite is RTIC’s 20-oz Road Trip Travel Mug.

We came across the mug while browsing online in The WoodenBoat Store. We were looking for something with a handle, both to hold onto and as a way to secure the mug to the boat or a bag. We ordered two. With a capacity of 20 oz, the mug seemed a good compromise between hydration needs and weight for our short trips (especially when hiking rather than boating). The mug stands 8 1⁄4″ tall and has an untapered diameter of 4 1⁄2″, which fits a standard cupholder. The handle stands out from the mug by 1 1⁄2″, is 4″ top to bottom, and the space between the mug and the inside of the handle is 1″. It is 7⁄8″ wide and the inner edges are rounded, all of which adds up to a comfortable, secure grip— even for larger hands. The outer shell is 18/8 stainless steel with a powder-coat finish. Both mug and lid are BPA-free.

We have had the mugs for a year and have used them extensively. They have consistently kept hot drinks hot through a morning sail, and cold drinks cold through a long hot day. They have stood up well, and the outside finish on each is neither chipped nor worn.

Photographs by the author

One of our two much-loved original RTIC travel mugs with the WoodenBoat logo. The rugged quality that has kept those mugs looking like new after a year of hard use is one of the reasons we decided to order new ones.

Pleased with the 2023 RTIC mugs and wanting to add to our collection, I recently decided to buy a new mug for Audrey in her favorite color and with her initials on the outside. Before ordering, we were made aware that RTIC had recently changed the internal lining of the mug from the stainless-steel of our originals to a ceramic liner, which RTIC says “prevents altered or metallic taste and smell, so drinks taste better and it’s easy to clean.” The company does caution that metallic straws and utensils should not be used as they can scrape the ceramic. Undeterred, I ordered a mug.

We were happy to find that, with the exception of the ceramic liner, the new mug is essentially the same as our beloved originals. The double-walled vacuum-sealed construction greatly reduces heat transference in either direction. We have tested the mug with both hot and cold drinks and have found that after an hour a hot drink is still too hot to drink, and in cold drinks remnants of ice cubes remain after 24 hours. Even after drinks have been standing in the mug for several hours, they have tasted good. The inside corners of the handle are less sharp than on the original, which has made an already-comfortable handle even more so. And a new silicone “coaster” base prevents the mug from sliding on a smooth surface. The powder-coat exterior of the mug resists condensation and gets neither hot nor cold to the touch.

The new RTIC travel mug is the same as the original in all essentials except for the interior, which has a ceramic liner rather than the original metal. The mug comes in a range of colors and can be personalized; for Audrey’s we chose Dusty Rose with her initials.

The translucent cap can be screwed on from two locations in the cup’s threaded circumference, so the handle and flip tab are user-friendly for both left- and right-handed drinkers. The lid’s seal is tight and, while this does mean a little effort is required to open the flip tab, we’ve detected no leaks or movement in the lid, even when we’ve filled the mug and inverted it.

The mug comes in a 16-oz or 20-oz size and in a wide range of colors—Skipper’s, seen here, is “Dusty Rose”—and RTIC offers personalization both front and back for a nominal cost. When I can decide on the color, I’ll doubtless be ordering another for myself.

Audrey and Kent Lewis stay hydrated while messing about in the Tidewater Region of Virginia. Their adventures are logged at smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com.

The RTIC Road Trip Travel Mug is available from RTIC for $16.99 (16 oz) and $19.99 (20 oz); personalization starts at $4.99. The new-style 20-oz RTIC is also available with the WoodenBoat logo from The WoodenBoat Store (the original version is available in limited colors).

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