The Yeti Rambler Mug now comes with a straw — we took it for a test run | CNN Underscored

It may sound silly, but cups with straws are having a moment. All it took was the massive success of Stanley’s Quencher for consumers to realize that 24/7 hydration vessels — albeit ones with straws — are a must. And as such, Yeti has entered the chat with a version of its own.

An upgrade from its original Rambler Tumbler — you know, the one with more than 48,000 reviews and 4.7-star rating — Yeti has reinvented the standard cup-and-lid combo with the new Rambler Mug with Straw Lid. Available in 25-ounce ($38) and 35-ounce ($42) formats, it checks all the boxes on paper. Cupholder friendly? Check. Easy-to-carry handle? Check. Keeps drinks icy cold? Check.

To see how it handles in real life, however, I put the Rambler Mug with Straw Lid to test for a few weeks. Here’s what I found.

An upgrade from the original Rambler Tumbler, Yeti’s new Rambler Mug boasts trendy features like a straw lid and easy-to-carry handle, alongside the brand’s tried-and-true durability and insulation. It’s available in either 25- or 35-ounce capacities.

First and foremost, there’s something special about a Yeti product. Whether it’s a cooler or a cup, Yeti merch just pops when you open the box. The colors are cool, the stainless-steel accents are gleaming, the durability is obvious. And yeah, if I’m being honest, there’s also something about the swagger of the Yeti brand that makes me feel like I’m part of a rugged VIP club of fishermen and mountaineers.

All of this holds true for the Rambler Mug with Straw Lid. I tested the 35-ounce format in the canopy green hue and the 25-ounce in white, both of which look slick upon opening. The green is eye-catching and bold, whereas the white is sleek and serene. And like all its brand counterparts, the Rambler Mug looks incredibly durable thanks to 18/8 stainless steel (that’s kitchen-grade, in case you’re wondering!), which makes it dent- and rust-proof. To test this claim I dropped by Rambler multiple times and while the stainless-steel ring at the base of the cup did get nicked, the mug itself remained undented.

A chief focus for me was the Rambler being cupholder friendly. In this age of cups with straws, a key selling point for influencers — many of whom are moms in their cars driving kiddos around all day long — is the convenience of having your big ol’ cup safely ensconced in the car’s holder. Reminder: Because these cups have straws, they are not spill proof. Which means if they don’t fit into a cupholder, you’re definitely going to get water all over your car. Luckily both sizes of the Rambler fit perfectly into both my SUV and sedan cars, and I remained dry throughout the duration of my testing period.

Beyond those attributes, the cup has all the charms that won over those 48,000 Yeti reviewers when the Rambler first debuted. It’s dishwasher safe and washes like a dream (the acrylic lid is spotless post-cycle). It doesn’t sweat, even when accommodating the iciest of beverages. It kept my drinks cold throughout the day thanks to its double-wall insulation construction (once the ice eventually melted, the drinks stayed chilly for hours).

I also love that the cup is compatible with the brand’s famous MagSlider Lid ($10) that Yeti stans are obsessed with. Oh, and both sizes can be customized with any monogram, company logo or sports team you desire for an extra $6. While I used my cup solely for H2O, the Rambler can also happily host iced coffees, brews, carbonated drinks and other other cold beverages of your choosing.

My main complaint about this cup is the size of the handle. The interior height of the 35-ounce mug is 2.5-inches and the width is 1 inch, which is a snug fit for my four gripping fingers; the height of the 25-ounce mug is 2.25 inches, the width is 1 inch, which can accommodate only three fingers. This can make carrying difficult, as the Rambler clocks in at roughly three pounds when full.

I also wish it was bigger. See more about that below.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t compare and contrast the Rambler Mug with Straw Lid to the market leader, the Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler ($45). There are three key differences between the two cups. First, the Quencher’s handle is ergonomic and much bigger, with 3.5 inches of interior height and 1.375 inches of width that is much roomier, and thus better at accommodating your grip.

Second, the Quencher H2.0 FlowState has a rotating lid with three positions — one is a drink opening, one is a full-cover top and the third is a straw opening with a silicone seal that wraps the straw base and aims to prevent spilling. This last detail just debuted a few months ago, and it was a huge upgrade to the original Quencher design, greatly reducing the amount of water to flow out of the cup if it tips over. In comparison, the Rambler Mug with Straw Lid has only one drinking option, which is with a straw, and there is no seal to help prevent spills or splashes.

Lastly, the Stanley holds more water. Yes, it’s only 5 ounces, but 5 ounces matter! As a result, I found I needed to refill my Yeti cup more often throughout the day. Keeping the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies recommended water consumption in mind — for women it’s 2.7 liters (91 ounces) a day, and for men, it’s 3.7 liters (125 ounces) — it’s quicker to hit that (lofty!) goal with the larger Stanley cup.

That said, I did appreciate the Yeti cup’s shorter stature. It’s less bulky and less likely to tip over and fall. Also, the Stanley cups are tough to get your hands on, they sell out fast. This isn’t a problem with the Rambler Mug with Straw Lid, which is currently in stock in every color in both sizes.

The reason cups with straws are so hot right now is because they offer instant gratification when it comes to hydration. Whereas a lid or spout requires an extra step (or two) to get the sip you’re craving, the straw lid provides easy access to our beloved H2O. And the Yeti Rambler Mug with Straw Lid is a great option to consider buying. It’s durable, it’s cupholder compatible and most importantly, it’s going to keep you drinking all day long thanks to that built-in straw. Like all Yeti products, it’s worth the investment.