First on the scene was the Floppy Flask then The Beer Belly and Booze Belly and even the Wine Rack. Other stealth and concealable drinking devices include Disposable Flask, the The Body Bottle and most recently we reviewed The Bootlegger. So when I was approached by the folks at Freedom Flask to review their product, I was a bit skeptical. After all, we’ve seen this type of thing before ad nauseum. The only way to be considered the best brand in the space is to either be the first on the market or to improve on previous versions so much that all the predecessors then become obsolete. Although the Freedom Flask may not be the first on the scene I believe they have built a better mouse trap than those who have tried previously.
In looking at the photo, you’ll probably say, “Big deal. It looks like a Floppy Flask or a Booze Belly”. That’s true but the design of the Freedom Flask has take that concept and improved upon their shortcomings. There are two major flaws with both the Floppy Flask and the Booze Belly.
1) The rectangular shape and wearing it around your stomach/mid-section area
2) The drain valve is located at the corner of the flask.
First, let’s hit on the drain valve flaw. Once you’ve had a few tall ones and start to run empty, you have to lean your whole body over to the side and jump up and down slightly in order to pour out the last drops into your cup. The Booze Belly added the hose extension, but it doesn’t solve the issue of having to lean over to get the last bit out.
The rectangular shape does not have a natural body shape to it. Most guys I know that have a little beer gut do not have a layer of fat in the shape of a rectangle. This shape and the location of wearing it around your stomach enables easier detection.
The Freedom Flask has taken the overall concept of these previous designs and made simple but far reaching improvements. Improvement No. 1: Offering a curved bottom edge to allow all of the liquid to drain directly into the drain valve until completely empty. Improvement No. 2: Placing the drain valve in the middle of the flask so it lines up perfectly with your zipper. Instead of wearing the Freedom Flask around your stomach, it tucks into the top of your pants or shorts. I have been through my share of security pat downs and never has anyone patted me there. Check out this two minute demo video of how to use the Freedom Flask properly.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klkwv_ZcQD4
So now that you have seen how to use it properly, the video did raise a question for me. The user needs to unzip their zipper and pull out the nozzle to dispense the liquid. Not to be crass but it has all the same movements of a guy trying to take a whizz. When using the Floppy Flask if you are in your seat at the stadium and lift up your shirt and pour some booze into your drink and someone looks over and sees you, they might not complain to security. They’ll probably poke their friend and point you out and say, “Hey there’s a smart guy saving some money”.
If you are unzipping your pants, digging around in there and pulling something out that later is squirting liquid into a cup… that may raise a few more eyebrows. That may have someone using those in-stadium text messaging systems to alert security. Because of this feature I would suggest not refilling in your seat but rather taking your cup into the bathroom and refilling in there. Other than the body language issue of using this product, I see no other negative compared to other similar products.
I was sent a free sample of the Freedom Flask to test out for myself. The free sample has influenced our opinion or perception of this product. We tested it thoroughly before this review and have found it to be an improvement on the old Floppy Flask. The Freedom Flask is not without its faults, but in our opinion, this one appears to be better than the other options out there.
The Freedom Flask is manufactured right here in the USA which is not the case with some of the other game day flasks on the market. I am sure they would probably be able to manufacture them more cheaply in China or Mexico but the makers of Freedom Flask feel very strongly about manufacturing them here in the USA.
A single Freedom Flask will run you $24.99 plus shipping. Orders of multiple units range from buy 2 for $23.75 each, buy 3 for $22.49 each, buy 6 for $21.25 each or buy 12 for $19.99 each and get free shipping.
In all honesty, with the prices of food and drinks in the stadium, buying one Freedom Flask could pay for itself on your first time using it. Wash and rinse it out after use and the next time the money you’ll have saved can go towards other tailgating gear.
To learn more about the Freedom Flask or to buy one, visit Shop.TailgatingIdeas.com HERE.