Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Back to REVIEWS
review
Bottles
Fabric Gripper Bottle Bikes Bikes Bikes 600ml Fabric Gripper Bottle Bikes Bikes Bikes 600ml Fabric Gripper Bottle Bikes Bikes Bikes 600ml
2020 Fabric Gripper Bottle 600ml

Fabric Gripper Bottle Bikes Bikes Bikes 600ml

8
by Stef Marazzi
Thu, May 28, 2020 19:45
1
£8.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Grippy to hold, delivers fluid fast with just the right amount of squish, easily cleaned and BPA-free
Non-slip, grippy texture
Rapid fluid delivery
Removable mouthpiece
Choice of colours and larger sizes
BPA-free
Outer design rubs off fairly quickly
Weight: 
69g
Contact: 
fabric.cc
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Fabric Gripper Bottle lives up to it name. It's easy to hold and retrieve from the cage, with just the right amount of squish for fast fluid delivery.

I've been using the Fabric Gripper bottle for the last month or so, just as the weather started to get better, and have been pleased with the features of the bottle.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy this online here

Living up to its 'Gripper' name, the dotted surface texture around the neck of the bottle enables it to be easily pulled from its cage and handled with ease. I've not had any fumbling issues which you might get with completely smooth-necked bottles.

2020 Fabric Gripper Bottle 600ml - detail.jpg

The mouthpiece is shaped to enable it to be very easily pulled out with your teeth, and with each squeeze the Gripper bottle delivers a good mouthful of water. No need to suck on it, or struggle with prolonged squeezing to extract liquid. It's literally pull out of cage, squeeze, done, replace in cage.

The mouthpiece can be pulled free of the bottle for cleaning, too, or is easily wiped down to remove any dust or dirt.

2020 Fabric Gripper Bottle 600ml mouthpiece

The Gripper is also BPA-free, BPA being "bisphenol A", an industrial chemical that there have been health concerns about regarding it contaminating the food or drink it contains. The Gripper bottle contains none of that, which is a good thing. In everyday use, I noticed that water that had been in it a couple of days still tasted fine, with no plasticky taint.

My only issue during the four weeks of constant use was that the 'BIKES BIKES BIKES' writing on the side started to get a bit scuffed off. This is pretty common to most water bottles I have, though, so I wasn't too bothered.

> Read more road.cc reviews of bottles here

Compared to other bottles on the market, I would say the Fabric Gripper is pretty good value at £8.99 – looking at similar reviews on road.cc the Zefal Sense Pro scored well for a pound less, while the 620ml Camelbak Podium is £10.99. However, Elite's Jet is also BPA-free but just £4.99 (for a 500ml size).

> How to eat and drink right for long rides

In hot weather, 600ml was enough for me to do rides of about an hour and half, but Fabric also makes a larger 750ml version for those of you who get a bit thirstier, for just £1 more. The Gripper is also available with other colours to match your bike or finishing kit – black, green, blue and red. 

Verdict

Grippy to hold, delivers fluid fast with just the right amount of squish, easily cleaned and BPA-free

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Fabric Gripper Bottle 600ml

Size tested: 600ml

Tell us what the product is for and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Fabric says: "Get to grips with your thirst, with our innovative Gripper bottle. The unique non-slip surface gives you maximum grasp, whatever the weather. The bottle is BPA free and features our high-flow valve and silicone mouthpiece."

I agree with the statement – it's easy to grab, and delivers liquid very quickly.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Fabric lists:

* Valve: High flow

* Material: BPA free

* Texture: Integrated non-slip

* Volume: 600ml

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Very well made; only the graphics on the side are showing signs of wear.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Performs very well in all aspects. Easily pulled from a bottle cage and replaced because of the textured surface.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

I can't see why it wouldn't last a good few years, though the graphics on the side won't.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

Its 69g is about right and comparable with the competition at similar prices.

Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
9/10

Shaped mouthpiece makes for easy teeth gripping.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

I'd say it's pretty good value for the performance, just £1 more than the Zefal Sense Pro, although Elite's 500ml Jet is just £4.99. The 750ml version for £1 more is perhaps better value, and I noticed when searching online that sometimes the 750ml bottle is the same price as the 600ml.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Perfectly, easy to get a good mouthful.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The textured neck means an assured grip, and fast fluid delivery from an easy squeeze.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing, just the 'BIKES BIKES BIKES' logos starting to rub off after a few weeks, but this has happened with pretty much all my water bottles.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

Just a quid more than the Zefal Sense Pro, which John reckoned that was one of the cheapest 'posh' bottles we've tested, and it's cheaper than Camelbak's Podium.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's very good; it's the first bottle I've seen with a textured grip, it worked really well, and it's pretty good value.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 181  Weight: 92 Kilos

I usually ride: GT Grade  My best bike is: Boardman ASR 8.9

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

Fabric Gripper Bottle Bikes Bikes Bikes 600ml 2020
Fabric Gripper Bottle Bikes Bikes Bikes 600ml
Fabric 2020
Fabric

Add new comment

1 comments

Avatar
pablo | 3 years ago
0 likes

I just got a couple of these today but the larger size Evans had them at about £5 each fyi

Latest Comments