If you want to know the difference between the cheap ones and expensive ones like Pelican and Yeti look inside. The polish level of the steel is the giveaway. The cheap ones like RTIC are rough like cast iron. The finish is important because it traps particles from the liquid and makes the inside harder to wash. Tea and coffee will wreak havoc on the inside of the cheap ones. The Pelican is the nicest vacuum insulated tumbler we own. We purchased three of these Pelican Travelers. We've owned RTIC, Yeti and two other off brands. And I believe the ice retention is identical across the lot. I mean really, there's only so much room in the side wall of the tumbler to act as an insulator. It's not like a cooler. Truth be told, I don't want to drink out of a cup of 2 day old anything. Regardless of the ice content. Here's the marked difference this tumbler has over all of them. Fit and finish. The powder coating on every other brand I've seen has a tape edge. Even the Yeti. This one doesn't. The coating is rolled into the form. Beautiful. The lid is screw on which is better than the pressure fit tops. Hard knocks with a full cup can blow the pressure fit tops off spilling the liquid. The sipping lip keeps you from having to tilt the cup up over your face to get the drink out like some of the cheap ones. Plus the lid doesn't seem to stain with tea like the others. The only thing that takes away from this being the perfect design is the slider lid. It was well thought out in that it can be easily removed for cleaning. However, it doesn't seal the top closed. Its more of a bug guard. If they could just tweak this one issue, I think that they'd have the vacuum insulated tumbler perfected.

So far, I have no complaints. I've only been using it for about a day, but it does everything I expected it to. I started last night by filling it with ice, tightening the lid, and closing the lid slider. There's still ice is there 20 hours later and I'm sure it'll last longer. Now, of course, this is without actually using the cup - I just let it sit on the counter. And it's also sitting inside where it's a comfortable 70 degrees, but I'd still say that's impressive. Built quality is fantastic. If anything, my only complaint is that it's a little heavy because it's built so well - but this same complaint can be said about any similar tumblers (YETI, RTIC, Ozark, etc.) I bought the OD Green, and I definitely like the coloring/design of this cup more than the plain brushed metal style of those other cups. But that's obviously personal preference. I haven't had the chance to test it with hot liquids yet, but I have no reason to believe it wouldn't perform just as well as expected. I'd definitely recommend this if you're looking for a insulated tumbler but don't want to spend the money on the YETI. I also would recommend it because of the twist on lid - it's a much more secure connection that the YETI, RTIC, or Ozark style lids. Also, there is a version of this lid with a ''snap'' closure rather than the ''slide'' closure. I preferred the slide, but there are videos on YouTube showing that the snap lid will not leak at all, even when flipped upside down. Definitely worth considering both to see what's best for you.

Initially I was torn looking at the hype on the Yetti by chance a coworker has when I was comparing. . . it comes close in some ways with the Pelican but the Pelican has a better pour lip when your sipping hot beverages. . . FYI I purchased a secondary SPILL PROOF lid from Pelican that seals rather than the supplied lid that leaks NOT SPILLPROOF if accidentally tipped!!! over. . . . .

I'm so glad I got this tumbler. I wanted to write this review to address the biggest (and only) negative I have seen about this which is the leaking slide cover. Yes this will leak if you turn it upside down and some when its on it's side. So. don't turn it upside down and if it tips simply pick it up and wipe the small drops of liquid up. Also putting it in a bag or purse is probably not a good idea. If this is a super big issue for you and you find yourself upside down a lot or want to put it in a bag or purse buy a lid for less than $10 with a snap cover, yes this tumbler is worth it. For normal use this shouldn't be an issue at all. It has some weight to it so simple nudges won't knock it down. The quality of this is amazing, I do wish this was made in the US but this has to be the best thing China has ever made.