How I Built This with Guy Raz Hydro Flask: Travis Rosbach. How a thirsty surfer changed the water bottle industry
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Nov 24, 2025 
Travis Rosbach, the co-founder of Hydro Flask, launched his iconic brand after recognizing the flaws in existing water bottles. He shares his journey from an inexperienced entrepreneur to a sought-after innovator, driven by the need for a better bottle. Travis recounts his serendipitous trip to China, the painstaking design process, and the challenges of scaling production. Most fascinatingly, he reveals the critical moment when an unexpected investor saved Hydro Flask from closure, emphasizing the integral roles of perseverance, timing, and a bit of luck in building a successful business.
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Thirst Sparked The Idea
- Travis Rosbach walked into a sporting goods store in 2007 and discovered shelves cleared of BPA-lined plastic bottles.
- That gap sparked his determination to design a double-walled, vacuum-insulated stainless steel bottle.
China Trip Built The Prototype
- Travis flew to China after selling possessions and found most factories made plastic bottles, not vacuum-insulated steel.
- A local connection led him to a small factory that agreed to try scaling vacuum machinery for larger bottles.
Design Details Mattered Most
- Travis obsessively reverse-engineered bottle dimensions and lip ergonomics using calipers to refine his design.
- Small tactile details like lip feel and metal thickness mattered as much as insulation tech.