Customer Reviews

Humangear GoToob Travel Bottle

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When i received my 3 pack of 3 oz bottles, the main thing i tested was whether they would be leak proof as promised. So i put in some water into the bottle and squeezed the bottle before screwing back on the cap and closing the cap to see if the bottle would retain just the little amount of air I gave it. (I find this a useful technique so that when air pressure expands the things in the bottle the bottles won't explode making my bag messy.) Surprisingly, the bottle expanded to it's original size after i stopped squeezing it which worried me because that meant that air could still get back into the gotoob bottles while the bottles were closed and therefore, the bottles might not be leak proof. However, when i shook the bottle, nothing came out so so far it was leakproof. Next I started squeezing the bottle fairly hard while it was closed to mimic the pressure that the bottles would suffer from while in my luggage when i go traveling. The bottle held up fine but the liquid came out just a little bit, but not enough that it would soak my bag. I was a little disappointed but i used it on a weekend vacation anyways to further test it out.

I used 2 bottles for a creamy shampoo and a creamy body soap and I used 1 of the bottles for a face cleanser with a very watery consistency until shaken. Just for extra precaution i put the bottle that held the watery facial cleanser in a ziplock bag in case it leaked. I then packed my duffel bag quite tightly. After taking the 3 gotoob bottles out during my vacation and after the vacation was over, I noticed that the two bottles with the creamy and thick liquids held up fine and did not leak at all. However, the bottle with the watery liquid made my ziplock bag slightly wet and foamy. Therefore, these gotoob bottles hold up really well for thicker products such as creams, lotions, probably gels. However, for products that have the consistency of water, if there is a lot of pressure on that bottle while it is closed, it can potentially leak.

Overall, I really like these bottles because they feel really nice, I don't worry about dropping them while showering because they're very easy to grip, and they are very flexible when dispensing the liquid inside of them versus the other hard travel bottles that I have bought in the past. I just put the bottle with the watery liquid in a separate ziplock bag just in case it leaks while traveling in my luggage.

Please, don't get me wrong. I think the Humangear GoToob is a pretty good product and I think that the designers are definitely on the right track. As an experienced traveler, I've put a lot of thought and effort into searching for something of similar design.

The GoToob has a nice small grippable shape, is TSA compliant (under 3oz volume), is squeezable to access all the contents and to squeeze out airspace (for pressure changes), is readily refillable, is clear so it's contents/remaining contents can be seen, is colour coded so the contents are identifiable, has a nicely one-hand deployable cap, has a cap aperture with a nifty leak-proof valve, and has a neat little suction cup built in so that it can be attached to smooth surfaces.

The problem is the GoToob has at least one critical flaw (for which I subtracted a star), and, is kind of a very poor value for the money (for which I subtracted another star). The problem with this product is the obvious "weak point"... the thin plastic hinge joint on the cap. It will be the first thing that will break even with careful repeated use, just from "plastic fatigue". It even looks weak/cheap. Although the built in suction cup seems like a good idea, in actual use it is not universally practical. It often fails leading to the GoToob landing on it's cap. The cap is somewhat brittle plastic and is prone to cracking upon impact.

These minor discrepancies would not be such an issue if the product were more modestly priced, or perhaps if the product came filled with something useful already, like hand sanitizer, shampoo or sunscreen. But except for the uncommon silicone composition, this is NOT high tech rocket science we're talking about. It's just a small waterproof bottle... period. I suppose if you are wealthy and money is no object, or if some government agency is footing the bill, then heck, by all means, go ahead and buy these pricey mini-bottles. But for the normal consumer, I just ask you to stop and consider. Like, a TSA-compliant brand-named bottle of shampoo (filled with actual shampoo!) costs... what? 99 cents at a supermarket? or FREE from a hotel? So why?! why would you even consider paying $5 - $10 or more for an empty bottle unless there was some great added value in features.

Having looked for a travel bottle that holds up, doesn't crack and is easy to use, I finally found the GoToob. I log well over a dozen trips per year and cram these bottle into my bag (carry-on) where they get pushed and smashed repeatedly. Never once have they come open, cracked or broken. This is a well thought-out product...Period. From a value perspective, I don't agree with others that rated lower for the price. There is no other product of this quality on the market. If you are looking for quality, something that isn't going to pop open or crack, this is it and is worth the money. I have not yet had a single problem with the 3 that I travel with and I feel even better considering the manufacturer's statement on standing behind the product. From their website http://www.humangear.com/GoToob.html regarding replacement caps (and they have a sense of humor):

"Has a wild elephant stormed through your bathroom, stepping on one of your GoToobs and breaking the cap? Have you accidentally cut your tube with a sharp Ginsu knife right after cutting through a soda can? These things happen. Please contact us if you have any problems with your GoToob (please be sure to provide your mailing address). We stand behind our products - if something isn't right, let us know and we'll make it right."


For frequent travelers or those that really don't want their liquid bottles to break or leak...this is it!

These tubes are really cool, however they are extremely expensive and not worth the price. I bought the $25 pack of three tubes and took them camping for a weekend. I filled one with toothpaste, one with dr bronners soap, and one with mouthwash.

The toothpaste held up fine because it is relatively thick, however anything that is a little more liquid than that leaks with even the slightest pressure. I tried to pack these toward the outside of my pack so too much pressure wouldn't be put on them, however the mouthwash leaked everywhere, even though the cap was on and sealed. That is the biggest problem with the silicone I think, it isn't very sturdy so the least bit of pressure on it forces whatever is in it to leak out. If it is thin liquid like mouthwash or soap, it seeps through the cracks

The soap sealed a little bit better because it was thicker than the mouthwash, however the caps on these are very weak and after it slipped out of my hand in the outdoor shower at the camp site, the top cracked and would no longer seal properly. These didn't even last two days. I am returning them and going with something a little more durable: The Eagle Creek Pack-It ([...])

These might be a decent (albeit expensive) choice for travel, but for camping or anything outdoorsy they are a no-go.

The silicone had a bad reaction with Rusk Sheer Brilliance Hair conditioner -- turned it to bit fat globs.
The container is OK for other shampoos and conditioners, but it frequently leaks. I have other containers that perform much better.

Prior to purchasing this product, go to the official website for a list of products that you can place in these tubes. I use Shu Uemura Hair Oil and a facial scrub that contains jojoba beads within the scrub. I notice over a period of one week the hair oil and facial scrub became nearly solid and unusable. The silicone seems to react to products that have a warming component. Although this is a convenient product for travel, it's just not suitable for all liquid products. I'll stick to Nalgene for now.

My husband and I have used these on numerous occasions to travel (2 6-week backpacking trips to Europe, 1 3-week backpacking trip to Australia and New Zealand) and a few weeklong jaunts to Europe and Florida and we absolutely love them. My husband just had me order more and I think we own 8 between the 2 of us. I ordered them for my parents as well since the accompanied us on the last trip and they were very happy with them as well. I used my 5 tubes for lotion, 2 different sunscreens, face soap and shampoo. All worked flawlessly. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone. I love the 3oz. size and I just wish the 3pack came in different colors. I am sick of WHite green and blue! lol

I ordered a few of these tubes for some upcoming traveling and was happy with the products. Although, you need to be aware that not every product will work in these tubes. There is a short list of items that won't work and it can be found on the GoToob website ([...]). Of course, the item I used was on the list, so they did leak a bit. A quick call to Customer Support and they sent out some replacements (Thanks, Chris!). Great customer service, good products. Also, you can get replacement caps from HumanGear if yours breaks, I know many people mentioned the caps as a negative in their reviews. Looks like a company who is willing to stand by their products and that is nice to find these days.

My original motivation to buy my first GoToob was to hold facial cleanser. What I use is expensive, the original packaging is fragile and bulky, and it isn't available in travel sizes. Because of this, it was important to me that I have something small, durable and that allows me to squeeze out all of the product instead of leaving half to cling on the interior of the bottle - which was a problem with some of the less expensive, semi-rigid travel containers I had used in the past. GoToobs have been a good solution so far.

In fact, I liked the small one so much that I ordered additional tubes of different sizes to use in my gym bag. I think the suction cup on the 2 oz. size is a great idea, because that means I can stick the GoToob to the wall while I shower and not worry about it coming in contact with the floor. None of them have fallen off yet, but my showers are very quick, so will admit that I haven't made any great demands.

I was originally worried that they wouldn't be able to hold a truly liquid soap like Dr. Bronner's without leaking, but they have managed to remain watertight. In fact, I dilute my Dr. Bronner's to half water, half soap, and it still does not leak out. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because they're needlessly expensive. Really, a GoToob is just a no-drip cap (like the kind on Heinz bottles, but less sturdy) and a closed-ended silicon sleeve. Neither of those things really justify the price, but I do absolutely love them for my cleansers, etc.

Product was very flexible and dispensed my soaps very easily. Most travel containers are too hard and when you squeeze a lot, only a little comes out. Not with the GoToob. I applied a little pressure and it came out readily. It also sucked itself back in when I stopped squeezing so there was no mess. No leakage at all. Best part was when it was emptied out by the end of the trip, I separated it from the cap so it could be nicely smooshed when I was packing for going back home because you know you need to make more room for the souvenirs you got your co-workers, friends, and family.