Wednesday, August 4, 2004

Never get lost with this bottle

Valley entrepreneur combines water bottle and compass


By MEGAN THOMAS
Express Staff Writer

Brian Sutton, proprietor of Safety Bottles holds the Drink Navigator, a water bottle he designed with a compass. Photo by Willy Cook

Even water bottles have gone high-tech thanks to a Ketchum entrepreneur. Brian Sutton recently transformed an ordinary water bottle into a navigation device.

The drinking gadgets combine the simplicity of a water bottle with the practicality of an embedded compass. The combination of the outdoor survival elements, hydration, and navigation unfolded in the Drink Navigator.

The Drink Navigator, manufactured by Safety Bottles LLC of Ketchum, hit valley shelves last week.

The Drink Navigator is a 22-ounce water bottle with a compass securely fitted into the base of the bottle. A groove in the bottom holds the direc-tional device such that the bottles can still stand on any surface. In addition, the added luxury does not add any noticeable weight.

?I came up with the concept two years ago, from the simple idea of getting lost on rides,? Sutton, 28, casually remarked.

A coproprietor of the Cellar Pub in Ketchum, Sutton built the prototype at home and added the signature label designed by valley resident Matt Gorby. Then he secretly tested the model for several months.

?No one knew it, but I?ve had it on my bike for the last four months,? he said.

The bottle passed Sutton?s rigorous riding tests. He produced 100 models by hand, which are now being tested by valley hydrators.

The bottles are sold at The Elephants Perch, Ski Tech and Sturtevants for $13.95. Sutton hopes his stock will soon be sold at all area outdoors retailers. The Drink Navigator can be customized with individual company logos.

More information on the product can be found by contacting Safety Bottles at P.O. Box 2201, Ketchum, ID 83340.




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