How-To Guides

Maintaining an outdoor adventuring group is about consistency and communication. You can start by connecting with the people in your community who share your same hobbies or interests.

Studies show that there are many benefits for those that spend time engaging with natural environments. People may experience physical and mental health benefits, which may, in turn, heighten their appreciation of nature and their desire to protect it.

When you have a reputation for being the “Toughest of the Tough,” people put you through the paces. It kinda puts a target on your back. But at Stanley, we don’t mind getting a little brash that way. We make cool stuff, what can we say? At Stanley, every product we make is designed with this in mind. We make bottles, mugs, lunchboxes, cook sets, flasks, growlers, coolers, and more - all based on the classic, time-tested yet state-of-the-art designs that were blowing your grandad’s mind before you were a glint in his eye. More than just sturdy, our products are made for real life. Whether it’s getting tossed around on the worksite, popped open and passed around at the campsite, or just sipped from leisurely on your commute to work, these are the constant companions: The best friends that never let you down, are always there with hot coffee or a cold brew when you need it, and never forget to text when they’re having a party. That said, as cool as our products are, they don’t clean themselves. Things can still get a little funky if you don’t take care of your little buddy. I mean, who wants to taste yesterday’s skunky old creamer as you’re downing hot coffee from your Vacuum Insulated Bottle in the morning? Or get a whiff of that chicken soup your mom made when you were home for the holidays every time you crack open your Food Jar.  Wanna spare yourself the public ridicule and scorn that comes from being the owner of a Certified Nasty Stanley product? Here’s what you need to know about keeping your Stanley clean as a whistle and ready for action. Before Your First Use Stanley’s are technically good to go straight off the shelf, but it still pays to wash all the parts of your new Stanley product thoroughly before you fill ’er up for the first time. Think of it this way: Everyone loves that “new car” smell, but it’s not always the most appetizing taste, y’know? Clean Out Between Each Use And Don’t Keep Food Past Its Prime This should be a no brainer, but you’d be surprised. Since quite a few of our products are known for their industry-leading superior thermal retention technology (translation from science-speak: they keep whatever’s in it real cold or really hot for real long time), people sometimes think that you can just throw your favorite food or drink in one of our products and leave it there indefinitely. Newsflash: Stuff still goes bad, even if it’s tightly sealed. Check the specs on your specific Stanley product and avoid keeping food or drink past its recommended lifespan.  Once you’ve had enough, dump the remainder and clean your Stanley out thoroughly before your next use. Clean With Non-Abrasive Cleaners And Sponges A good Stanley product should feel like a member of the family, and you wouldn’t scrub your poor grandpa down with steel wool, would you? Jeeze, we hope not (for a variety of reasons). A dishrag, soft sponge, or small brush for hard to reach places should do the trick, paired with gentle dish soap. Keep it natural and crunchy, man. How To Clean The “Hard To Reach” Stanley Products (Master Flask, Classic Flask, And Thermoses)  Some of our products are a little trickier to clean but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. To keep your Stanley sparkling, use simple, use this simple cleaning concoction and routine: You’ll need: ¼ cup uncooked rice 3oz distilled white vinegar Instructions: Pour ¼ cup of uncooked rice into the flask. Fill the flask with 3oz of distilled white vinegar. Seal flask. Shake vigorously for 1 minute. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.* Shake vigorously again for 1-2 minutes. Empty flask. Bonus points for composting the rice. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Leave open until dry. Whatever You Do, Don’t Use Bleach We’re hardcore, but not that hardcore. Even though most Stanley products are designed to take a lickin’, harsh chemicals like bleach or chlorine could degrade some of the sealing parts on some products. Bad news for things like leaks and keeping things hot. First, consult your care & use or base artwork, but many Stanleys are dishwasher safe. If your product is dishwasher safe, and if you’re not feeling ambitious, simply separate the different parts of your Stanley and pop it in the dishwasher. It’s that easy. Sure, if your Stanley has a narrow opening or you want to keep the finish or paint looking its best, hand-washing is still your best bet, but sometimes it’s nice to know you can let the dishwasher do the heavy lifting. That’s it, folks. Nothing too tricky. That’s because our goal is to make sure that our Stanley products are built strong, built simple, and built for life. That’s why we include a lifetime warranty on every product we sell. If you ever have an issue with your Stanley, it stops working or something breaks, or just have questions, we want to hear from you: Reach out to our customer service team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We’ll make it right, no matter when or where you bought your Stanley.     Bottom’s up.     ABOUT STANLEY The Stanley brand has a rich 100+ year history. Born from inventor William Stanley Jr. who forever changed the way hot drinks were consumed, in 1913 he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today.

Hitting the road to adventure anytime soon? The best advice is still the one your mom used to give: “Don’t forget to pack a lunch.” If you and your friends are heading for the great outdoors, tailgating, or just otherwise looking to start a mobile party there’s one tool that always belongs in your arsenal: A sturdy cooler. Mother nature doesn’t provide any refrigerators, so unless your idea of a party is eating trail mix and drinking lukewarm beer (a fate worse than death), a cooler is your best chance at being able to bring some of the comforts of home into the great wide open. Plus closed it, a sturdy cooler can double as a table, chair, or step stool. With a cooler like the 16 Quart Stanley Adventure Cooler, you can get DAYS worth of chillier-than-chill temperature, keeping food fresh, brews cold and ice... Icy.   That in mind, here are a few clutch cooler packing tips to make sure you make the most out of the chilly beast. Chill The Cooler In Advance It’s not exactly rocket science: Since coolers help retain cold, a cooler that is starting out cold will stay frosty longer. If you have access to a commercial freezer (because who doesn’t?) stick your cooler in there to chill out. Another option is to pre-cool it with a bag of ice that you sacrifice on the altar of good times. Otherwise, you can just store it in the coldest part of your house for the night before your trip. Cubes Vs. Block: Choose Wisely So here’s the skinny on ice shapes: Smaller cubes are easier to pack - especially around odd-shaped items like bottles - but blocks of ice melt slower due to having less overall surface area. Depending on the length of your trip, it may make sense to try to pack a large block of ice and chip off cubes as needed. However, if you’re just taking along brews on a relatively short trip, ice cubes will be easier to fill around your cans and bottles. Or better yet, use a mix of both. Use Frozen Food As “Ice” Don’t defrost that steak! Bagged frozen food - whether it’s meat, veggies, soup, or what have you - can help you maximize space and cold without having to displace your favorite imbibes with ice. You can even marinate meat in a plastic bag and freeze it up for a little extra chill factor. The same concept applies to water bottles full of ice: You’ll need drinking water, so why not have it be nice and frosty, AND keeping your other food cold. Dry Ice, Dawg It’s not just for high school science experiments, haunted houses, and Whitesnake concerts: Dry ice is far, far colder than regular ice, and leaves no liquid when it melts, turning into vapor instead. That said, it’s not something to mess around with. Always use protective gloves and never allow dry ice to touch your bare skin. Opening The Cooler Is The Enemy Of Chill All your tasty frozen treats have two major nemeses: light and heat. The more you open up your cooler, the more cold escapes and the faster your ice melts. That in mind, keep your cooler sealed up tight unless absolutely necessary. And yes, being out of brewskis counts as “necessary.” Plan Meals In Advance “Hey, you said ‘cooler packing tips,’ not meal planning prescriptive! What gives???” Relax bud, it’s all part of the bigger picture: By putting food that you plan on first on top, it limits the amount of rooting around in your cooler you have to do, thus preserving the chill. If you want to take this a step further, you can even make “layers” of food, putting a dry towel or chopped up old sleeping pads in between the meals can help add a little extra insulation. Ice Water Is Your Friend ...to a point. One of the magic things about physics (and don’t tell our 9th-grade teacher that we said this) is that cold actually transfers swimmingly - no pun intended - via liquid. That’s why ice water is very nearly as cold as just plain ice. So don’t be in a hurry to drain off excess water that’s the result of melted ice. ABOUT STANLEY

Calling all Weekend Warriors, Automotive Adventurers, and Practical Pioneers - nothing helps you shake off those big city blues like a little jaunt into the wilderness. At the same time, not everyone is quite ready to embrace the full scale “living off the land” aspect of straight camping. You have to be back at the office bright and early on Monday, and the last thing you need is to show up to that board meeting looking like you slept on rocks and ate berries. Those looking for a quick and easy escape from the mundane without having to go full Wildman of Borneo need look no further than your trusty car. We’re talking about car camping, people. Think of it as the happy medium between full roughing it and glamping: Car camping means you don’t have to pack light and you can load in and out just as fast as your horsepower can carry you. More than that, car camping is about being able to experience the great outdoors and be comfortable.  CAR CAMPING ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR FIRST ADVENTURE ON WHEELS For all you first-timers looking to dip a toe into car camping, whether it's with your partner, your buds, or your trusty pooch, here are your car camping essentials: The Car (duh) and Some Extra Space Doesn’t matter if you have a sedan, SUV, RV, van, or a two-door hunk ‘o junk, the car is going to be your main means of conveyance and cargo hold. Even so, it pays to streamline: take out anything that might be cluttering up your trunk or backseat (not including kids, though feel free to spook ‘em into being good by saying that). If you can, think about borrowing or renting roof rack storage or a small trailer to hold some of your bulkier items. It’s also a good idea to have your vehicle maintained before you hit the road. Regardless of the conditions of your vehicle, it’s always smart to have the following: Spare tire Jumper cables Automotive tools that you would use if you run into any trouble  Safety First: First Aid Kit, Car Phone Charger, and Lighting Even camping in comfort and style can be a little dangerous. That’s part of the excitement, but to keep everything on the “fun” side, be sure to have the following: Emergency first aid kit Plenty of flashlights Car phone charger or power pack (in case you need to call for help) Creature Comforts: Tent, Camp Chair, and Sleeping Bag Don’t let the name fool you: Car camping is still more camping than a car. You won’t be sleeping in your car most likely, so bring along whatever you’d need to set up camp. This includes: A tent Camping chair Sleeping pads Sleeping bag Extra blankets This is where that extra space can come in handy: Feel free to bring a larger, more roomy tent and more cushy sleeping paraphernalia, even an air mattress and pump. Food, Water, and a Little Extra Ya need ‘em to live, what can we say? Food and especially water is a camping essential, so bring plenty. Luckily, you aren’t one of those poor saps who have to worry about “only pack what you can carry.” Fill an Adventure Fast Flowing Water Jug for easy sharing, and refill it with water (or margaritas for a crowd) as needed. Feel free to pack along some of your favorite treats alongside the staples in your Stanley Adventure Cooler. Heck, you can even prep your meals ahead of time and bring them along, keeping them warm for hours on end in an Adventure Stay Hot Camp Crock or cookware. If you’re a first-timer heading out for a car camping adventure, make sure you know how to properly pack a cooler to ensure you’re set up for success.  The space afforded you by your car means that you can bring along some of the luxuries of home as well: Is this is a ladies and gents trip with some of your closest besties, the last thing you want is to realize you left the adult beverages at home. Fill up a Classic Easy-Pour Growler with your favorite brew and you’re good to go. And if you overindulge the night before, be sure to bring along ground coffee that you can make the next morning in your Classic Stay Hot French Press and sip from a camp mug. Kitchen and Cookware Camp cooking can be a blast, especially if you have all the best toys. A simple Cook Set can give you everything you need to throw your own version of Chopped: Car Camping Edition. Before you head out, make sure you have an idea of the meals you’re going to prepare, so you won’t have to spend your time doing any guessing or realizing you don’t have the right ingredients. Need some ideas? You can’t go wrong with chipotle egg skillet for breakfast or easy camp tacos for lunch or dinner. Did we miss anything in our car camping essentials? Have a wild tale of adventure and excitement while car camping with your trusty Stanley? Tag #Stanleyness to share it with the world!   ABOUT STANLEY The Stanley brand has a rich 100+ year history. Born from inventor William Stanley Jr. who forever changed the way hot drinks were consumed, in 1913 he fused vacuum insulation and the strength of steel in one portable bottle, inventing the all-steel vacuum bottle we know and love today.