Choose polycarbonate drinkware for its durability.

The most basic beach drinkware is made from simple plastic. Such plastic is usually prone to drying out and cracking, or to becoming soft and flimsy in the sun. Old-fashioned plastic also tends to smell and taste like plastic and will affect the flavor of your beverage. Longer-lasting acrylic glasses have less of a plastic smell and taste to them, but can break if dropped on a very hard surface, or if crushed under something heavy. Acrylic is also prone to scratching, so it might not be the best material to take to a sandy beach, since sand is so abrasive. The newest and longest-lasting technology is polycarbonate – the same material used to make airplane windows. Polycarbonate is very strong, virtually unbreakable, has no plastic-y smell or taste, and is less susceptible to scratching. All of these features make it ideal for beach drinkware. Tervis Tumblers are made from polycarbonate.