I never figured that handle on the polar bottles was a permanent accessory, and they get tossed with the packaging. I lost one of the tops to my Polar bottles and found out they have free lifetime replacements. I use them for years, so I don't feel too guilty about their plastic content. I don't like the top on my camelback, but it's a nice bottle. Sometimes it is difficult to clean the dimples on the inside of the polar bottles, so it make sense to clean them as soon as possible after use with something that might get stuck.