I have never been a fan of hydration belts.  In fact, I have, until this summer, prided myself on not needing to take one along until the mileage reaches around 15.  The heat and humidity of this summer, even in the predawn, has convinced me of the foolishness of my ways.  However, I have to date, found my hydration belt (similar in design to this Nathan Triangle Insulated Angled Holster Waist Pack) to be frustrating – the straps would loosen during a run (maybe due to my own water loss), the bottle would leak quite easily, and it would bounce around to the point where it would sometimes fly out of the holster, into the middle of a busy street.  Not ideal, and I don’t think I’m so inefficient of a runner that my bounce is that significant.

I was excited when I read a review for a new hydration belt from Nathan, specifically the Nathan Speed 2R Auto-Cant Waist Pack with Two 8-Ounce Nutrition Flasks (side note – Nathan needs to simplify their product names).  I loved the “auto-cant” idea, implying that the flasks would adjust their position automatically, and the reviews stated that the flasks do not interfere with your arm swing.  I had found this to be an issue on my previous hydration belt, specifically when I would shift the bottle to the side to minimize the risk of it flying out.  I ordered my new hydration belt with an Amazon Gift Card and couldn’t wait to give it a try.

From the moment I put it on, I knew this would be a good belt.  As opposed to a buckle and adjustable straps, it uses Velcro and a slight amount of elastic to allow you to tailor a snug fit.  Most reviews recommend you wear it around your hip as opposed to your waist and choose the size accordingly – I went with a medium as I wear a 32 (OK, fine, actually a 34) waist, and this ended up being the perfect size.  The flasks were held very securely, yet they were both easy to remove and replace.  There is zero risk of the flasks bouncing out of their holsters.
I liked the design of the valves on the flasks as well – basically a one-way valve that requires a little suction to open, and this keeps the sip size reasonable and quick.  They fit nicely in the hand and the position of the holsters makes them readily accessible.  At just 8 fluid ounces per flask, they are light and it doesn’t matter if you finish one before starting the other; you don’t notice the imbalance.

Of course, the flask size is one of the drawbacks of the design as well – 16 ozs. is not a lot for a long summer run. I found it fine for 12, maybe even 15 miles, but a hot 20 miler will probably require you to supplement the flasks or refill.  The other drawback is that the pocket is not too large – not enough to hold a Blackberry, for example, but enough for your keys and a few gels.  It is easy enough to add on an extra pouch for your phone, but finding a place where it doesn’t interfere with your arm swing, yet is accessible, may be a challenge.

All-in-all, I’m thrilled with this belt and would recommend it to anyone looking for a new model.  On a more subtle note, I felt like a true runner wearing this – it looks professional grade, like something a serious trail runner would wear.  And that, my friends, is a key part of the deal (unless, of course, you are running predawn when nobody can see you anyway).

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Tags: equipment, hardware, hydration

Posted in Gear
5 Comments Posted by Greg