It’s the 11th day of Runnylegsmas!!! Today’s post is sponsored by CamelBak, one of my favorite brands! We’re talking about hydration packs today and two lucky winners are going to win 2 packs each!!
12 Days of Runnylegsmas Day 11: CamelBak
Let’s talk about hydration packs! I have been using hydration packs since I started running endurance back in 2010, from those little 2 bottle waist packs to now, where I have a collection of hydration vests that I rotate through depending on what I am doing, how far I’m going, what I need to carry, etc.
I have four different CamelBak packs, the first of which I got at the Trail Sisters retreat back in spring 2019.
That pack was the Women’s Circuit Vest with a 1.5 liter bladder. This pack is one size fits most with adjustable straps. There’s also a Men’s version of this pack.
It fits up to 4 soft flasks in the front pockets and/or a bladder in the back. I’ve used it both ways, but I typically don’t use more than 2 soft flasks at a time because I want to be able to fit my phone, nutrition, etc.
The Circuit Vest is super lightweight, the heaviest thing about it is the water you put in. The pack doesn’t feel warm on even on the hottest days and it’s very breathable.
There’s a small 3.5 liter pouch in the back, you could fit a light jacket/long sleeve & some fuel but it’s not big enough to fit a full kit.
It comes in two colors, Gibraltar Navy Silver which is what I have and Aqua Sea Silver.
Next up, is the Women’s Ultra Pro Vest. This pack is similar to the Circuit vest but it is a solid vest that’s not adjustable. There is a men’s version as well.
It comes with 2 500ml soft flasks but you could also use a bladder with it as well.
The Ultra Pro Vest has more pockets than the circuit vest, there are a bunch of pockets on the sides of the pack, under the arm.
There’s also a way to secure the back pouch, which I really like, I wish this was on the Circuit pack too.
I got a size small in this one and it fits fine, except when I have too much gear in the back and then it gets a touch too tight on the arm pits. I might go up to a medium if I had to get another one since it’s not adjustable. But for normal water only days, the small works great.
It comes in the same colors as the Circuit Vest, but I got the Aqua Sea Silver in this one to mix it up.
Next up is the Zephyr Vest. This pack is larger, a one size fits most, and comes with 2 17 oz soft flasks. It also comes in a men’s version.
This pack has multiple pockets on the front, you can fit multiple soft flasks, there is a larger zippered pocket that fits most cell phones, the back pouch is larger so it can fit a good amount of gear, extra jacket, long sleeve, pants, etc.
It’s made with an ultra lightweight material is treated with Polygiene® antimicrobial to keep bacteria at bay from one stretch to the next.
The Zephyr also has a trekking pole attachment along with a safety whistle.
I like to use the Zephyr when I am running/hiking longer distances when I’ll need more water and more gear. I wore the Zephyr when we did Humprey’s Peak in Flagstaff.
The last pack that I just got is the Women’s Octane 9 70 oz pack.
The Octane 9 comes with a 2 liter bladder which I find will come in really handy for some of the hikes I have planned for 2022.
It’s got front pockets, including a zippered pouch for your phone. There are multiple pockets in the back pouch so you can separate your gear.
The Zephyr pack is slightly larger with 11 Liters of Storage vs 7 liters in the Octane 9.
All of the packs are super comfortable, easily adjustable (except the ultra pro which is sized), I personally haven’t noticed any bouncing when using any of the packs. The Circuit pack is my go-to for almost any race.
I’m looking forward to getting more miles in with the Zephyr & Octane 9 packs next year as I ramp up my hiking for a big project I’m working on.
I also have an Ultra belt that I’ve been wearing a lot for road races. It’s a little more lightweight for when I’m going faster.
The Ultra belt is sized, I got an XS/S which I didn’t realize at the time, I thought it was just a small. It seemed a little tight initially but after wearing it for a little bit I realized that it was the perfect fit.
It fits a 17oz soft flask and you can also put your trekking poles on your back.
I found it to be very comfortable, I did have a slight issue with the soft flask lid in my back when I was running Revel Big Bear, but that was because I wore a different style of shorts and wore it lower on my hips.
Lastly, let’s talk about ditching disposable. Having reusable bottles is the way to go. CamelBak has a big selection of Stainless Steel bottles.
I got the Eddy+ 32 oz. You flip, bite & sip from the straw that looks like the top of a soft flask.
It’s leak-proof, durable with a powder coat finish & is BPA, BPS & BPF Free. It’s also dishwasher safe and easy to carry with a two finger carry loop.
There’s also the Chute Mag which comes with a magnetic stow cap. This one is very cool, the magnetic stow cap stays to the side while you are drinking so that you don’t have to worry about it.
Lastly there is the Carry Cap. This is more of a traditional bottle that you have to take off the whole lid to drink.
The Carry Cap & Chute Mag bottles keep drinks cold for 32 hours and hot for 12 hours. The Eddy+ keeps drinks cold for 32hrs. All three bottles are part of the Repurpose Silver collection
I have a few other bottles, like the Multi-Bev, that I wrote about last summer. I can attest to the length of how cold these bottles can keep liquids, I had ice in the Multi-Bev for over 24 hours.
Overall, I am a huge fan of CamelBak and I can’t wait to share these products with two of you!!
