Since it’s really hot out in most of the US and many runners are thinking more and more about hydration, I thought I’d write another post about my other go-to hydration packs for mid-length runs in the summer or for long runs in the winter/cooler months.
For runs up to 10 or 12 miles in cooler months, I really love my Nathan Speed 2 belt
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For longer runs, the Nathan Speed 4R Waist Pack
The Speed 4R belt comes with four 8 oz bottles for a total of 32 oz of fluid capacity. My one dislike about this belt is that the back pouch only has an elastic at the top and doesn’t have a flap that comes down and seals with Velcro like the Speed 2 does. That said, I haven’t had any problems with things falling out of the pocket while I’m running and it does make for very easy access if you want to quickly grab a gel during your run.
One thing you might consider buying if you get a Nathan hydration belt is a set of their race caps
I’ve got both of these belts and just haven’t been able to run comfortably with them. 🙁 I want to love them so badly, as I love having the option of multiple bottles for Gatorade/Nuun/water, etc. My quest for the perfect fuel belt continues…
That’s a major bummer. What don’t you like about the belt?
Just haven’t been able to keep it situated in a comfortable position when I run. Originally, I ran with it around my hips, but it would bounce around so much that it threw off my gait. I tried to run with it in the small of my back, but that felt too awkward. I know, I’m a picky runner! I’ve switched to a hand-held bottle, and that seems to be working for me. 🙂
I totally agree about wearing a hydration belt around the hips–leads to lots of bouncing and discomfort. Glad you found something that works for you, though. 🙂 (And, as a bonus, you get an upper body workout while you’re running, too.)