“This
is one of our athlete's favorite packs because of the way it hugs the
body. A light weight racing vest with dual side compression and 2L
hydration compartment for those who prefer a reservoir. It's so
comfortable, you'll forget you have it on.”
What
I wanted:
In
a nutshell, something light, with lots of pockets.
I
wanted a vest that would hold a water bladder rather than carry a
handheld bottle (the slosh sound annoys me* and I can only
comfortably carry these in my right hand for some reason!) I was
running a 50 mile race so needed something that would hold enough
food to take me through that. I tend to get backache if I carry too
much weight on my back so I wanted something lightweight that I could
strap on tightly to reduce bounce while running.
So
something light, comfortable and which would hold a water bladder and
enough food for a 50 miler.
So
… what was the verdict?
Fit
I
occasionally get back problems but wearing this didn't cause any pain
or issues even with the 2 litre water bladder full as the pack fitted
so snugly. If I made sure I adjusted the straps as the water level
dropped, then I could keep the pack snug to my body. It was easy to
adjust on the move.
I’m
a fairly average-sized female runner and it fits me very well,
although there is plenty of strap for adjustments to be made. I even
tried it on my 4 year old and it could be adjusted to fit her.
Chafing
& Blisters
None.
I’ve worn this on a 30 mile run with the water bladder full at 2
litre capacity and vest fully packed and also tested it with the
water bladder part full and had no chafing, marks or blisters either
time.
Design
There
is a hole in the hood for the hose to fit through. This a bit fiddly
as it gets in the way of the material hook to hold the bladder in
place. Looks as though it's designed for the hose to run up the back
of the bladder and there is a centrally padded part but I didn't want
the connector to rub so fitted it backwards and it works fine this
way.
I
had been very concerned when I’d received the pack as it as it
looked tiny. (I’d chosen it online as a Christmas present) but once
I started packing the food and bits and pieces in there seemed to be
plenty of space and plenty of pockets. There was a zip compartment on
the front which was great for essentials and the zip stopped me
showering the floor with coins and gels every time I bent forward to
tie my shoes. There was a pouch on the other side strap for my phone
or which would hold a water bottle. I used it for my phone and it
meant no faffing about when the phone rang or for the occasional
photo.
Even
more importantly I could even put hand into back pocket to retrieve
snacks. Brilliant if you're a gannet like me. Snack access is
important!
Bladder
The
bladder
seals at the top with a sliding seal rather than a circular cap which
is very handy and means you don’t have to worry about a bad seal or
a twisted thread leaking and soaking the contents of the pack. I'm
speaking from experience here. I loved that it was clear whether the
bladder is sealed or not. These are also available on their own from
the Ultramarathon Running Store for £23.99.
Extras
- 2 litre hydration bladder is included in the price.
- The
pocket on the pack hood is very handy for easy access to hydration
tablets and plasters.
- There's
a pocket that seals with a magnet on the left strap. Not entirely
sure what this is for but you probably don't want to check your
bearings with a compass near this.
- There's
a hook on top of pack to hang which is handy when it's fully packed.
Unfortunately on my pack test it had to pass the 'Can it hang on the
back of loo doors' test. It does.
- The
pack is fairly water resistant. I have run with it in rain and hail
and the pack contents stayed mainly dry although for long run loo
roll probably best to seal inside a plastic bag unless you want to go
on a Big Leaf search.
- There
are loops in various places for buffs, gloves etc which is handy and
places you could add keyrings, carabinas etc as you wish.
- Rubber
loops on the zips for easy unzipping with gloves. It's easy to undo
the main strap on pack with or without gloves.
- Pack
is sturdy and feels and appears well made.
Downsides
- The
front pocket has holes in the bottom. I didn't realise this the first
time I used the pack. Luckily I was running laps and and managed to
retrieve most of the lost goodies on the 2nd lap.
- The
material hook to hold the bladder in place inside the pack gets in
the way of the hole in the hood for the hose which makes it a bit
awkward if you want to thread the hose through but it's a minor
inconvenience and not one which affects the use of pack.
- The
clips across the body to hold the pack in place can be awkward to
unclip when hands are cold. It's not too bad but can be tricky to
release the pack from your back.
Value
for Money
It’s
middle of the road as far as price is concerned and having had
several packs which have been discarded for various reasons
(uncomfortable, silly design, not enough pockets, not enough
storage), I’m very pleased with this one and wouldn't hesitate to
recommend it to others. It performs like a much more expensive pack.
Points
out of 10: 9
Light
as a feather when on and fully adjustable. It lost a point as the
easily reachable front pocket has holes in it and I don’t want to
lose snacks on the run!
Summary
Lightweight
yet sturdy, this pack performs far beyond its modest price. It fits
snugly and doesn't move when you're running and can be adjusted to
fit most sizes. It offers excellent value for money and has enough
storage for plenty of food on the move. I'd buy it again.
Specifications
(Taken from UltrAspire website)
- Large hole microfiber mesh for ultra breathability
- 2 Litre Hydrapak hydration bladder included
- Dual side compression with Compressi-flex™ for stable load without
restricting movement
- Quick access hydration compartment
- Stretch mesh energy gel pocket
- Patent pending Magnon Electrolyte Pocket™ with easy worry- free
magnet closure
- Light weight zippers pulls easily grabbed even with gloves, cold or
numb fingers
- Left mesh pocket over zippered inner pocket for securely stowing
night time accessories, energy foods and other necessary gear
- Contoured shape profile for comfortable stable ride
- Stretch mesh quick stash panel for easy access
- Top zippered pocket for head lamp, cell phone or other supplies
Weight:
290 grams ( 430g with reservoir )
Colours:
Pitch Black, Ultra Red
*Tip
for all runners using a bladder – if you squeeze all of the air out
of it you don't get the irritating sloshing noise.
