Product Review

Product Review
By: Mary Joe Pugh

Hydration Belt

Nathan and FuelBelt

The dilemma of the long run...where do I hide my bottles so I can catch a drink when I need one? I used to do that, but one morning my bottle disappeared and I was without hydration. The worst part is that, while it was 5am (still about 80 degrees and humid), a neighbor saw me drop the bottle on the curb, and I later saw her walking through the neighborhood with a bottle exactly like the one that disappeared!!!! Maybe she thought I was throwing it away? Well...she saw me put it down, it was full of ice, and she knows I run loops in the 'hood. But, I digress...the bottle was gone when I needed it.

I decided to get a hydration belt so I would always have drinks. The big question is...which one do I choose? There are so many styles. When you are selecting a hydration system you need to try it on if possible to see if it will work for you. The easiest option for a shorter run or a race where there will be support but you want something just in case is a hand held bottle. These have a strap that wraps around your hand so you don't drop the bottle. If you like to carry a bigger bottle, there are some that hold a single big bottle in the back...I hated it (but I have friends who love those!). For me the bouncing up and down in the back was a problem. I got a two smaller bottle system with the bottles on the side of the back. I was sure that would work, but my arms hit the bottles as I ran. This system seems to work better for people with a longer torso.

I have a four bottle Fuel Belt and an Amphipod belt that I like for some runs...not too much bouncing on the back, and a number of bottles so you can carry a couple of different types of drinks. I like the Fuel Belt, but I lost some weight, so if I wanted to keep using that I need to buy a different size. The Amphipod is more adjustable, but I like to freeze at least a few of my bottles so they are cold later in the run. It's impossible to "clip" them into the Amphipod belt when they are frozen. My latest favorite is the two larger bottle Fuel Belt. It is adjustable for different sized people, and you can freeze one bottle and have the other with ice in it at the start of the run, so you have cold drink for at least most of the way. Some of my friends run with a camel back. I don't enjoy that for a long run because of the bouncing on my back.

The great thing is that there are many options from which to choose. The dilemma is figuring out the one that will work best for you. When you are shopping, put the belt on and see how it fits on your torso, how it might feel on you back or hips, and consider your preferences regarding drinks. You'll come up with a great drink system that makes your longer runs more enjoyable!