My Favourite Methods to Carry Water on a Run

Summer time working is hard. Not solely do runs find yourself taking longer (for a similar mileage) as a result of the warmth slows you down, however you additionally must hydrate extra to assist your physique cool itself, which suggests determining learn how to carry extra water with you.

This summer season, I’ve chosen to do most of my runs on shady trails, accepting the tradeoff that I’ve to trudge up extra hills, at the same time as I’ve experimented with all of the water-carrying strategies I can consider. Here is what’s working for me thus far, based mostly on the day’s run.

For brief and medium runs: The Nathan FeatherLite belt

Palms down my favourite option to carry water for my runs is the Nathan FeatherLite belt. It has a diagonal pocket for a water bottle, however not a tough plastic or metallic one—this can be a comfortable flask, which is a large plus. The comfortable flask comes with the belt, however you may sub in a unique bottle—even a typical disposable water bottle—in a pinch. The included comfortable flask carries 18 ounces of water, so it’s an ideal possibility for sweaty summer season runs of an hour or much less.

Right here’s what I like concerning the Nathan FeatherLite particularly: 

• The comfortable flask doesn’t have any arduous edges that may rub in opposition to me and chafe.

• The “exo backbone” (stiff plastic on one aspect of the flask) makes it simple to stuff again into the pocket, even when it is half-empty.

• The chew valve on the flask is leakproof once I lay it down—on the seat of my automobile, for instance—however it’s nonetheless simple to get water from it whereas on the transfer. If it had a valve I wanted to open and shut, I’d positively always neglect. This additionally means it might probably’t splash water out as you’re working. 

• There’s just a little stretchy loop on the prime that you just put across the mouthpiece of the flask to verify it might probably’t bounce out. (This tends to return free as soon as the flask is lower than half full, however at that time it’s not going to bounce out anyway.)

• General, it is fairly low-bounce when you get it positioned proper. I put on the pack so it’s straight behind me, and by the point I get about 20 steps down the path I normally neglect I’ve it on. 

• The beneficiant zippered pocket is large enough to carry a telephone and miscellaneous different stuff you may be carrying. Once I’m out testing a number of watches, generally with multiple telephone, this space for storing is a godsend—I haven’t got to attempt to stuff all the things in my shorts pockets.

There are some things I don’t love about it:

• I can’t shortly pull the bottle out for a drink and slide it again in, so I have a tendency to attend till I’m strolling up a hill, or in any other case stopping or slowing down. I slide the pack round to the entrance, undo the elastic loop, take my drink, then put it again in and slide the pack again. 

• There’s additionally the query of measurement. For me, it’s good for an hour’s run in the summertime, understanding that I can get extra water after my run. (I make certain I at all times have further water within the automobile or wherever my run begins and ends.) For shorter runs, it might be overkill. For longer ones, I’ve to improve to a vest.

My favourite for lengthy runs: A hydration vest

I had hoped to have the ability to report on a very nice mannequin of hydration vest, however after I purchased one throughout Prime Day, Amazon pulled a kind of “your bundle is out for supply…lol jk we don’t know the place your bundle is” switcheroos. I’m nonetheless ready for phrase that it may be discovered once more, so within the meantime, I’m utilizing my outdated hydration pack, a cheap-o model that’s actually not one of the best in the marketplace, however which does the job. 

The model is Outplea, and it prices a mere 20 bucks. It comes with a two-liter water bladder (god I hate that that’s what they’re known as) and a barely uncomfortable strap association. But it surely works. 

Listed below are some options I prefer to see in hydration vests, and why: 

• A 2-liter bladder. Even when you’re doing an all-day hike, that’s an affordable quantity to hold between deliberate water stops in most conditions. It is a customary measurement bladder for a hydration vest, though not all vests include the bladder included.

• A lot of space for storing. Mine has pockets on the entrance straps that may maintain miscellaneous issues (gels, telephone), and a bungee on the again that may maintain a light-weight jacket or different bigger gear. 

• Choices to hold water on the again or entrance. Many vests are made in order that the entrance pockets can maintain comfortable flasks, and you may go away the again part empty. This may be extra snug when you hate the sensation of a sweaty again. Or, you’ll be able to carry water within the entrance and again, which may usually convey you as much as at the very least three liters whole. 

• Adjustable straps. It’s a must to attempt a vest on to actually know the way it matches, however the good manufacturers make the straps properly adjustable, with sliders or bungees on the entrance. My low-cost vest’s straps suck, however I did work out that they get much more snug if I cross them into an X form.

The downsides of a hydration vest:

• Carrying one thing so large can really feel fairly sweaty (which is why the costly ones are made of sunshine, wicking materials).

• A poor match means the vest will chafe. I put on a T-shirt quite than a tank prime with mine, simply to verify I don’t have points with chafing on the armpits or shoulders.

My favourite minimalist possibility: A clip-on bottle

Typically you don’t want a lot water, however you don’t need to go fully with out water. In spring and fall, I used to be doing quite a lot of my runs with a Spibelt clip-on water bottle. 

Why I prefer it: 

• Nothing to strap on. A clip-on doesn’t intervene with something I’m already sporting, and I don’t want so as to add one other layer of material over my again or waist. 

• The 8-ounce measurement is beneficial with out being big. If I can refill from a water fountain each few miles, that’s good in cooler climate once I’m not sweating an excessive amount of.

• It is the simplest one to seize on my approach out the door. Plus, once I was working with my child, she at all times wished to set her bottle down together with the observe. I hate doing that with a comfortable flask, however a tough bottle like this one can keep upright.

What I don’t love:

• It’s by no means completely snug. I’ve tried it on the waistband of my shorts, on working belts, and handheld. (Word that when you’re clipping it to a waistband or belt, you’ll be able to attempt it both dealing with towards your physique or dealing with away.) I at all times handle to get it in a spot that’s adequate to largely ignore, however it’s not my most snug possibility. 

A vastly fashionable possibility that is not for me: A handheld bottle

I’m personally not a fan of handheld bottles, however tons of runners are. I can see the attraction, so I’m giving them a shout-out right here, as a result of this could be the most suitable choice for you.

Holding a bottle in your hand is easy, however over the course of a run, your hand and arm will get fatigued. There are easy contraptions that allow you to strap the bottle to your hand, so the strap does the work. You then don’t have to consider it—simply elevate your hand to your mouth once you desire a drink. 

This one from Hydrapak is a comfortable flask, and the strap has a thumb loop to maintain it further safe. This one from Amphipod has a neoprene sleeve that insulates the drink, plus a zippered pocket large enough to carry a bank card and key. I’ve additionally heard of runners making their very own customized water bottle straps out of duct tape. (Right here’s one tutorial.)

It’s solely via trial and error that you just’ll be taught what you like and hate about other ways of carrying water, so don’t be afraid to experiment.