Distance Runners - recommendations on a hydration belt?

99clmsntgr

Specifically one that I can take on my LSD's on Saturday mornings (most events have enough water stations set up that I don't carry water with me during the actual race).

I currently own a Camelbak Delany Plus. I've had it for a while and my love/hate relationship with it has swung into full-bore hate mode again. I like the fact it has a couple decent sized pockets (one for the iPod and cell phone, one for a couple gels). I like that I can carry a 24 ounce bottle of water. This lasts me through a 10-mile or so run, although I admit I probably should carry a little more with me, especially with summer starting.

What drives me absolutely nuts about this belt is that it never stays put, especially when the bottle is full or near full. I like it to sit low on my hips, which is part of the problem, but this keeps the bottle sitting toward the bottom of the small of my back and in a position where it doesn't bounce around too much. In order to keep it there, I have to keep the belt synched hella tight. For the better part of a year I had it figured out to where it wouldn't move and all was right in the world, but then something, either with my body or the belt, changed and now it moves all over the place, usually migrating up toward my natural waist and getting super-bouncy, and I can't get it back to the way it used to be.

My long runs have turned more into me ****ing with my belt than me enjoying the sun coming up or enjoying being out and about before the rest of the town is even out of bed yet. I'm ready to trade it in and get something that doesn't irritate me. Any suggestions?

(For what it's worth, I have two 1-liter Camelbak backpacks that the wife and I use for hiking. I haven't tried running with one of them yet, but I imagine they'll be super-bouncy, too. Thoughts?)

[Edit: fixed the Camelbak I currently own. The Delany Plus, not the Delany II]

nuttyfamily

I have a Nathan brand.

I don't wear mine low on the hips though. Mine is up on my hips around my waist. On my hips, it moves too much for and has too much bounce.

brookepenni

I have a Nathan too and I hate it. Doesn't sit on my hips, the belt is too wide, straps too long, doesn't sit flat, bounces, too heavy when it's fully, bounces too much when it isn't, pouch isn't big enough for a GU and my iPod touch... Hate it. In fact it's ruining my long runs because I'm also spending too much time trying to hold it down and stop it from flapping about and not enough time just running. I've never stopped a long run before, but my last I stopped 6times just for the damn belt. Then I struggled to keep going and only ran 11 miles instead of 13 because I was so annoyed!

So I'll watch this post with enthusiasm cos I may consider buying something else, or I might just go back to hydrating when I get back to the car...!!

donrdon

I use a fuel belt. I find it very comfortable. It doesn't slide or bounce around during my long runs. I do recommend getting the 4 bottle belt as the bottles are only 7oz. But if you're looking for a belt that comes close to not even knowing that you've got it on, this is the one you want.

wolfchild59

I have a Nathan two bottle belt with a pouch large enough for my phone (if I wanted it there), shot blox, keys and more. It actually has a main pooch, a small outer pocket, another small pocket inside the pouch, a clip inside for keys, and an ID card. The bottle are each 10oz.

I love it and it works well for me. I wear it around my waist, fairly tightly. I'm a bottle/pouch in the back person while wearing it. And even with lots of water stations in races, I still choose to wear my belt since that way I can avoid the crowds at the water stations and I'm not dependent on their spacing. Also, I find it a lot easier to drink water from a bottle without spilling it all over myself than from a cup.

But, I would recommend going to a store to try on the different options. The hubby and some friends prefer Fuel Bands for how they fit on their bodies. And some people have duel bottles, like mine, and there are a couple folks that like the single bottle better for how it sits on the body.

How you wear it is also preference. Bottle(s) in back, bottle(s) in front, in the hips, or on the waist. It all depends on what feels best to you. I put on every belt in the store in every configuration I could and ran all over the store in each one to make sure I bought the one that felt the best.

Mehagon

I'm looking for a new hydration accessory too. . . ever thought about the packs? Anyone have any suggestions for good hydration packs? I think I'd rather have the bottles than the bladder, but I don't want to carry the handheld ones. . . I'd really like to have my hands free.