Yes, I know lots of people that just use handhelds in ultras. Depends on the ultra too. Some have aid station placement frequent enough where you don't have to carry anything. Some have them placed so far apart you need to be a lot more self sufficient. Personally, I use a pack. I can finish an easy 50 miler in 10.5 hours (tough ones in 13+ hours). I have zero tolerance for anything around my waist and no interest in swinging around a handheld for that long.

I cannot stand using the fuel belt. I tried on a running vest but I cannot imagine runing 50 miles with that damn thing on. Think its possible to make it through with a hand held and tank up at the aid stations?

You know, this is really going to depend on the race, and I suggest asking people that have run it before. I ran an ultra recently with no carried ANYTHING and just the 6oz reusable ultraspire cup they handed out. Aid was about every four miles. I felt a bit of privation but I did really well (my friends thought my plan was moronic, though). At another one that I run, they claim that you WILL run out of water between aid station 3 and 4, even if you carry 2 handhelds. There's another 50k in my area that has one aid station at mile 20, with water only.

Oooh..... the 8 mile break is tough. If you want to go with only one handheld, you're probably going to have to be super careful. So early in the race, if you get dehydrated, it's going to be hard and painful to bounce back. I think it can be done, but you'll need to make sure you're coming into that race well hydrated (from the day before and morning of).

One thing I always recommend to runners (regardless of the aid station situation) is to drink 8-12 ounces of water immediately before the race starts. It doesn't help much to drink bottles and bottles of water 3-4 hours before only to pee it back out again before the race begins. In fact, it can be harmful because you will lose electrolytes through urine. In the hours before the race, definitely drink enough so you are not thirsty, but there is no need to drink so much that your urine is clear.

Have you considered two handhelds for the first part? You could carry two and leave one at the first aid station. I know several people that carry two at once. I personally can't stand it, but different things work for different people. I personally use a nathan vest and like it a lot. I tried camelbak and it was horrible. I think at ultras I've done the most popular brand seems to be Nathan.

There is no drop bag that early on. Drop bags are at 24.31 and 40.94.

It's a 50m not a 50k? I missed that part. I can't read!

Boy, I've definitely really wanted my hydration pack at the 50 mile distance. I've kept stuff in there that has really saved my race, and wasn't available at the aid stations. Once, a pack of life savers when my blood sugar crashed. An iPod with tunes that pulled me out of a dark place. Lip balm. Tums. And that long, you might be moving really slowly in between a couple of the aid stations.

Maybe put a hydration pack in the 40.94 drop bag, just in case?

How on earth do you run with those things?! Maybe I need to shop around more. The only thing REI had was a Nathan 2L vest. I brought it home and put water in it and its way to heavy for me.

I have that vest -- I think you just need to get used to it. I much prefer carrying 2L on my back to in my hands. But a lot of ultrarunners swear by handhelds. You could maybe get some raceready shorts or a spibelt to carry the other necessaries.

There is no drop bag that early on. Drop bags are at 24.31 and 40.94.

This sounds like you are doing AR50.

Sure am, how did you know?

I thought I saw a post from you on the forum that you are in CA. Then the aid stations being at the half way point and at 9 miles to go is very familiar. It sure sounded like AR50. I've done it a couple times and paced a friend from Rattlesnake Bar once. They changed the course this year but on the old course I did that entire race with one 10 oz water bottle and a super light race vest with no hydration bladder (Nathan HPL #028).

That race has more aid stations than god. It's like a road marathon on steroids, at least the old course was. In retrospect I probably didn't even need the race vest but I wanted an easy way to carry my phone (to contact my pacer) and somewhere to put the small water bottle because even that I didn't want to keep in my hands the entire race.

I have found that vests chafe a lot less than belts -- your mileage may vary, of course! Sounds like this race will have a lot of aid stations in any case, so maybe no worries there. For shorts have you considered compression shorts? I wear compression underwear under regular shorts and find that works fairly well, but I expect some chafing will be inevitable over 50 miles.

This is what I wear. They're compression shorts but not the super tight kind that are restrictive. Super comfortable and have never had a chafing issue with them. Have worn them up to 26 and a half miles and in all kinds of weather.
http://www.target.com/p/c9-by-champion-women-s-premium-short-tight-assorted-colors/-/A-14825621#prodSlot=large_1_4

This is new but very popular in the UK

http://www.inov-8.com/new/global/Product-View-Race-Ultra-Vest-SS14.html?L=26

For an Ultra I think you'd be mad not to take some sort of storage, as others have said there's a myriad of scenarios Blisters, Crashing, Music, Chaffing, variable weather that you need to allow for.