Showing posts with label water bottle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label water bottle. Show all posts

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Simple Hydration Bottle Review


As a distance runner and triathlete, I'm always looking for the easiest and most efficient way to hydrate.

Enter the Simple Hydration water bottle!

The fuel belt is not a terrible solution, but it does tend to move around, chafe, and generally get annoying on a long run. Hand held bottles seem to get in the way of an efficient stride. How about a bottle that does not need to be placed in a fuel belt or held continuously? This is the promise of the Simple Hydration bottle that was provided to my Moms Run This Town chapter to review.




Review by Mariah Jeffery:
The bottle works by tucking the lip into your waistband. I couldn't believe it would stay but for the most part, it did. I tried it on a "brick" workout day of a 12-mile bike ride and a 5K run. My bike does have a water-bottle holder, but occasionally on long rides I run out of water in the single bottle, and I wanted to try this out as a possible solution for carrying a second bottle. I made sure to wear drawstring shorts, per the instructions, and tied them tightly. I thought to myself as I got going "There's no way this is going to stay on." It actually made it through the entire bike ride except for two occasions. Once was going over a train track. When I hit the very large bump, it did fly out and I had to stop and retrieve it. The other time was after I removed it, and I had difficulty returning it to the proper position with one hand, so it came out because I didn't have it in there will. After I stopped and retrieved it and got it in the right spot, it stay put for the rest of the ride, the transition, and the entire 5K run. It was certainly easier than a fuel belt although not 100% foolproof. I'm not sure that I'd use this for a race because I'd be worried about losing it, but for a long run when it's no big deal to turn around and retrieve the bottle once in a rare while, I definitely would use it again.




Review by Angela Sellars:

For me , a newbie runner, sport water bottles were not an issue. I drank before I left the house and when I got home from runs . Most of these runs were shorter than an hour.  But now I have my sights on a half marathon and realize longer runs mean drinking water on the go. 

I decided to give the Simple Hydration water bottle a shot during a 15k run, knowing I would need water to wash down my mid run gel pack.  The first thing I noticed was how nicely it fit in my small hands.  I placed it in my spandex running tights at the small of my back. After an initial learning curve when the bottle seemed to slip and slide, I found a way to tilt it a bit and keep my pants up! The next 3 miles went well, save some odd bumping and jostling as I ran downhill. 45 minutes into my run, and I needed some water to drink with my gel pack. I was able to open it with my teeth without too much resistance.  I placed it back in my pants and it slipped out and fell on the ground, forcing me to stop to pick it up and wipe it off.  The bottle stayed in place for the remainder of the run and I was happy to have some water to sip as I walked home.  

In conclusion, I will use the Simple Hydration water bottle again, but not for races or fast-paced runs. It will be handy for easy jogs on hot days and for walks and hikes with the family.
Simple Hydration has a 50% off discount going on right now! Head on over to their Facebook page and check it out.  Discount good until June 8th.

Robin will be ordering hers to use on long runs training for Hood To Coast and read about how the bottle's design has versatility to be tucked in a sports bra (sorry guys!) or in a flip belt, spibelt or the like.

How do you carry your water?





Sunday, May 12, 2013

Product Review and GIVEAWAY: Nathan Sports



I am so excited to share with you a product review and giveaway!!  Nathan Sports has sent me a QuickShot Plus and a Triangle to review and giveaway...  How exciting is that?!  I chose to try out the hand held and giveaway the awesome hydration belt!

As you may have read on Nathan's website about the QuickShot Plus, it is a 10oz bottle that is BPA free, has a convenient pouch on the handstrap to store your fuel, keys, driver's licence and whatever goodies you like to have within reach!     

Palm-side.  Just grip the bottle and squeeze for a shot of water! 

Thumb hole in the handstrap makes this a completely grip-free hold.  This side also features a small pocket good for your house key or other small items.



I've had the QuickShot Plus on every run this week and two races (and a fundraising walk.  May is kind of a busy month!).  Let me just say that I love it!  It took me a little getting used to it at first... but I was over and adjustments and trials within the first run.

I don't normally run with things "in" my hands.  But this really isn't something you are holding on to.  Okay, so maybe you can't pick something up with that hand (or not very easily) but it is still very comfortable and something I just got used to- I hardly noticed I had it.  The hand strap is adjustable and easy to secure so that you don't hold the bottle, except when it's time to grip it for a little squeeze.  I said little.  First time, I squirted myself in the face.  :-)  I bet it was hilarious!  Then as I was removing it, I pushed too hard on the bottle to my palm as I was messing with the strap... I squirted my 3year old in the face.  She thought it was hilarious, so it wasn't all bad.  This makes for easy hydration, since you don't have to mess with a cap or any other nonsense.

On my first 5k with it this last week, the weather was a scorcher.  Or, I am spoiled in my cloudy weather... but 81 degrees was more than my comfort level cared for.  I am grateful for the handheld water bottle, because the water station was out of water when I got there.  After a short distance of 3 miles in that heat, the remaining water I had in my bottle was a bit warm.  But seriously?  That would be my only complaint, and that isn't even something that would be Nathan's fault.  Come on, Nathan!  Bring the rain and cool temps back to Oregon!  ;-)

The pouch is very handy.  It isn't quite big enough to hold my smart phone, but it holds everything else you could need on a run!  I definitely will be bringing it on all my runs and would recommend it to anybody.  

The weather is warming up, and as it does... please stay hydrated.  I have been hospitalized more than a few times for dehydration.  It isn't fun.        

So with that, check out the specs on the Triangle and enter the giveaway for one in "Nathan Blue" color.