Looking for a Marathon to run in March?
I'm hoping this might help others. This is my fourth hydration option. I had a fuel belt before but felt it was too sloshy and made be nauseated. I also have the two different Nathan backpack hydration type systems (with a bladder inside, much like an IV bag, but without needles!) which I've also managed to break one of them and replace a part (this will be the subject of a separate review). I also have a Nathan Sprint which is a handheld solution for hydrating for short runs.
2-2-11. This belt has actually been around for a few years, so it has lasted through the test of time, and the style hasn't been discontinued.
I purchased the Nathan speed 2 hydration belt in blue from a store named Run with Us located in Pasadena, CA. Zip code is 91101. I like buying from brick and mortar stores in case I have a problem (which I did). Internet purchases create a bit more of a hassle sometimes for me. I like to deal with people in person.
It cost me $39.99. Tax in Pasadena is 9.75%. This brings the grand total to $43.89.
The problem that I initially had was minor. One of the drink bottles had a small tear in it. I don't think the tear would have been much of a problem, even if part of it came off. I think it would have just been a cosmetic piece lost. I brought the belt back about 2 days after I had it and they exchanged the bottle for me. The new bottle doesn't seem to have this tear. I think this might have been from a bit of use and abuse while demonstrating the belt in the store.
Blue, Pink, and Grey (Nathan standard).
The belt comes in three sizes, so keeping it snug shouldn't be an issue if you have the right size. There is no bounce if it is snug enough. The belt can be worn with the two bottles in the front or two bottles in the back. Each bottle holds 10oz. I have had no leakage from the bottles, and they are easy to open on the run. I can even open them with my teeth for complete one handed operation from taking the belt out to drinking to putting the belt back. I run with the water bottles behind me. There is velcro attachment for the two ends of the belt with is other side of the bottles (if you are going to wear the bottles on your back, then the velcro closure ends up on your front side). This allows for a custom fit each time. My belly has a habit of growing and shrinking, so this is a nice feature. There is a velcro'd pouch on the same side as the bottles (what I mean is that if I wear the bottles behind me, the pouch is behind me as well). The pouch is located between the two bottles. It can hold an I-phone or droid, plus keys, plus ID. The belt part is wide, but fits very snugly my camera carrying case (I slip it on as an accessory), and you can slip on on amphipod accessory pouches to carry other things as well. I do get some bounce when I add my camera to the mix. The camera ends up near the front/right side of the belt, because that's where it slides onto and stops before bumping into the water bottles of the belt.
It is called the Speed 2. The #2 is for the number of water bottles that it has. Two bottles allows you to carry one with water and the other with some other sort of sports drink or sports nutrition. I thought it was version #2 at the time when I bought it. Later I thought about it, there were belts with the #3 which meant 3 bottles and #4 which meant 4 bottles. Oh, I see!
The belt itself has velcro and it stretches! The velcro can at times catch onto dryfit/coolmax type fibers so be careful, but I haven't had much problems with this. Some of the other belts I've seen in the store doesn't stretch. Belts like this might ride up if one is wearing the belt low on the hips. In that case perhaps one might consider wearing it tighter which might not work for longer races - perhaps a handheld or backpack might be a better solution?
One handed is for real, they stay open and do not need the other hand to help put it back. Sloshing doesn't bother me. The bottle holders are stiff but not heavy.
The bottles are BPA free. It requires that the top be pulled open either with the other hand or teeth. One does get some air traveling through but this is somewhat reduced if one holds it upside down for one second allowing the air gap to disappear and then start drinking. Not a major problem after getting used to this method of getting the air out first. The bottles are easy to wash and easy to fill with water or electrolytes. I have not tested the bottles with anything thicker. As I've mentioned, there's more than one bottle, which means that there is the option of filling the two bottles with different fluids.
See the review written (above) about running with the Nathan belt. The pouch I would say is medium sized. I wish it was a bit larger. I think I got an older version of the pouch, because I don't have an ID section (ID is imprinted in the picture below, but this feature is not on my blue pouch). But ID does fit into the pouch for sure. There are two compartments. I put my ID in one, and my phone in the other. I don't have an I-phone or smart phone/droid but I've tried putting one in, and it fits fine. There is a hook (cloth loop) inside for a keychain.
I've been told that it looks like ovaries and uterus, but for a running belt, I think it works and appears fine. Hydration is key to success in running, thus it doesn't matter if it looks like if we strapped on some other strange feature of anatomy.
I would say don't worry about getting a size too small. I think the belt will stretch with time and use. It should be pretty snug, but be sure to be able to breathe!
I am happy with this running belt. I've gone out on about 10 runs with this belt so far. I like it the most out of all the other hydration systems that I have used in the past (other belts, backpacks, and handhelds).
---
Disclaimer: I made this conclusion myself, and haven't verified it with others. Use at your own risk. And feel free to copy. I'm not an expert with running hydration, belts, the Nathan company, nor am I an expert in running. I should also mention that I am male, and wouldn't know exactly what it would feel like to wear it if I were female. Surgical Artistry is the inaugural title sponsor for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon, which was first held in 2010. Contact: staff [at] surgerytoday [dot] com
Running Speed pace chart - do you need conversion from MPH to Minutes per Mile? This was helpful for me because I was mainly a treadmill runner first - before venturing outside.
Modesto Marathon - Sponsored by Surgical Artistry (Modesto Plastic Surgery).
Garmin GPS watch problems (Forerunner 110)
[Back to Modesto Marathon page]