Review: Nathan Speed 4 Hydration Belt

One of the most important thing a triathlete need to do is hydrate everytime he or she works out. Hydrating is easier during swim and bike trainings. When swimming, you can put a water bottle at the end of the pool so you can have a quick gulp just before starting your next lap. While biking, you have your water bottle either on the downtube or seatpost, or in-between your aerobars for easier access.

In running, especially during those LSD runs, you have your water bottle in your hands, hanging on your waist or on your back. In whatever way you carry your bottle, it adds weight to your body and causes minor discomforts. These discomforts are what I was trying to eliminate during my search for a "better" hydration pack/belt to wear during long training runs and organized races exceeding 15K. I always use a two-bottle hydration belt and the weight it adds either to my back or front always irritates me, not to mention the sound of the splashing water inside the bottle.

I have seen hydration belts with a 4-flask configuration. According to some triathletes and runners I talked to, 4-flask hydration belts are better than two-bottle belts as the extra weight is distributed evenly around the body. After hearing this, my search for 4-flask belts began.

I searched the internet for 4-flask hydration belts and found several brands. These brands, though, are sold at a price which to me is "hefty" already. However, with Camsur 70.3 nearing, I was running out of time to get myself one to test and probably use for the big race.

Yesterday, Sunday, July 26, after attending worship service, my family and I strolled at Megamall. Before going home, I did a quick pass at Toby's while waiting for my eldest daughter buy accessories for her cellphone. I stumbled upon some pieces of Nathan 4-flask hydration belts and tried checking it out. The price was marvelous! The 4-flask belts were being sold for Php 1,595, +/- Php 1,000 lower than the other brands I've checked. The materials used were of good quality and it has a stash pocket on both front and back for gels, cellphone, car keys, etc. Nice! After trying out a piece making sure it fitted my waist, I lined up for the cashier.

After a short rest at home, I started testing out my new "toy". I immediately filled the flasks with water and slapped it on my waist. Amazing! The weight of the water indeed was distributed evenly around me. The stash pocket could fit my car keys on one side and two Choco Muchos and a hammergel on the other side...perfect!

The belt

The velcro strap held the belt firmly around my waist as I started running. The belt itself is made of elastic material for a snug fit. There were no fears of the belt sliding down as I ran along. It has a comfortable breathable mesh which makes it comfortable around the waist and probably during warm day runs.

The Bottles

There were no water splashes registering in my ear as I ran along. The holsters were molded efficiently for the flasks, it was really easy for me to pull out a flask and put it back in. The nozzle of the flasks are made of rubber and plastic for a secure fit. There were no drips after I have snapped the rubber nozzles back in. Water flow from each flask was generous, and with a little more squeezing can produce a faucet-like water rush. Each flask can hold 10 ounces of fluids or an equivalent of 1.1 liters of much needed hydration, perfect for 10K+ runs.

The Nathan Speed 4 4-flask hydration belt was indeed a precious find and purchase for me. I am now confident that I won'tt get dehydrated in Camusr 70.3 much less ran out of calories to burn. As a summary, the pros and cons of this belt is listed below. Please take note that the pros outweighs the cons by so much.

Pros:

• Cheaper than other brands;
• Well thought of design. Water bottle weight is distributed evenly around the body;
• Comfortable;
• Made of good quality materials;
• Bottles and holsters perfectly fit each other;
• Bottles are of great design and appear durable;
• Perfect fit around the waist line.

Cons:

• Bigger bottles than other brands mean heavier extra load.

Nathan Speed 4 is available at Toby's. I have no idea how many of this they carry though.

Thanks for reading and happy training!

Deo P.