Nathan HPL #008 Lightweight 1.5-Liter Hydration Race Vest With Back Pocket
- 2-way Propulsion Harness; vertically adjustable sternum strap
- 1.5 liter hydration bladder with filter-compatible screw-top closure and bite valve
- Dual front essential pockets – one carbo-gel holster, 1 zippered; Power Stretch Mesh back pocket for stowing jacket, gloves, and/or sleeves
- Lightweight, breathable Wall Mesh with soft perimeter binding – feels great against skin and won’t damage technical apparel
- Weighs only 5.5 ounces empty
Product Description
Nathan’s Human Propulsion Laboratories (HPL) conduct brutal product experiments with the help of dozens of top-level athletes. These HPL Experiments may be shooting for a world record or a new personal record – or perhaps a less tangible goal, like putting on an ultra or introducing ten road runners to the trails. Like all experiments, their progress toward achieving these goals with the help of Nathan products is tracked, studied, and reported. The Nathan HPL Series includes the products inspired by and named for their respective athletes. Performance gel researcher and winner of the Pittsburgh Marathon Magda Lewy, HPL Experiment #008, realized that hiding bottles along her training run route was not the best way to stay hydrated. But with a total focus on speed, she was wary of wearing anything heavy or with the potential to throw off her stride. The HPL #008 is her solution as she trains for the 2008 Olympics.
Nathan HPL #008 Lightweight 1.5-Liter Hydration Race Vest With Back Pocket
Tagged with: #008 • 1.5Liter • Back • Hydration • Lightweight • Nathan • Pocket • RACE • Vest
Filed under: Running
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I wore the hydration pack on a run of about 7 miles to see how I would like it. It is very comfortable as far as the mesh material against my skin. The cons that I noticed were: a. the fluid sloshes quite a bit while running, not a big deal but can be annoying b. when filling the bladder, it was somewhat awkward due to the opening location c. while running the fluid seems to leak when opening and closing the mouthpiece, if you have water this is not a problem, but I used powerade so my hands got sticky each time I took a drink; overall, I will use the hydration pack on my long runs and it is better than wearing bottles on my hips
Rating: 4 / 6
This is by far the most comfortable hydration option I’ve owned for running trail ultras. I’ve used a couple different Camelbacks and water bottle waist packs (both single and double) and this is by far the most comfortable and user friendly hydration pack out there. It is clearly designed for the ultra runner in mind with the easy access front pockets – perfect for fuel and other essentials. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for hydration for running. Keep in mind, however, that it is 50 oz and doesn’t have a large compartment for carrying a lot of stuff. It is fairly stripped down which is what I think is great about it.
Rating: 5 / 6
Nathan is owned by two ultra-marathoners and adventure racers. They understand the needs of long distance racing and the training that comes with it. They do more than just interview elite endurance athletes to understand their needs – they race alongside them!
I’ve been a hand-held/strap-on water bottle ultra-runner kind of guy for the past 10 years, but finally felt it was time to step up to being hands free. This also meant giving myself more hydration in between aid stations when racing – a welcome upgrade.
I hit my running store and they immediately said that the Nathan product was the way to go. I was in agreement just by looking at the HPL #008 1.5 litre hydration vest. It was almost clinical in appeal – no bells or whistles, no neon colors, no overabundant branding. It seemed light – and the mesh felt like something invented for NASA. I bought it – eagerly awaiting to head out into the hills and have it quench my thirst.
I tested it out on a 30 degree Celsius morning at Shuswap Lake in the interior of British Columbia. I loaded up a total of about 1 litre of water, knowing I’d only need that much for the day’s hydration requirements. A logging road meanders through some low lying mountains on the north side of the lake, I headed out and back for a total of 24km. At the outset I simply threw the pack on without adjusting, then realized that it has a dual-strap adjustment toggle. It allows for the vest to move more fluidly with your body while you are in motion. I liked the idea of this – while light-weight and simple in design, it incorporates some ingenius but subtle engineering that really benefits the athlete.
It took me a couple of minutes to figure out to pull the mouthpiece up in order to open the valve – my bad – like I said, I’m used to a water bottle. A bit of sloshing was evident, but I don’t expect any noise cancellation or motion control technology to be attached to my hydration vest… (yet!). The rear of the pack has an elasticized storage pouch, room for plenty of fuel, gloves or a headlamp. The two front pouches are perfect and easily accessed, one is zippered, the other is open for quick access to a few gels, an iPod or a small bottle of an alternative liquid. The mesh breathed well and I didn’t feel any irritation – in fact it seemed to cling to my technical singlet so there was no real friction to speak of.
This is a fantastic product – I highly recommend it, and will continue to look for Nathan products when they suit my needs.
Rating: 5 / 6
I bought this pack for my son’s birthday. I use a camel back pack for running which is ok. The Nathan pack is much better for runners. My son’s comments are, it is comfortable and he likes the pockets. Over all he is very happy.
Rating: 5 / 6