I have always relied on my coach to carry my hydration. As I am now training at greater distances on trails, I knew I would have to start using my own hydration system. I had at times used my coach’s hand held water bottle carrier. Frequent re-adjustments to the fit strap and difficulty putting in/taking out the bottle made it uncomfortable to use. I did not want a waist hydration system as waist belts bother me, so I decided to try the Nathan Thermal Quickdraw Water Bottle Carrier with Nathan’s 22oz bottles. Surprisingly the hand held system took little to get used to. It was comfortable right from the start. Having two sizes, male and female, allowed my larger hands to fit perfectly in the male version making for a snug fit that doesn’t require re-adjusting. The adjustable strap locks in place throughout my run. I really like the large zippered pocket on the side as I can fit my keys and gel packs easily without adding too much bulk. The insulation material not only kept my liquids from freezing in the winter, but is also slowing the heating effects of summer temperatures. The insulation material makes for a softer hold rather than having your hand against the surface of the water bottle. One of the best features of this carrier is how easy it is to get bottles in and out of it. There is no struggling putting in or taking out bottles.
Although I have used other brands of water bottles comfortably with the Thermal Quick Draw carrier I prefer to use Nathan’s 22oz water bottles. These bottles are dishwasher safe, very durable, easily opened and closed while running, and do not hold the smell or taste of sports drinks after washing. The wide mouth at the top of the bottles allows me to easily add sport’s drink powder right in to the bottle without having to use another container for mixing my sport’s drinks. And even though I have tossed these bottles around in my backpack and thrown them around quite a bit, I have never had any leakage from the easy to screw on lid.
My only problem is now my coach always seems to forget her carrier and bottles and I have to share mine with her! I think she should invest in the small Thermal Quickdraw. I’m sure she’d love the lilac colour and enjoy the comfortable fit as much as I do.
Would you recommend this hand-held bottle for long runs of up to 20 miles? I don’t like waist belts either, and can refill my bottle along my route…… I guess I’m just concerned about having to hold it for so long? … but I’ve been okay with holding a plain Zephryhills 16.9 oz bottle during my runs up to 10 miles….. so I’m hoping that the strap and the insulation will make it even more comfortable for my longer runs to come…..
Hi Emy
Hand-held bottles were actually made popular by Ultra distance runners running 50k or longer. If you don’t like waist belts, you would probably do very well with 1 (or 2) handheld bottles for distances of 20k+. I find it becomes a natural thing once you have gotten used to it. Some people find they prefer 1 bottle and switch sides with it every once and a while. Others prefer 2 bottles. Because the holder is so comfortable, you don’t really have to “hold” it. You just slip your hand into the holder and tighten the strap. It pretty much holds itself. The only hurdle to get past is having something in your hand.
Good luck!
Hi,
Would you happen to know if an iPhone/HTC Desire/Smartphone would fit in the pocket?
No, the pocket is quite small. I usually use it to hold a GU gel. It is not big enough for an iPhone/smartphone.