Howdy fellow runners/triathletes…
This is my first year as part of the Orangeville group and I have the pleasure of reviewing some Nathan products – Nathan Speed Belt 2 and Lock Laces.
I’m a 5-10K type of guy and I found The Nathan Speed Belt 2 a minimalist belt that was just right for the distance. It has a slim yet adequate pouch to store your ID, keys, a few spare dollars in as well as a second small waterproof pill pouch. Two molded holsters hold the ample 10oz flasks – just perfect for the short to mid length run. For longer distances I would recommend the Nathan Trail mix four with it’s larger pouch for some nourishment as well as 4, 10oz flasks. The flasks are easy to pop out of the holsters and just as easy to get back in. The Nathan Speed Belt 2 looks great (I choose the blue/grey version) and comes in three sizes, S, M and L to fit the most discriminating of waists. The belt itself has a bit of stretch so you get a nice fit and the Velcro closure makes the belt a breeze to put on and off and offers flexibility in fit. So far the Nathan Speed Belt 2 sounds like a winner all the way around – only one drawback – the flasks tended to leak. For those of you who use the Nathan flasks – please correct me if I’m doing something wrong here. The spout was easy to pop out – but a chore to get back in all the way. The first time I used the belt I thought I had sweat up a storm only to find out that my shirt was soaked from the flask leaking as the liquid sloshed back and forth. I needed to really push with my teeth to get the nipple back in snug – got good at it after a few times out. Other than this one shortcoming the Nathan Speed Belt 2 is a solid choice.
The Nathan Lock Laces on the other hand were a 10/10. This is the first time I had tried this type of lacing system and found it to be quick and easy to set up and use. The 5-10 minutes that it took me to get the Lock Laces on and set to the desired tension were well worth it. Once set to the desired “tension”, the Nathan Lock Laces give a snug yet comfortable fit – I was worried that my shoe would feel too loose and was nicely surprised otherwise. I used them on my first Try-A-Tri this summer and I am sure they saved me a bunch of time in the transition zone (next time I am also bringing a shoe horn as this makes getting the shoes on even quicker). As an added bonus they come in 12 different colours for all us fashionistas (did I spell that correctly) out there. If you don’t have at least one pair of Nathan Lock Laces do yourself a favour and get them for Christmas – it is one of the best $10 gifts that you will get.
