Gear Review: Ultimate Performance Malham Waist Pack

One of the great joys of reviewing new kit is that you get to try out stuff you wouldn't ordinarily buy (in my case, because I have a multitude of waist and back packs already).  When Lou from Run Stuff asked if I'd take the Malham Waist Pack out for a spin, I'll admit I wasn't really looking forward to it.  I've been running with incredibly light-weight gear lately, and the Malham looks a bit bulky hanging on the peg in the shop.  But, the idea isn't to review stuff I think is pretty, it's to review new lines, so I packed the bag up into my suitcase and headed to Texas to try it out.  (OK, I was going to Texas anyway, but it seemed like a good idea to take it out in the warm weather).

The pack is a bit bigger than I usually wear, but it somehow matches our club colours very nicely!

When I started to pack up the bag with stuff just to test it out, I started to notice its features a bit more.

Two zipped main pockets, one with a 1L bladder (included), and two side mesh pockets give plenty of storage space.

First, the 1L bladder that comes with the pack is square, so it fits reasonably comfortably against the back.  The main pocket, which holds the bladder, has quite a lot of storage space for food, rain gear, lights, etc.  An inner, waterproof zipped pocket has more than enough room for a smartphone, and the outer zipped pocket will comfortably accomodate a few bars, a wallet, and keys (and it has a key clip).  So, for most runs, everything you need will fit easily in the pack.

Loads of space in the main pocket.

I threw in an extra 600ml of water, just to make the pack extra heavy for my test run.  At this stage, I looked at the pack in dismay - how would something this deep be even remotely comfortable for the 2 hours I was planning to be out?  Then, I noticed the compression straps, and tightened them to prevent those extra water bottles bouncing around.  Without those straps, I'd have to say the bag would be unusable.  What a difference they make!

The little blue compression straps make all the difference on this pack!

I popped a few bars in the side mesh pockets and headed out for a nice long run to see how the Malham fared.

The Fit

The Malham has a centre-buckle with a fit adjustment on either side.  The left side of the belt is your "static" fit - get it right the first time and leave it alone.  It took me a little work to get the sizing adjusted the way I wanted, but once I did, it didn't move.  The right side of the belt is for on-the-move adjustments (like when you've eaten/drunk most of the contents of the pack and it needs tightening).  It was easy to tweak while I was running or walking.  To my surprise, the pack was quite comfortable and didn't feel particularly bulky, in spite of the 1.6L of water I had in it, although the extra water did cause a bit of bounce on the run.  Once I'd removed the extra water, the pack sat well and bounced very little.  I was out for over 2 hours on a warm, sunny day, and never had any comfort issues with the belt, bladder, or pack.  I also took the pack out for the day while crewing Nic's Rocky Raccoon 50.  I wore it for the best part of 8 hours, including a few short bike rides and a lot of walking and standing.

The pack is comfortable for wear on the front for a while, too, like when you're crewing someone else's race and they ask for the can of fizzy water you've cleverly stashed away...

Things I Like

The pack has a lot of pockets, so it's easy to divide up your kit based on how much access you need to it.  The compression straps are easy to adjust, so as you re-arrange things due to weather, eating, drinking, etc., it's easy to keep the contents from bouncing about and causing problems.

I expected this to be a bulky, bouncy pack, but found it sat very well and was quite comfortable.  In its basics, this is a well thought-out and well designed piece of kit.

Things I'd Like to See Improved

There are 2 zippers on each of the main pockets, which makes them easy to open/close.  Unfortunately, it also means the 2 tabs clap together as you run.  That kind of thing irritates me to distraction, so I managed to find a way to tuck them away into the mesh pockets.  I also often see 2-zip pockets at races that aren't as closed as runners think they are, which is less of a problem than you get with a single zipper.  Using the zips was very easy and convenient, but I think a single tab would be a big improvement.

The bite valve is great if you're not wearing a jacket over it with a lot of junk in your pockets.  But, I found that when I had pockets of food/water sitting on top of the valve, it wasn't too hard to accidentally pull it open and cause a slow trickle of water down my leg - really disconcerting if you forget you're wearing it!  I've had another bladder of the same construction, and I prefer a bite valve that twists open rather than one that simply pulls.  It's a pretty minor complaint, and wouldn't put me off using the pack, but it's worth bearing in mind when you decide where to place the valve during your run.

It would be nice to have some mesh pockets over the sides of the belt, to give more easy access to food, but that's definitely a nice-to-have.  The current mesh pockets are pretty easy to get to, and getting into the main pockets is not a problem, especially if you quickly turn it around so you have everything in front for a couple of minutes.

Overall

Much to my surprise, it's a pretty nice pack.  I expected to hate it, but in the end I appreciated that it's a comfortable and efficient way of carrying a lot of kit.  I would certainly say it's more comfortable than some of the Inov-8 packs I've got hanging in the closet, which was a real shock.

Would I Recommend it?

If you're after a small belt for fast and light racing, this isn't for you.  But if you want to have everything you need for a comfortable few hours out on the run, this is a really nice pack.  

Gear Review: Ultimate Direction JUREK ESSENTIAL Waist Belt

In my quest for the perfect solution to carrying a small amount of kit/food on the run, I got chatting with Keith Godden at www.ULTRAmarathonRunningStore.com.  He's in the great position of hearing opinions from a wide range of runners and sales reps, so was a good sounding board for talking through some options.  Knowing that I get as big a kick out of reviewing kit as trying it out, he sent me the Ultimate Direction JUREK ESSENTIAL Waist Belt to try out and review.  Having taken it out for a couple of hundred miles now, I've  come to know it pretty well.

The Ultimate Direction JUREK ESSENTIAL Waist Belt 

The belt is pretty simple - 3 pockets on a light belt.  If you want to carry water in your belt, you should have a look at the JUREK ENDURE belt instead (my review of it).  For my longer runs, and for shorter runs where I want to add some element of upper-body work-out, I've taken to carrying small handhelds with the ESSENTIAL belt.  It's an ideal combination, since I can carry soft-flasks and avoid any irritating sloshing noises.

The three pockets offer a great range of options for carrying everything I need on most runs.  Like the ENDURE belt, there are also two reflective race number snaps, which are both very bright and quite handy.  The buckle is easy to operate and the belt tends to sit quite comfortably.  Under the back pockets, the belt is a fine, breathable mesh which minimizes the heat retention on your back.

The small front pocket usually has some ID, some emergency cash, and my keys.  The pocket has a Velcro closure which has stayed secure so far.  Ideally, I'd rather carry my mini tin of Vaseline in this pocket than my keys, since I'm more likely to need that on the run.  But, it's not quite the right shape so doesn't fit particularly well.

The left main pocket is waterproof, and big enough for most smartphones.  My stupidly large Lumia 920 just fits, without its case.  An iPhone would fit just fine in a case.  I use the stretchy mesh right pocket for my first-aid kit, Vaseline, and if needed a few gels.  Because this pocket isn't waterproof, anything I want to keep dry (plasters, tape, etc.) goes into a small plastic bag first.  That's not really an issue for me, since I have my first-aid kit divvied up into small bags anyway, so I can quickly find what I need.  If I want to carry more, like a jacket, I tend to simply slip an extra pouch onto the belt.  So many jackets come with a carry pouch that has a belt loop, that it's quite an easy way to create additional space comfortably.

Sliding my jacket pouch onto the belt means I have everything I need.

The Fit

The ESSENTIAL belt fits very comfortably, and is easy to adjust.  On occasion, if I get tired of the weight imbalance from having the relatively heavy phone on one side, It's still comfortable if I rotate it so the waterproof pouch is on my right hip and the mesh pouch moves around to the front.  It sits easily on my hips and generally stays in place on the run.

Things I Like

I like having a waterproof pocket for my phone.  When I need to use the phone (calling for help, or more likely taking a work-related call while I'm sneaking a run into a sunny afternoon), I don't want to have to faff about with getting the phone out of a bag to use it.

I also like just how comfortably I can slip an extra pouch (or two) onto the belt if I want to.  Having that extra flexibility means I can tweak things for different types of run.

Things I'd like to see improved

I like the concept of the little front pocket, but it's just a touch too small and fiddly to be as useful as it could be.  Keeping the pocket area the same, but with a slightly larger volume would increase the flexibility of how the pocket can be used.

Things I love

There's nothing about the belt makes me purr, but I really like that it does everything I need for almost all of my runs.  It just ticks the boxes.  And, when it doesn't, because I need more gear or water, it's still light enough that I can still be pretty lazy and just chuck it into my backpack so I don't have to transfer any of my core kit from bag to bag.

Would I recommend it?

Yes, if you want a good, light belt that lets you carry pretty much everything you need, then this is a great belt.  If you want to carry water on your belt, or want to have more carrying capacity, then it's probably not going to do the job for you.

Gear Review: Scott Jurek Endure Belt

We bought an Ultimate Direction Scott Jurek Endure Belt from the Ultramarathon Running Store to trial.  It looked good –lightweight and minimalist, so I decided to give it a go on a warm spring day when a backpack just didn’t appeal.  It looked good – lightweight and minimalist, perfect for something like Rocky Raccoon, where you only have 5-6 miles between check points.

The Belt

The belt has two pouches which hold 2 x 295ml (10oz) water bottles, a large, waterproof, zipped pocket at the front, and a Velcro-sealing pouch at the back and a bungee holder thingy that you can stuff things into.  It also has two race number clips on the belt, which is a nice touch.  The belt has an off-centre clip, which makes one-handed adjustment quite easy.  Three separate bungees help keep everything stable, and give some opportunity to overload with extra bits and pieces.  There's one for each of the bottle pouches and one for the mesh pouch in the middle.

The Scott Jurek Endure Belt is pretty versatile, and very comfortable (extra reflective tape added).

Overall, the belt is, simply put, built for use.  It's pretty stripped down, but still has everything you need to spend a few hours on the trails.  If I start from what I want/need in a belt/pack, we can get an idea of how this one stacks up.  I often consider our mandatory kit list as the minimum for a day out on your own in mixed/cool weather.  So, can I carry my full kit list easily with this belt?

• Phone: in the waterproof pocket. A normal phone fits.  The latest phablets don't.  I can just fit my oversized Nokia 920, but if I were racing I'd go with an old dumb-phone that I kept years ago for just such a purpose.

• Drink (500ml): nearly 600ml

• Windproof: most come in a little pouch (ranging from the £5 one Nic bought to the £££ one I bought that really isn't any better), which can easily be attached to the belt.

• A couple of gels: even with my stupidly large phone, I can get a couple of gels in the pocket.

• Hat/bandana/etc: fits easily in the rear pouch, or, if you're lazy like me, just attach to a bungee.

• Foil blanket / bin liner: roll a bin liner up tight, and it also fits in the pocket (now it's a bit full, though).

• Whistle: hook one onto the bungee, or stick it in the pouch.

• Small selection of first-aid supplies: this is really what I'd put in the rear pouch, with the whistle.

Well, all that fills the belt up, with a bit of extra room for stuff hanging off the bungees or strapped in by them.  With a small, cheap phone, it's even quite comfy.
What else do I want from a running belt? A waterproof pocket for my phone, easy adjustment, comfort, good load balance, and a few little touches to prove somebody thought about what they were doing.

So, let's look at how the Scott Jurek Endurance Belt does.

Adjustability

The adjustability of the pack is pretty easy, thanks to the off-centre clip.  The belt includes an elasticated loop so that excess strapping can be shortened and tucked away efficiently without dangling around and flapping against your leg.  Talk about nice touches!  Since we're sharing this one, and have rather differently sized hips, it's nice to be able to quickly and easily adjust.  The rolled up belt end also gives a useful handle so you can quickly tighten up if you need to for a particularly hairy descent.

Comfort

The bottles are held in place by a small elastic loop, which means they can’t bounce around.  The thin mesh material that is the base of the belt doesn't soak up water, and allows good air flow.  The body contact area is quite small, so you still have plenty of evaporation surface to keep cool.  Overall - comfy!

Load Balance

The two smallish bottles distribute the water well.  You can swap between them, or drink one dry and then the other.  Either way, it stays in place and you don't feel off-center.  The waterproof pouch sits better than expected.  It looks a bit like it was stuck on as an afterthought, but it sits fairly well on either side, hip, or back, depending on which you find more comfortable.

The Little Touches

The little race number clips are great.  They are reflective, which is an added bonus, and have snap closures, instead of the dongles that are used on other belts.  So, there's nothing slapping away at you and your number.  They can also be moved around on the belt a bit, to make sure your number is on your front, where it belongs.
Three bungees, not just one wound all over the place, makes it really easy to secure the bottles, the pouch, and also add some extra bits to the belt.  If you're really slim, you can even use the middle one to effectively cinch out the middle pouch and make the thing really tiny.
Lots of little reflective flashes.  We added some big ones as well (why not, there's all that space just asking for it!), so you've got plenty of visibility as long as you're not wearing a jacket over it.

Kurt's View

Simply put, I probably should have bought two.  I really hate the sound of sloshing water, but I'll trade that for sweating less than I would with my race vest.  If Nic and I are both running, she gets the belt, so I have to just watch in envy as she is running along light and cool.  The bottles are easy to get in and out, ride secure even on downhills, and the pockets are enough for most sub-ultra events with a bit of thought.  I recently raced with it, more for practice than need, and used the little race number clips.  The numbers for the event were pretty rubbish, tearing easily, but mine stayed in place comfortably.  I like the snaps much more than the toggles you tend to see on other race belts - nothing dangling and slapping against the number.  Comfort-wise, it's just kind of there, which is exactly what I want.  What would I like to see different?  It's a very small thing, but I'd like to easily move the waterproof pocket to the front.  It struggles over the little elastic section of the belt.

Nic's View

I finally found a running backpack that I like (the Osprey Verve 5) but you don’t always want to take a full hydration pack out when you go for a run, whether road or trail.  Sometimes a little water, a phone and a Buff are all you need.  I’ve tried a couple of waistpacks which I didn’t really like, mostly due to fit, preferring instead to use pockets or a backpack.  I generally find waistpacks don’t sit in the right place on my (somewhat pointy) hips, riding up to around my middle, which I hate.  I have also managed to lose two water bottles from a waistpack, due to excessive bounce – not good for me or for the environment!

I've taken it out a lot on warm days for a few hours.  600ml was just about the right amount of water , perhaps a little light, so this belt wouldn't be ideal for a long summer run, but for shorter runs or racing where you have regular re-fill points, I think it is perfect.  The only problem I had with the bottles was the sports top, which is quite stiff.  Make sure you push down on it until it snaps, or you will end up with a wet leg!  Getting the bottles in and out is easy enough.  The larger pocket was fairly neat with what I'd stuffed into it – I took quite a few photos on the run, but I had to take my time over replacing my phone into the pocket, as it required great care to make sure I didn’t end up losing my car key.  It would be just fine if you didn’t take your phone out of the pocket every 10 minutes to take a photo!  Or had a smaller phone….

Good points – no sweaty back from wearing a pack; comfy; adjustable; lightweight; uncomplicated.  Easily fits everything you need for most summer runs of 2-3 hours.
Bad points – only just fits your average smartphone; bottle-tops are quite stiff: Make sure you push down on it until it snaps, or you will end up with a wet leg