Llamas and Moccasins and Masculine Fairies: Leadville 100 Post-Race Q&A

Shortly after returning to the Internet after my post-Leadville hiatus, I mentioned that I would do some sort of recap post to answer a few questions and other points that were raised in the comments section or in my e-mail inbox afterward – and then in classic slacker fashion, I proceeded to put that idea on the back shelf for a few more weeks.

So maybe I haven’t fully put Leadville behind me – and perhaps finally getting around to the post I promised will help close the book and move on.  Or not … I really have no idea.  But I do owe you a post.

However, before we get to it: if for some reason you missed either this Salomon Running Leadville video that I embedded in August, or my almost embarrassingly long race report, check them out for the background to this post.  We’ll do this in Q&A fashion, starting with an easy one:

Q: Is this a new thing: every time you come across a llama, it’s going to make the race report?

A: Absolutely.  Longtime readers may recall an earlier proviso to my personal race report manifesto: if there are cows on the course, they’re making the report.  It seems only proper that the same recognition should be given to llamas.  I’ll call this the Leadville Proviso.

And if you can get your picture taken WITH a llama, that's a no-brainer.

Q: Do you win the award for most minimal footwear that day?

A: I’m not sure.  In the first half of the race, I yo-yoed back and forth with a couple of guys wearing Luna sandals, which are significantly thicker underfoot than my Soft Star RunAmoc Dash Lites 10mm to 5mm, respectively), but the huarache-style upper leaves your foot a lot more exposed.  I also saw a couple of people in Vibrams; I couldn’t tell what model, but I think one was KSO Treks and the other might have been Spyridon LS. 

The problem is, I have no idea if any of these people finished.  I lost track of the Luna guys somewhere on Hope Pass, and I didn’t catch either of their names to check the results.  Both Vibram guys were inbound toward Winfield quite a while after I had started making my way back, so I have a feeling they didn’t make the halfway cutoff.   If anyone can fill me in on this one, I’d love to hear about it.

Q: What kind of hydration system do you use?  How do you carry food / gels / gear, etc?

A: My normal preference for ultras is to wear an Ultimate Direction Uno on my waist and a Nathan Quickdraw Elite on my hand, and that’s what I ended up using at Leadville as well.  However, I gave this one a lot of thought beforehand, because Leadville has longer than usual distances between aid – up to 13 miles in some cases – and some stretches that are shorter but can take in excess of a few hours due to the terrain (see: Hope Pass).  I considered wearing a hydration pack instead, but ultimately I decided to trade weight (or lack thereof) for fluid capacity.  It worked well for me, but I also saw a ton of people with hydration packs, and I certainly wouldn’t suggest that was the wrong choice.

Outside Fish Hatchery at mile 25

For food and gear storage, the Uno is really ideal, as I can zip 5 gel packs into one pocket and a compact headlamp into the other.  I also carry food in my hands a lot – in particular when walking away from aid stations with a few PB&;J squares in tow.

Q: That is no “her” with the wings.

A: OK … this isn’t exactly a question, but a remark that hit me like a hammer when I saw it in the comments section.  The reader was referring to this picture of someone’s pacer that was forced to dress as a fairy with angel wings while running for 50 miles.  In my race report I (understandably) called the fairy a girl, but a reader in the know corrected me.

Here’s the funny part: when I passed the fairy in person, I seriously thought it was a guy.  But I was above 12,000’, with more than 45 miles on my legs, and as I’ve mentioned several times before, ultras do bizarre things to your head.  So when I looked at the photo afterward and realized that I only had a couple of seconds to make sense of what I saw on the trail that day … it definitely wasn’t out of the realm of possibility that I had things mixed up.  I mean, the dude is wearing women’s shorts … and upon closer inspection, appears to have shaved legs.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.*  But I’m certainly happy to have some closure on this topic, which was starting to develop a creepy Crying Game element to it.  I think for everyone’s sake, it’s best that we never speak of this again.

(*Coincidentally, taken from another post-race Q&A from several years ago, after one of my very first race reports.)

Q: What will you remember the most?

A: This one’s pretty much impossible to answer, because I brought home a ton of memories that will stay with me forever – or at least for as long as my website remains live and Google’s web storage remains intact.  Most of them were described in the report, but there is one small moment that wasn’t included there but is growing more memorable in hindsight.

In the Salomon video I posted a while ago, Leadville’s race director comments, “It’s going to get to a point … no matter how good a athlete you are, it’s going to really hurt, and it’s going to transcend the physical, and become about the mental.”  His quote was bouncing around my head off and on early in the race, but hit me like a bolt of lightning when I saw this sign in a meadow at the base of Hope Pass:

(click to enlarge)

It says “Transcend the Physical,” and more than anything else I saw or heard on the course, drove home the fact that You’re here – and this is The Moment. There are very few points in life when there’s so much clarity about preparation (and anticipation) meeting opportunity, and very few experiences where I’ve been as completely at one with the moment as I was when going back and forth over Hope Pass.  And if that sounds bizarrely spiritual … well, it was just that kind of race.

But now it’s probably time to leave it behind – and on that subject, one more question …

Q:  What’s next?

A: I truly, honestly, sincerely have absolutely no idea.  There are plenty of adventures out there, but I’m simply not at the point of giving any of them an ounce of consideration.  I feel like I might run another 100 next year, or I may never race again – at this point, both scenarios seem equally likely.  I’m sure I'll settle in some sort of middle ground, and that something will capture my imagination someday … I’m just not in a hurry to actively seek it out on my own. 

And trust me: that feeling’s not a bad thing at all. 

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The Keeper List: Running and Rambling Gear of the Year 2011

Before today’s post, an overdue announcement of sorts: over the holidays, I was pleased to see a small spike in sales of my running book. If you don’t recall my book, I can’t really fault you, because I do a lousy job of actually promoting or marketing the thing.

Each time a sale came in this month, I thought to myself, you know, I should announce some sort of reminder on the website about this – the book might make a good Christmas gift. And then in typical slacker fashion, I kept postponing or forgetting about doing so, until Christmas came and went and I completely missed the holiday shopping wave.

But since we still have a decent supply of books available, and since New Year’s is about doing the stuff you want to do rather than worrying about pleasing everybody else, I may as well mention it again here: Hey, I have a book for sale! It’s mainly geared toward novices and anyone who wants insight into life as a runner, but in my humble opinion there’s stuff that anybody will enjoy. And if you order from our website – where it’s less expensive than Amazon.com for some reason – we can autograph it or do any other special requests you’d like.

With that, I’ll stop the pandering – but today’s post is all about grabbing some additional stuff to make your running life more enjoyable.

**
It won’t particularly come as a news flash to anyone when I say that I get a lot of gear to review. What might surprise some newer readers is that I review even more stuff than you see here on this website.

Most of my shoe reviews end up here, as minimalism has become a nice little niche I’ve settled into, but I also contribute to other websites and magazines after testing apparel or other trail running gear. The biggest portion of this extracurricular product testing goes to FeedTheHabit.com, with whom I’ve partnered for more than two years now.

I recognize that I’m in an enviable situation, so I pay my good fortune forward as often as possible by giving almost everything away. Running partners, family, and non-running friends have all been the recipients of gear from top (headlamps, hats) to bottom (socks, shoes) and everything in between (clothes, food, watches). They get free stuff, my wife gets her closet space back, and I feel good about sharing the wealth; it’s a winner for everyone involved.

Here’s my caveat, though: if there’s a piece of gear that I love, or one that I get a ton of great use out of, I keep it for myself. Accordingly, my Gear of the Year review should rightfully be called the Keeper List, because it’s all about the stuff that’s too awesome for me to give away.

However, my Keeper List differs from other annual ratings in one important way: the best gear isn’t necessarily from 2011. Rather, my list is a Jeopardy-style competition where the only way to become champion is to defeat the current champ. (Completely tangentially, it’s the same way I choose my wines.) Sure, the newer stuff will tend to be better – but if I have a Ken Jennings-like piece of equipment that crushes all potential challengers year after year, there’s no reason to take it off my Keeper List. And yes, there are a couple of those items included below.

Finally, before we proceed, a note on formatting: The first link of each entry will go to my original review of the product, and the second will go to a purchase link from Amazon.com or one of my other affiliate partners. Remember, affiliate sales support Running and Rambling, so, you know … help me help you, and all that. Now let’s get to the list; these are my keepers for 2011.


Part 1: Gear and Apparel

Headlamp for roads: Black Diamond Sprinter. A 68 lumen headlamp in front with a blinking red LED in back for an unbeatable combination of visibility and safety. The entire lamp weighs a mere 3.5 oz, and the lamps are completely rechargeable. Black Diamond is updating this product for 2012 (yes, I’ll have a review), but until then you can get the current version for $64 at Amazon.com – it’s the best investment you can make in your safety this winter.

Compact headlamp: Petzl Tikka XP2 with CORE rechargeable battery pack. There’s nothing better than a headlamp that’s bright enough to light the trail before dawn, and small enough to tuck in a pocket afterward. This category has stiff competition, most notably from Black Diamond’s Spot, which is a little bit brighter. However, what tips the scales for me is the rechargeable capacity of the XP2 with the CORE pack: it’s eco-friendly, easy to recharge, and saves a ton of money in the long run. The headlamp sells for $41 from Amazon.com, and the CORE pack sells separately for $39.

Headlamp for ultras: Black Diamond Icon with rechargeable NRG battery pack. I don’t think twice about it anymore: if I’m running through the night, the Icon is on my head. It’s relatively lightweight (6.6 oz), super bright (100 lumens), with enough battery life to burn high all the way to morning. Best of all, if you purchase an NRG battery pack, it’s completely rechargeable – and just to remind you, I love being green. Black Diamond is also updating this lamp next year, and I’m very curious to see if or how they can improve it. The current Icon is discounted to $55 from Amazon.com, and the NRG pack sells separately for $25.

Nightlife at Western States 2011: Black Diamond Icon, Nathan Endurance vest, and one very fast ultrarunner (hint: not me)

Jacket: Patagonia Nine Trails. You’ll see this name again further down the list as well; basically, 2011 was the year that Patagonia became my go-to ultrarunning brand. I wore the Nine Trails jacket at three ultras and during countless training miles last winter and spring; for lightweight weather-resistant insulation, there’s nothing better. Unfortunately, it’s not currently available on the Patagonia website, but TravelCountry.com has a closeout price of $60 on remaining stock.

Shorts: Patagonia Nine Trails. Are you sensing a theme yet? My first ultra in the Nine Trails shorts was the Miwok 100K in May, and I never looked back. Anytime I’m running for more than 4 hours, these are the shorts I’m wearing. Like the jacket, the shorts aren’t currently available from the company, but TravelCountry.com has a few pairs in size small available for $60.

Shirt: Patagonia Capilene Silkweight. I never reviewed this shirt, but here’s a true story: Back in the spring, when Soft Star offered to put their logo on any shirt I wanted to use for my upcoming ultra calendar, I told them to buy this Patagonia shirt. I have a couple other capilene shirts from past races; they’re not only the most comfortable items in my collection, but they’re remarkably durable after multiple runs and washings. So my official Team Soft Star kit this year featured Patagonia shorts, shirt, and jacket – a nearly clean sweep in the apparel department (the only exception was my socks). The shirt is available for $39 from the Patagonia website – and if you’d like your own Soft Star logo on it, I’m sure the Elves would be happy to oblige.

At the Tahoe Rim Trail 100: Patagonia shirt and shorts, Ultimate Direction Uno waist pack 

Gloves: Sugoi Firewall LT. Sorry, no review link on this one either: I did a glove comparison for Ultrarunning magazine this fall, and these ended up being my favorite from the bunch. It’s a nice upgrade from the previous Firewall gloves, with similar water resistance and slightly better insulation. $35 from Amazon.com.

Small hydration pack: Ultimate Direction Uno. I’ve had my current model for years – and before that, I used an older version for several years as well. It fits me well, I like the upright bottle position, and the separate pockets give surprisingly ample storage for such a small pack. I use it anytime I’m running between 90 minutes to 3 hours. $17 from Amazon.com.

Large hydration pack: Nathan HPL 020. How awesome is the 020? Not even Nathan can beat it. This year they released the Endurance, a similarly-designed and very strong vest that I wore while pacing at Western States (see WS photo above, and see my Endurance vest review here) – but when it comes to selecting one pack as my gold standard, I still prefer the 020. And when you consider that they’re available at the extreme discount price of $53 at Amazon.com, there’s no reason this vest shouldn’t be in every ultrarunner’s gear closet.

Break time in Zion National Park with the HPL 020

Tights: Salomon Trail III. Full disclosure: I don’t wear a lot of tights - fortunately in California, I don’t have to. So my list of contenders in this category isn’t huge, but these tights have been the most comfortable of those I’ve tried over last winter and this fall. Available for $69 at Amazon.com.

GPS: Soleus GPS 1.0. This review just posted a couple of weeks ago, so I don’t need to rehash things here, other than to say that I’m a big fan. It’s basic, high-quality, and extremely affordable at $87 from Amazon.com.

Socks: Drymax. This is the true Ken Jennings of the group: I’ve probably tested a dozen other brands over the past few years, and none compare to Drymax. I wear their lite trail model ($12 from Amazon.com) for training, and the max protection model ($31 from Amazon.com) for ultras. The Drymax reign continues.

After 50 rainy, muddy miles at Woodside in Soft Star RunAmocs and Drymax max protection socks 

Part 2: Footwear

As you might expect, my shoe list can be broken down into several categories – in this case, I went by primary use, starting with …

Minimalist road shoe: Vibram FiveFingers Bikila LS. Vibram came up huge this year with the advent of their LS models – laced versions of popular models that made the footwear easier to use and more accessible to a larger variety of people. From its inception, I’ve labeled the Bikila my gold standard for minimalist road running shoes, so you can imagine how impressed I was when the company managed to improve it this year without sacrificing anything that made it awesome in the first place. Right now they’re discounted to $70 at TravelCountry.com, so grab ‘em while you can.

At play in the Salinas Valley in Bikila LS

Minimalist all-purpose athletic shoe: Vibram FiveFingers KomodoSport LS. I’ve worn mine for running, basketball, tennis, floor workouts, and just plain goofing around. They’re getting very popular with CrossFit and Paleo workout enthusiasts as well. If you have multiple activities to do and only enough money for a single pair of Vibrams, this is the one. They’re currently discounted to $80 at TravelCountry.com.

Minimalist trail running: Merrell Barefoot Trail Glove. 2011 may well be remembered as the year Merrell triggered a seismic shift on the minimalist landscape with its Barefoot line of footwear. In my review I called this shoe minimalism for the masses, and since then I’ve recommended it to a lot of trail runners. They retail for $110 from TravelCountry.com.

Minimalist hybrid trail/road running: Altra Adam. They’re not the ultimate trail shoe, or the ultimate road shoe, but they’re a pretty solid combination of the two. They normally retail for $100 on the company website, but if you use this link you’ll get them for a 10% discount.

Minimalist hiking: Vibram FiveFingers Trek LS. My first-generation Treks had defeated all challengers as my favorite hiking shoes until Vibram topped itself with the Trek LS. Rugged leather, durable outsole, crazy comfort. They’re also nice enough to pass as dress shoes if you so choose (but I don’t – see below). They’re currently discounted to $112 from TravelCountry.com.

Rock scrambling at Lava Beds National Monument in Trek LS

Minimalist dress shoe: Merrell Barefoot Tough Glove. This shoe took out one former champion (the VIVOBAREFOOT Oak) in my collection, and has been an almost-everyday shoe since April. It looks sharp, it’s super comfortable, and it’s got all the right mechanics. It retails for $120 from TravelCountry.com.

Minimalist kids shoe: VIVOBAREFOOT Neo Kids. I was lucky enough to have several brands of shoes for my children to test, and the Neo Kids emerged victorious. Their minimalist construction is unbeatable, and the styling is ideal for kids to use like good old-fashioned sneakers. They retail for $75 from the VIVOBAREFOOT website.

Transitional trail shoe: New Balance Minimus Trail. Yes, it’s odd that the shoe with the most minimal-sounding name is actually the least minimal of the group mentioned here, but there’s no question that New Balance means business when it comes to cruising light and low to the ground. The Trail version of this shoe (also called the MT10) has a slipper-like feel, lightweight flexibile construction, and rugged traction underfoot. Its principal drawback to pure minimalists – the 4mm heel to toe drop – is precisely what makes it ideal for transitioning from a structured, supportive shoe to the minimalist end of the spectrum. The 2012 version will have a flat platform, but in the meantime you can get the 2011 Minimus for $100 from TravelCountry.com.

**
Do you have enough items for your shopping list yet? I’m already waist-deep in reviews for 2012, which I’ll collectively preview sometime next week. There are some very strong offerings from most of the heavy hitters mentioned here; it will be interesting to see if any new products wrestle the title of “keepers” away from the current roster. Time (and miles) will tell, I suppose – so let’s meet back here again next year and I’ll let you know for sure.



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Nathan Endurance Vest Hydration Pack Review

If nothing else, the existence of Nathan’s Endurance vest reveals two important yet seemingly contradictory traits about the company:

1) They’re not afraid to do a little innovation, even with their most popular products, however …

2) They’re smart enough to leave a good thing alone.

How can both of those things be true? Consider the words of my Nathan rep in regards to the Endurance: It started out as a modified 020, but we soon realized we had an entirely different pack.

Nathan Endurance vest

The 020 she’s referring to is Nathan’s omnipresent HPL 020 hydration vest, an industry standard that happens to be my favorite vest for long training runs. (You can see my original HPL 020 review here, and an updated HPL 020 review here.) The 020 has top-notch pedigree – it was developed by legendary ultrarunner Dana Miller – and has become wildly popular among ultrarunners over the past several years. So you might wonder why Nathan felt the need to revamp it.

Fortunately, at some point in the redesign process, the company had the good sense to realize that they were better off introducing a completely new product rather than changing something that works so consistently well for so many people. The end result is the Endurance, which has enough new design aspects to distinguish it from the 020, but enough similarities that if you’re accustomed to the 020, you’ll find the Endurance just as easy and functional to use.

That was certainly the case with me; I received my pack about two days before my pacing duties at this summer’s Western States 100. I had no time to get accustomed to the pack – I literally strapped it on for the first time that afternoon, and ran 40 miles with it through the night. It felt just as comfortable as my favorite 020, with almost no adjustment period needed. It rides the same, performs the same, and has the same material construction as the 020, along with a few nice additions that are mostly upgrades. I have a couple of minor gripes – but then again, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be a very good reviewer, right? (That’s what I tell myself, anyway.)

So what’s so different about the Endurance? It’s mainly the arrangement of its cargo containers, which result in slightly greater overall storage capacity, a little better ability to compartmentalize, and a different method of accessing a couple of key areas.

Endurance on left, HPL 020 on right (click to enlarge)

From the front, the two most noticeable changes are the different mesh used on a the larger pockets, and the addition of two small pockets: one is an elastic pouch on the left strap that’s perfect for used gel wrappers, and a waterproof pill pocket on the right that’s intended for electrolyte caps or any other small items that need to stay dry.

Otherwise, the size and configuration of the larger pockets is identical, with closed mesh used instead of the more porous mesh of the 020. This is actually a very nice change for me, as the right-sided bungee pouch is where I typically carry my camera. Every now and then my Canon gets gummed up with dust on the lens opening, and the closed mesh of the Endurance is much more effective at keeping excess dust out. In similar fashion, this material would improve protection for smart phones, GPS, or any other tech gadget you may be carrying.

Endurance on left, 020 on right

On the backside, the location of the external storage pocket is moved from the top of the 020 to the middle of the Endurance. I wasn’t crazy about this change, as I had become pretty adept at reaching over my head to unzip and access the top pocket on the 020 without breaking my stride, but I’d have to be some sort of circus performer to accomplish that with the Endurance.

External pocket with key clasp and inner elastic pouch

Aside from the location, this external pocket is pretty much identical on both vests: there’s an elastic internal pouch, a key clasp, and the same storage capacity. There’s a bungee shock cord below the main pocket that can be used for stuffing a jacket or securing other large items to the outside of the pack.

Dual vertical zippers and Velcro flap

The major change on the backside is that the reservoir compartment is now accessed by dual vertical zippers with a Velcro flap instead of a single semi-circular zipper. The website copy states this change was intended for rapid access, but I have to say that this was the biggest discrepancy I found in my testing.

You may recall from my pacer report that I was feeling a bit rushed getting in and out of the aid stations while trying to keep up with Gretchen; at many aid stations, part of my difficulty was accessing the reservoir quickly for the volunteers to top me off. I found it more cumbersome to undo a Velcro attachment and two zippers compared to the simplicity of just tearing one arched zipper open. This may have been a factor of my being unaccustomed to the pack that night, but even in my continued testing afterward, the dual zipper system is definitely less efficient for me.

Breathable mesh with rectangular, contoured back panel

The interior surface of the Endurance looks very similar to the 020, but there are a couple of subtle differences. The same lightweight, highly breatheable mesh is used, but on the Endurance the “footprint” is more rectangular instead of oval, and the back panel is somewhat contoured to the natural curvature of your back. I honestly couldn’t notice a difference in overall comfort, but that’s probably because the 020 is already so comfortable as to be almost unnoticeable. Weight of the two vests is quite similar as well, with the 15.2-oz Endurance slightly heavier than the 14-oz 020.

Hydrapak reservoir and drink tube

Another big strength of this pack is something I’ve touched on in previous reviews: Nathan uses Hydrapak reversible reservoirs for their vests – in this case, the same 70-oz fluid capacity as the 020. I’m convinced that Hydrapak is the best in the business – yes, even better than CamelBak – when it comes to fluid reservoirs. They’re almost indestructible, super easy to open and close, and they can be cleaned and dried in a snap.

If there's been one problem with Hydrapak reservoirs, it’s that they haven’t quite perfected the bite valve, but the Endurance pack features the most recent version – with small plastic side flares for easier twisting – that’s almost comparable to the top of the line in this regard as well. And since the 020 and Endurance pack both utilize the same reservoir, this particular element isn’t really a point in favor of either model - but the use of Hydrapak soft goods is such a compelling feature that it was worth recognizing.

Shock cord for storage - same on both models

After a few months of testing, I’m not quite ready to say that the Endurance will replace my 020, but I can certainly say that it’s almost exactly comparable in performance, with an assortment of design tweaks that will come down to a matter of personal preference for most users. I guess my one-sentence comparison is that you gain a little bit in cargo space, and lose a little bit in operational efficiency. The Endurance also has a slightly higher retail price than the 020, but the extra five bucks you pay is certainly worth it if the styling strikes you as more attractive.

The Nathan Endurance vest retails for $84 from Amazon.com.

*Product provided by Nathan Sports. Affiliate sales support Running and Rambling.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.




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Gear of the Year 2010; Surprise Holiday Giveaway

If you’re new to these parts because you’ve recently subscribed to get in on all the great giveaways, I’d like to point out a couple of things …

1) Welcome! It’s great to have you on board. It will be even greater if you decide to stick around after the contest frenzy dies down in January - but that’s a bridge to cross when we get there, I suppose. I do periodic giveaways throughout the year, but they’re just another part of the ultrarunning / minimalist / outdoor adventure / family life collage that makes up this website. Please stick around for a while, and maybe you’ll find something you like. Also …

2) I do a lot of product reviews. Most are for this website, others are for FeedTheHabit.com, and the vast majority are focused on trail running gear. Yes, it’s a great gig, and gives me opportunities to test and try products that I wouldn’t normally think of purchasing. It also gives me a point of reference to highlight some of the items that really stand out for one reason or another, and make recommendations for your own gear decisions.

Accordingly, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite gear over the past year – products that I’ve used over and over again, long after the original review was published. On the list that follows, the first links take you to my original reviews, followed by links to purchase the product from various vendors (disclosure: some of them are affiliates), along with a brief description of why I’m so crazy about each item.

I’ve divided the list into three sections - apparel, gear, and footwear – but since this is December and we’re in the middle of a contest frenzy, I’m also including a cool little giveaway at the end to make sure you make it to the bottom of the post. Sound good? OK then. Let’s get started!


Apparel:

GoLite Manitou shirt: Their Wildwood shirt got most of the press this year, but the slightly thicker, super-comfortable Manitou was my shirt of choice for foggy morning runs and day-long hikes. Retails for $29 from Amazon.com.

GoLite Mesa Trail 7” shorts: Comfortable, lightweight, durable … everything you want in a trail short. Retails for $40 from the Golite website.

The North Face Apex ClimateBlock jacket: A perfect combination of style, comfort, safety, and protection from the elements, I use this for early mornings trail runs and after-work neighborhood runs. A bit pricey at $159 from Gear.com, but this may be the only jacket you need for cold-weather running.

Mountain Hardwear Geist vest: Provides enough warmth to get you through pre-dawn chill, and is small and light enough to easily stuff into your hydration pack when the morning gets warm. Retails for $90 from Gear.com.

Drymax socks: I’ve gone on and on about these, so I won’t belabor the point here. They’re simply awesome. Try either the Lite Trail model or Regular Trail model for 9 bucks from Wilderness Running Company, and thank me later.

*Note: as with all WRC purchases, remember to use my coupon code R&R10 for an additional 10% off.


Gear:

Black Diamond Sprinter headlamp: bright LED in front for visibility, blinking red LED in back for road safety, lightweight construction for comfort, and a rechargeable battery to be eco-friendly. It’s the complete package, and it's discounted to $60 at Wilderness Running Company.

Black Diamond Icon headlamp: This is an ideal headlamp for running through the night, and with the rechargeable NRG battery pack (sold separately), it’s green as well. It's also discounted to $45 at Wilderness Running Company, which is an outstanding deal, or you can wait and try your luck with a giveaway at the end of the month.

Petzl Tikka XP2 headlamp: When I need something bright enough to run trails in the dark but small enough to fit in a waist pocket after sunrise, there’s no beating this lamp. New for this year, it’s compatible with a rechargeable battery pack, which I’m currently testing and will review in January. The headlamp is currently on sale for $44 from TravelCountry.com.

Nathan HPL 020: The ultimate victor in my extensive hydration pack reviews last year, this one has proven its worth over and over again. Amazon.com sells them for a crazy discount price of $56, and this should be any new ultrarunner’s first investment.

Ultimate Direction Uno: For any run between 1 and 2.5 hours, this is mandatory equipment. I love the upright bottle position and dual pockets that are actually big enough to keep stuff in. It's currently discounted to $23 from Wilderness Running Company.


Footwear:

Soft Star RunAmoc: My favorite everyday minimalist trainer, because it captures the essence of trail running better than anything else I’ve ever worn. $87 from Soft Star, or you can enter my giveaway drawing through December 16th.

VIVOBAREFOOT Evo: Who says minimalist shoes can’t be high-performance? For race days and epic adventures, these are my first choice. $160 from Amazon.com.

Vibram FiveFingers Bikila: Awesome ground feel and amazing comfort; for pure road running, minimalist footwear doesn’t get any better than this. They are so popular that Vibram has trouble keeping up with demand, but TravelCountry.com has a great supply of them at a retail price of $100.

New Balance MT101: If you’re not quite ready to go completely minimalist, this is the next best option: lightweight, low to the ground, comfortable and durable. This would also be an ideal off-road race shoe, and sells for $75 from Endless.com.

Sanuk Boardroom sandal: OK, it’s not a running shoe … but remember how I’ve mentioned a few times that the VIVOBAREFOOT Oak is one of my favorite work shoes? The Boardroom is the other. It’s lightweight, flat, flexible and super comfortable – and stylish enough that your boss won’t look at you funny. $85 from Amazon.com.


And now for our special surprise category …

Race nutrition: The clear favorite here is GU, which I started using as my sole fuel source in my ultras last spring. I used to have fairly frequent stomach distress during ultras, but this year it hasn’t been an issue at all. I will probably supplement this with real food during a 100-miler, but for 100K or less, all I need is a steady supply of GU – especially the Roctane formulations specifically designed for high-endurance activity – along with some fluids to keep rolling right along.


GU also shows its holiday spirit this time of year, with limited-release flavors that I described in this giveaway post from last year. They’re stepping up big for my website again this winter, and this is today’s secret giveaway prize: three winners will receive one box of each of GU’s holiday flavors, vanilla gingerbread (incredibly delicious, in my opinion) and mint chocolate. This will be a straight “one comment, one entry” system, so sign in below by 5PM PST on Friday, December 17th, and I’ll announce the winner later that night. Big thanks to GU for sponsoring this giveaway, and good luck to everyone!




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Nathan HPL 020 Hydration Vest Review Update

“Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.”
- Jim Collins, Good to Great

It’s unclear to me whether the folks at Nathan purposely had the tenets of Jim Collins in the backs of their minds this spring, or whether they just happened to prove his point accidentally. Good to Great (subtitled Why Some Companies Make the Leap, and Others Don't) describes how truly outstanding companies don’t settle for performance that’s “good enough”; they are constantly looking for ways – either through personnel, operational efficiency, innovation, technology, creativity, and various other means – to make their situations better.

And this might sound like an unusual way to begin a product review, until you consider that the product in question is Nathan’s HPL 020.

Nathan HPL 020

When I first reviewed the pack last spring, I showered it with praise in everything from its feather-light overall weight to its comfortable vest-style design to the highly convenient front pockets and generous rear storage space. (And rather than re-hashing all of that here, I’ll just refer you to last year’s post if you’d like to review the whole thing.) It was one of my two favorite packs last year, and it pretty much came down to a coin flip between the 020 and Ultimate Direction’s Wasp in deciding which one to wear at the Western States 100 last summer.

HPL 020; front view with multiple pockets

Clearly, it was a very good pack, but there were a couple of small issues that prevented it from being a truly great one. The main difficulty I had was dealing with the fluid reservoir, which had a somewhat small twist-top opening, and an occasionally tricky bite valve mechanism. So when I heard that the pack was being updated this year with an improved reservoir, I knew that was a game-changing factor that could potentially eliminate any doubt about which hydration pack would be my top choice for ultrarunners.

Nathan turned to its partner Hydrapak, a company that’s made very impressive strides of its own in the last few years, to update the fluid reservoir of the HPL 020. Hydrapak responded with a top of the line 70-oz reservoir that’s not only super durable, but incredibly easy to use. Basically, it’s a fluid container that’s as tough as the rest of the vest.

Old HPL 020 reservoir on L, new reservoir on R

How’s this for durability? The new reservoir is made from thermoplastic polyurethane, the same stuff they use to make whitewater rafts. It’s puncture and abrasion resistant, and can expand to eight times its original length without bursting. The entire delivery mechanism – reservoir to tube to bite valve – has a lifetime guarantee against leakage.

From a convenience standpoint, Hydrapak’s reservoir features a fold and slide closure, with a molded clip clamping the top of the bladder shut to prevent leaks. It’s a very simple two-step process to open and close, and the opening is much wider and easier to access than the old screw-top mechanism of the previous model.

The best thing about Hydrapak’s reservoir is that its rectangular shape and full-width opening make it completely reversible. No more stuffing towels into a narrow opening or hanging your pack beside the sink for two days; with the new bladder, you just wash it, flip it inside out, and wipe the whole thing dry. This feature alone is enough to tip the scales for me in favor of the 020 over any other challengers.

Reservoir turned completely inside out, with tube detached

In my field testing over the past couple of months, Hydrapak seems to have improved the bite valve mechanism a bit as well. It’s easier to pull out and push in than I recall from last year’s pack, and I haven’t experienced the annoyance of the rubber cap sliding off the valve entirely, as I did occasionally last year. Maybe I’m just more alert for that possibility this time around – but if I had to guess, I’d say there was a spot of re-engineering here as well.

[*Update: Hydrapak's reversible reservoir now comes equipped with a surge valve, which is angled differently and provides a higher flow volume than the previous design. Some commenters below indicated quirks with the old valve (which I haven't experienced myself); the Surge valve was designed to fix those problems, and is now included with all new HPL 020 vests.]

Aside from the fluid reservoir, the HPL 020 is exactly the same for 2010 as it was last year – which is to say, it’s still pretty flippin’ awesome. If you’re a dedicated ultrarunner looking for the perfect pack to power you through those long training runs and races, you really can’t do better than this. With this upgrade, Nathan’s HPL 020 has successfully made the leap from good to great.

The updated Nathan HPL 020 is available at an incredibly sweet discount price of $56 from Amazon.com.


*Product provided by Nathan Sports
*See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.


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Nathan QuickDraw Elite Review

Before today’s review, let’s take care of some business … fgump and msimpson, email your address to me at info@runningandrambling.com – you’ve won the GU sampler pack! To everyone who didn’t win … better luck next time, I guess. I’ll try to keep these sorts of giveaways going periodically.

Today’s post actually ties into the story I told as part of the GU giveaway, in that my nutritional strategy for ultras this year has changed compared to 2009. Last year, I felt like hydration packs were a necessity for me; I didn’t want to face long, hot stretches of trail without a lot of fluid on board at all times, as well as adequate cargo space for any layers or random accessories I might want along for the ride. The timing also worked out rather nicely in that I happened to receive a lot of packs to review last spring, so I figured it was just a matter of finding my favorite one, and I’d be ready for anything on the trail.

For the most part, the approach worked fairly well, with a few exceptions that I noticed in races:

1) Hydration packs add a bit of extra weight (over a pound, in some cases) that takes some accommodation to wear comfortably.

2) No matter what kind of fluid reservoir you have, the amount of time required to remove your pack, hand it to an aid station volunteer, explain how the opening works, pack everything back up while double-checking to make sure there’s no leaks, and get on your way is significantly more than with standard water bottles. And …

3) You often end up carrying more fluid weight than you need between each aid station.

Item #3 I experienced quite vividly during Western States last year, when I couldn’t stomach any fluid whatsoever, but kept a half-filled pack on throughout the night so I could keep attempting sips whenever I got brave enough to try again. There’s a good chance I carried the same 40 ounces of fluid more than 30 miles that evening. As if I needed to make the race any more challenging.

So this year, I wanted to travel lighter, a philosophy that tied in rather well with the whole minimalist thing I’ve been doing. Less shoe, less gear, less weight, less complication … and hopefully, more enjoyment. At Quicksilver last month, I also knew that my moccasin-wearing stunt would handicap me somewhat from a time standpoint, as I wouldn’t be able to fly down the descents like I do with standard shoes. So part of my “less is more” strategy was to spend less time at the aid stations than I did the year before, to make up for the time I was giving away on the course.

Enter Wilderness Running Company. I told Stacy (the owner) about my plans, and he set me up with two key pieces of equipment: the Nathan QuickDraw Elite handheld, and an Ultimate Direction waist pack that I’ll review later this week. These two items together provided all the fluid and cargo capacity I needed, and helped me move lighter and quicker through the 50 miles.


Nathan QuickDraw Elite

The QuickDraw Elite looks pretty basic, although it’s officially an upgrade to the QuickDraw Plus, which is Nathan’s bare-basics hand-held model. The Elite costs $8 more ($25 compared to $17), but the advantages in comfort and performance are well worth the extra dollars.

(Plus, as with all items from WRC, you can save 10% by entering coupon code R&R10 at checkout. And you get free shipping on orders over $50. Every dollar counts, right?)

Nathan’s primary intent with the QuickDraw Elite was to eliminate the need to actually “hold” the bottle in your hand, which is accomplished with a technical hand strap that keeps the bottle secured to your palm even with your fingers relaxed or extended. Security of the strap is adjustable with a Velcro attachment on the bottom, and the fabric is a ventilated, moisture-wicking Wall Mesh material that feels comfortable even with multiple hours of use.

On the “body” side of the pack is a zippered pocket with key clasp, as well as a mesh trash pocket to stash your gel wrappers between aid stations. The zipper pocket is an ideal size for gels, or in my case, my “pharm bag” of Tylenol and electrolyte pills that I was reaching for once per hour. Between the pocket and the hand strap is an elastic collar that holds your bottle securely; the Elite comes with one of Nathan’s patented BPA-free 22-oz bottles, but it can be used with any standard-width 20 to 24-oz cycling bottle.

The whole pack weighs just 6.4 oz, and the convenience of having a bottle at hand during a race is impossible to beat. Access to fluids on the run is easy, and refills at aid stations are a breeze. Running with a hand-held takes a bit of getting used to – and I did have a mild knot in my left shoulder the day after the race - but the learning curve is pretty steep, and the performance benefit of having the Elite was definitely worth making the adjustment.

As I mentioned, the Elite was only one half of the fluid equation; the second part (my waist pack) will be discussed later this week. In the meantime, the QuickDraw Elite is available at Wilderness Running Company, with a 10% discount for using coupon code R&R10.


*Product provided by Wilderness Running Company.
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Weekend Ramblings

"Then very slowly, with a slow and marvelous grin spreading all over his face, Grandpa Joe lifted his head and looked straight at Charlie ... He threw up his arms and yelled "Yippeeeeeeeee!' ... he jumped on to the floor and started doing a victory dance in his pajamas."
- Roald Dahl, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

**
All right then … I suppose it’s time to bring everyone up to speed on some of the things I’ve been talking about tangentially for the past few days, as well as some things I haven’t even mentioned yet. This post will happen in somewhat scattershot fashion - and since none of the topics are particularly related to one another, I’m taking the easy way out and working from bullet points.

* I mentioned that I’ve been busy with product reviews, although you won’t be seeing some of them on this website. For example, I spent several weeks testing the Brunton L3 headlamp for a review on FeedTheHabit.com. It’s an external battery-pack lamp in the same category as Black Diamond’s Icon or Petzl’s MYO RXP (see my comparison review of those two), with a few distinctive features of its own. It’s a solid lamp, but I don’t see it replacing either of those others as my first “running through the night” option later this year.

* Likewise, I published a review of the Nathan Elite 1 Plus waist pack, which combines a 22-oz fluid bottle cradle with a gel holster on a very comfortable pack. This one was - as Randy Jackson might say – just a’ight with me; I typically carry gels in individual packs instead of in a dedicated holster, but perhaps that’s just a personal preference thing.

* Remember last spring, when there was a bit of feather-ruffling between me and a member of the Big Sur Marathon Board of Directors in regards to a Monterey Herald item I wrote after last year's race? Unfortunately, if you don’t remember, you’re out of luck, since I later purged those particular posts from my archives.

Anyway, I guess I’m not one to hold a grudge for too long, because in this week’s paper, my friend Mike and I are pretty blatantly slurping up to the marathon again. Despite my personal issues with the Board, Big Sur is a fantastic race that celebrates its 25th anniversary this April. Our Monterey Herald article is here.

Now for the most exciting stuff …

* The shoes I’ve been wearing for most of my trail running lately – including last weekend’s Carmel River run – are indeed made by Soft Star, whose moccasins are about the most comfortable footwear you’ll ever own (see my review). They recently announced on their blog that they’ve been developing a minimalist running shoe to launch later this spring; I’m fortunate enough to be one of the wear testers they asked to help with the development process.

Soft Star Run-A-Moc (possible name)

It’s really been a fascinating experience to see how prototype footwear is designed, then constantly tweaked and adjusted and redesigned in response to feedback from me and other testers. And I’m excited to know that they’re very close to having something market-ready. (Plus, the working name of the new model is “Run-A-Moc”, which is about the coolest and most perfect name I could imagine for a running moccasin.)

I’ll have a more in-depth description of the development process in a separate post next week; in the meantime, check out their announcement, and feel free to weigh in on the name - they’re apparently taking other suggestions, although I can’t fathom why – and anything else you’d like them to consider while venturing into the world of minimal running footwear.

* As for what I was doing yesterday: a couple of months ago I received an invitation from CLIF Bar and Company to visit their headquarters in Berkeley, to find out more about the company and the people who work there. I’ve heard a lot of great things about CLIF, and my past experience with the company had been nothing but positive – so I obviously jumped at the chance to peek inside the factory.

Even better, they let me bring a couple of friends along. Remember in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when Charlie finds the golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s factory, and his whole family starts cheering and dancing around the bedroom? That was pretty much what my friends and I were doing when I told them we could visit the CLIF shop. To say we were looking forward to it is an understatement – and the company not only lived up to our expectations, but exceeded them in ways we almost couldn’t believe.

Of course, since my friends both happen to be ultrarunners, we couldn’t think of making a trip to Berkeley without scoping out some local trails and going for a little adventure beforehand. So we woke up three hours before sunrise and reached the east Bay in time to hammer out a pretty awesome 21-miler before heading over to redeem our golden tickets. I’ll have full reports on both the run and the tour in separate posts coming soon.

So there you have it - you’re up to date on what’s been happening in Running and Rambling Land lately. I’ve given you a fair bit of reading to do, and I’ve got an awful lot of writing ahead of me, so let’s call it a wrap here and touch base again next week.

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Hydration 101

I know, I know … you thought I was finished talking about hydration packs.

One final stipulation of this whole hydration pack series was that I would incorporate some of the information into my Monterey Herald column, which often targets a different audience than this website does. The companies would benefit from the variety of public forums, and it was also an opportunity for me to do a little cross-promotion from the newspaper to the Internet.

It didn’t exactly play out the way I originally intended, however. When I approached my editor about doing a two-part, 2500-word piece on hydration, he (somewhat predictably) replied with something along the lines of “You’ve got to be kidding me.” The compromise we settled on was that I’d do a very basic, very general review of hydration devices for the paper, then refer readers to part 2 – my summary review of all the hydration packs – on the Herald site and my own websites.

So what you see below amounts to a prequel of sorts; it’s an introductory piece that explains the fundamentals of hydration for runners, and explains the difference between various means of transporting fluid. It appears in Thursday’s Monterey Herald.

Additionally, I’ve adapted this online version to include examples of each of the products I’m referring to, plus links to product pages for anyone interested in shopping. Most of the links are from Wilderness Running Company, with whom I’m starting to forge something of a working relationship. I’ve talked them up before, and I'm really impressed with some of the steps they’re taking to become involved in the trail running community.

If you decide to buy from them, remember to use the coupon code on my left sidebar to get a 10% discount on all orders. You also get free shipping on orders over $50, so you can potentially save a decent amount of money.

Sorry if I’m starting to sound like a QVC host; today’s Herald article is below.
**

Running Life 6/18/09 "Hydration Pack Basics"

Summer is nearly upon us, which means that runners need to pay attention to hydration needs when exercising in warm weather. In recent years, hydration devices have become a multidisciplinary science, with several options available. We’re reviewing the most common types here, along with recommendations for use of each kind.

As a general rule, unless you’re exposed to extreme heat or humidity (upper 90s for either category), you probably don’t need to take in fluids during your workout if you’re exercising for 30 minutes or less. If you are exercising for less than an hour, you can probably do just fine with water instead of sports drink.

When your body is working for more than one hour, make sure that you drink small amounts of fluid on a regular basis during the activity. There are a few different ways to carry fluids on the go:

Hand held bottle carriers: of course, before hydration accessories were invented, everybody did it the old fashioned way: by carrying a bottle of water in your hand while you run. Hand-held bottle carriers are little more than a comfortable elastic strap that fits around the bottle and the back of your hand; this way, you don’t have to grip the bottle to keep it in contact with your palm.

Most hand-held carriers support a 20-oz bottle, and many have small pockets on the backside to stash things like keys or an ATM card. Some runners find it awkward to carry bottle holders at first, but before long you’ll hardly notice a difference.

(For web readers: some examples are the GoLite HydroClutch and the slightly more advanced Nathan QuickDraw Elite)

Waist packs: These are probably the most common option, and come in several varieties. Most packs hold a 20- or 24-oz bottle on your backside, often angled one way or the other for easier access. Waist packs also have larger pockets with storage space for cell phones or energy bars.

(Web readers: two very good models are the Ultimate Direction Uno and the GoLite HydroDash, which comes in both a men's and women's version.)

Variations on this design include packs that hold two full-size bottles, and others with several smaller bottles distributed all the way around your waist. In my opinion, the single bottle option is the simplest and most convenient, and should suffice for activity in the one to two hour range.

If you are running or hiking for more than two hours, a single bottle won’t be enough to sustain you – and that’s where the next category comes in.


Hydration packs: These lightweight packs are typically worn like a backpack, but contain a fluid reservoir that can hold up to 100oz of fluid. Models that are marketed towards runners typically hold about 70 oz.

Since they are designed for longer activity, hydration packs also feature a lot more storage space for food, clothing, or other gear. Modern materials and designs make these packs quite comfortable to wear, even when running at high speed.

Fluid reservoirs are slightly more high-maintenance than a typical water bottle - they’re a bit more difficult to clean and dry after each use – but they’re generally very easy to use, and the benefit of having adequate fluids during a long run is usually worth a little inconvenience afterwards.

Hand held bottle carriers and waist packs can be found in both of our local running stores. If you’d like more information about hydration packs, I did an extensive review of five different models this spring; check them out here.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to take care of your hydration needs so you can enjoy a healthy and safe summer of running.

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