Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I like the belt and bottle. It fits snugly in the small of back and has little bounce. The only minor drawback is that it's not super-smooth to access it if you're running hard on a trail (I don't run on roads...probably easier there) because of the need to have the little elastic loop over the valve to hold it in. Still, I knew that was a tradeoff going in for the benefit of it centered on the back. My biggest concern was that it would leak, being in there horizontally, but six pretty tough runs in and no leaks so far.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

Started running this summer in the southern US and quickly realized I needed to carry water. This pack has been great. The small zippered pouch fits an iTouch and my old flip phone, plus a key (warning: this doesn't stretch out the pack too much, but others have warned against over streatching pockets as zippers may fail. I haven't had any issues).
While it may be minor, I hate hearing water sloshing around while I run and was worried that this bottle would be loud due to the sideways position. However, it doesn't. This makes for quiet, peaceful runs. It has a nice secure fit.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I bought this product to replace a Nathan running belt that I used previously. There were two problems with the Nathan belt that I was trying to solve...1) the pocket on the Nathan belt was just far too small and 2) the water bottle and belt were just bulky.

After reading about a few different belts, I decided to give the Amphipod belt a try. The semi-flat bottle seemed like a plus, and all of the reviews on here were great. After using this belt for the past week, and I can say is that it was money well spent!

First, the pocket on the belt is much larger than my old Nathan belt. I could barely get my driver's license in the Nathan belt, much less my iPhone or anything else. I can get a gel pack or two, my iPhone, and my house key in this pocket no problem. Second, the semi-flat bottle and the overall design is just much better than the Nathan. The belt and bottle curves with your back and the strap is made of a nice material. To top it off, I barely even notice the belt when I'm running.

This belt is everything I was looking for to replace my old Nathan product. Couldn't be happier with it, and I plan on using it for many runs in the future.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I have been running for decades. This is the first hydration device that didn't bump up and down or leak. But the third time I used it the zipper pull sealed my keys inside the zip pocket as it slipped off the track. I should have known this would happen, because I noticed that the stitching was coming unraveled at that far end of the pocket.

I will return the unit for a swap. If the next one fails this way I will give up and add a review.

Otherwise, I would recommend this pack. IF -- and I mean IF - you secure the little bungie around the top of the water bottle, this pack works really well with enough water to get you through an hour run on a room temp day. The pack fits the bottle against the small of your back. The neoprene belt tightens well enough that there is little jiggle. The pocket (the one with the failed zipper) has enough room to hold an iPhone, i.d. and some money.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I've used this belt on many runs of 10K and up and it has worked out very well. My only complaint is that the buckles loosen easily so it's important to re-tighten the belt before each run. If the belt is tight enough, with the bottle positioned over the small of my back there is almost no bounce and after the first few runs I was completely comfortable with it. I have had no issues with the bottle falling out, I can only speculate that the reviewers who have had that problem did not secure it with the bungee keeper. I've added Amphipod's pouch for my large cellphone and that works well also.

I give this waist pack only four stars because of the slipping buckle issue, but that's a minor problem and overall this is a very good product.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

Seldom do I feel compelled to write gear reviews, but in this case I couldn't resist. The Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack is the best I've used, bar none.

I'm 5'6" and 155 lbs. I do almost exclusively trail running, 25-50+ miles per week, and compete in 50K to 50-mile ultramarathons. Until somewhat recently, I would run with a Camelbak hydration pack during ultras and long-distance trail running training. However, refilling the pack slowed my time during aid station transitions (take the pack off, pull out the bladder, have a volunteer refill it, put the bladder away, put the pack back on...). Biomechanically, handhelds have never appealed to me, as they do for many ultra runners. I prefer to keep my hands free, and it makes sense to have the water weight hug the small of your back. Hence I've been drawn to the idea of a bottle waist belt.

After trying several belts that hold a roughly 20oz bottle at a 45-degree angle, including the Nathan Elite and the Ultimate Direction Access Airflow, I was disappointed. They had some bounce, sloshed loudly when partially full, and developed hot spots near the top and bottom where the bottle contacted my back. The Nathan bottle leaked terribly, causing preliminary frostbite on my backside during a run in sub-freezing weather. The UD pack broke before I ever took it out for a single run, causing serious durability concerns.

I'd been eyeballing the Amphipod Full Tilt series. It seemed the horizontal bottle would fit perfectly in the small of my back, as long as the bottle wouldn't leak in that position. In short, I've been extremely impressed.

I adjusted the waist belt so that it fits comfortably, but not overly, snug. The bottle sits in the small of my back, and the waist belt clips in front one to two inches below my navel. The bottle is rock solid. It hasn't budged on trail runs of 10 to 15 miles. No bounce, at all. When partially full the sloshing in the bottle is very quiet and barely noticeable. In addition, the horizontal positioning of the bottle is easier on my shoulder when removing and replacing the bottle, compared to 45-degree holders that require me to reach higher to slide the bottle in and out.

The small bungee that prevents the bottle from slipping out of the holder is easy to operate, even while running. I thought it would be annoying, but after the first run it became surprisingly quick and intuitive to use. My only critique is that the bungee has a small plastic "knob" you can grab to release it off the bottle top. When my fingers are sweaty, or when I have less dexterity because of gloves during cold weather, it can be difficult to grasp. I'll likely retrofit it with a small nylon pull tab that's easier to grab.

The small stretch pocket on the back of the pack easily holds a key, cell phone, and/or gel packs. I find that when the bottle is in the holder, it's more difficult to reach into the zippered opening. Removing the bottle so there's less tension in the pack makes getting into the pocket easier. The pocket fabric did also snag/develop a run from the corner of a gel packet foil. I'm going to add a small zipper pouch to the front of the belt for gels, so they're easier to access, and just stash keys or a phone in the back of the pack where they're out of the way.

The bottle itself is great. Comfortable shape in the hand, snug against the back, easy to squeeze, and the nipple/spout is as high flow as any I've used.

After tweaking my hydration for a while now, I've finally found an incredible setup.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I was very sceptical of using a hydration belt during long runs thinking it would be bulky and very unstable. However, after stressing out trying to plan hyrdation points during my 16 - 20 mile runs, I finally gave in and purchased this product based on the reviews it recieved. I have used it 5 times now and I am AMAZED at how stable it is; I barely know I'm wearing it. The trick in getting a proper fit is to over tighten the belt down on your hips; it may be uncomfortable at first but after the first quarter mile it is no longer an issue.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

This is my first fuel belt and I hope I will never need another (unless this one is made for years and year to come). After about 3 miles of running, I require a drink and this was the perfect companion to my 5 mile run today. The belt is very adjustable and very comfortable. It is designed for the bottle to sit at the small of your back. The bottle is curved which makes it contoured to both your body and your hand when you pull it out to take a drink. There is a little bungee cord that wraps around the mouthpiece that helps to keep the bottle in place.

Do not let the size of the storage pocket fool you. It is tiny but HIGHLY stretchable. Today I just put my car key inside it but to test it's capacity, I shoved my Droid 3 phone (it's bulky) and a packet of energy chews. I didn't think it would fit but it did.

The bottle is nice because it is not hard plastic. You can squeeze it if you need to take a drink. It's not flimsy plastic either.

I am tall (5'11") with wide hips and this belt fit right about at my waist with extreme comfort. I didn't really notice it was there. I did reach around with my hand a few times to check if the bottle moved at all and it really stayed in place. I was running on city streets and not a trail.

Also, it was easy to reach around back to pull the bottle out for a drink and to replace it without having to move the belt or take it off.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I have been training for a half and I was getting really frustrated with other packs and just sick of carrying a handheld for miles and miles. This did bounce a slight bit initially but decreased as I drank. The bounce was very slight and not too annoying. Bottle was big enough to keep me hydrated on my 8 mile run and I still had some when I got home. I haven't tried out the pouch but it does seem like enough for a gel, key, maybe a smaller phone. I 'think' you can buy additional pockets that go on the belt if you need more storage. The stretchy belt made all the difference in less bouncing and comfort. I could wear the pack on my lower waist just below my naval, still higher than I would like but much lower than 4 other waist packs I have tried.

Comments about Amphipod Full-Tilt AirStretch Velocity Hydration Waistpack - 20 fl. oz.:

I bought this to carry water on my daily runs, and it fits the bill well. I had been using an Amphipod 20-oz handheld that works well, but this is more comfortable and I like having my hands free. I added a pair of 10.1-oz Snap Pods for use during my longer runs. The zippered pouch has enough room for ID, a key, and perhaps a couple of food bars - maybe more.

With the belt reasonably snug, there's no bouncing. The 20-oz bottle stays securely in its sleeve, thanks to a small bungee that loops over the nozzle. The SnapPods I added installed on the belt easily, and the bottles snap securely into place with a reassuring click.