Nathan Elite 1 Pack - 2008 BCS

Ok. So not 10 days after writing the above review, this pack failed catastrophically: The buckle (aka Weak Link) broke for no discernable reason while I was trail running. I wasn't towing a sled or anything, and since I'm only 135 pounds it's unclear what caused it to break. What is clear is that the buckles are sewn-in and cannot be replaced without cutting/re-sewing. I've had this thing for only 3 months. This combination of fragile parts with wasteful (unfixable) design is very disappointing. If you're shopping for other Nathan waist packs, you might want to check this out- particularly the heavier ones.

This simple bottle carrier is much more comfortable than I expected. Even when the large bottle is full it doesn't bounce or make noise. It's comfortable in hot weather too. I find that it will only carry enough water for runs as long as 90 min or maybe 2hrs. The pocket will hold 3 gels (max), an id, housekey, and emergency beer money. I can't say that I understand what the carabiner clip on the water bottle lid is supposed to do; that seems like unnecessary weight to me. Nonetheless, I usually forget I'm wearing the thing once I start running.