It's like wearing nothing at all…

Nothing at all…Stupid sexy Flanders!

A couple of my runs in the last two weeks have had a purpose other than training — to test what it is like wearing nothing at all…nothing at all.

Before you let your imaginations wander too far, I am not talking about running nudie styles. Rather, I am tailing about running with my new hydration pack, the Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 5. This post details my first impressions of the pack. I have taken it on two runs thus far, and this is what I think.

Not flattering, but you can see the pack. Yah self-portrait.

I updated my trail running hydration system due to an extreme annoyance with bouncing backpacks, uncomfortable belts and heavy handhelds.

I hummed and hawed about this packs for months after seeing it used during my first Ultra Marathon back in September. I believed you had to order them online until a Salomon store opened up in Vancouver. I visited the store, tried the pack, left, visited again, tried the pack, left and finally after weeks (and much annoyance to the staff) I purchased said pack.

The first test was a rainy 20k jaunt around the Stanley Park seawall and then back to the North Shore via downtown. I did not do any adjustments on the pack except take the add-ons off. 

The view from the Lion's Gate Bridge.

The pack fit like a glove and I hardly noticed it. It hugged my body and I was free to move in ways my old hydration pack never allowed me to do — without swinging around on my back. The only complaint was the crinkling noise caused by the insulated sleeve for the bladder. Luckily, I can remove this. You do notice the water sloshing around a little bit when running, but not as much as conventional hydration backpacks. Which is a very nice plus. I'm sure adjusting the pack will help with this. If you want to know the specifics of the packs, components, and such check out the Salomon website.

Today, I took the pack out on a 12k trail run around the Capilano trail circuit.  The workout of the day was an "Out and Back". I ran 6 km through the trails and then turned around and raced my 6k time back. It is an amazing work out and provides some motivation for the second half of the run. You can do it with any distance. I like to do it on longer runs with 10k out and a 10k back. Exhausting.

 

This time I played with the pack, adjusted it to my liking and removed the insulated sleeve. The pack performed magically, felt snugger on my back, less sloshing and no annoying crinkling noise. It allowed me to dance around roots and rocks and not worry about the pack moving around. I need all my concentration to keep from tripping. It fits on you just like a vest, tight and unmovable. There were times in which I forgot I was wearing a pack at all. 

My only complaints is the lack of a hose hook on the shoulder strap and the annoying crinkling of the bladder sleeve (removable). I have found a way to tuck the hose under the chord, which works very well. I also will have to play with the chest straps to ensure the extra strap is removed, as they are quite long. 

Overall a solid pack and I will be switching to it full time. I love it and we will have many adventures together. So, if you like to run with a feeling of wearing nothing at all then this is the pack for you.