Nathan #020 Review

Bag sits off the shoulders - post run.

I recently picked up the Nathan HPL #020 Race Vest from REI for some long distance running. I wanted something that would hold my essentials when out on the road and was also comfortable. I have an older Camelbak which I used during my first marathon and the training up to it, but I didn't really like the way it felt after an hour or so of running. Anyways, I read some reviews on running forums and decided to give the Nathan a try after Amazon, too, told me it was deliciously awesome.

So bam! I strapped on the pack and took it for a 10 mile test run on our Raleigh Greenway system. Immediately I noticed that it doesn't bounce around on my shoulders which is AMAZING! Nathan's website claims the #020 Race Veset (HPL 20) has a 3-way propulsion harness that prevents it from bouncing, and sure enough it works! No music, no cars; just the sound of penguin-like pitter-patter of my Vibram Bikilas on the pavement and the slight sloshing of the water in my HPL bladder. I stored some Gels in the front shock cord pocket and had my phone/ID in the front zipper pocket; all within easy reach of my grabby paws to quickly get a hold of and put back. It was also easy to throw my trash into as well. The front chest strap was adjustable and can slide up and down to give you more control of where you want it.

Back, with added reflecting bands.

To run it through another test, I removed the bladder to see if could fit my clothes into the bag which would allow me to run to work. Since it's 9 miles to work -- 1 mile short of my no water needed limit, I don't need the bladder. I drove to a shorter distance for the test run, packed my bag and headed off. As expected, everything worked well, and even with the extra weight of my clothes inside the bag, I still didn't have any issues with the HPL jumping my shoulders. I was able to fit a surprisingly large amount of gear into this 10oz bag.

Overall I would definitely recommend the HPL 020. If you're looking for a lightweight race vest for long distance, this is the way to go. Whether it be a 2 liter water-filled 20 mile run, or a 10 mile training run with gear, this pack will do the job. Nathan has an even more minimalist option for lightweight race vests, and a female endurance vest that doesn't get in the way of those lady bits.

A peak inside.

Front; cord pocket and zip pocket

HPL Unloaded: Jean, shirt, belt, ID, headphones, phone, and energy.

-AaronMFJ

Watch vs Phone

I got a couple questions about watch vs app, so I figured I would write this.

iPhone tracks a lot of things, but the Garmin I would say is more of an advanced tool.  The Garmin is more accurate and has more features.  For example I can run a route, then "ghost it" meaning I can re run that route and race previous self.  It all shows on the watch that I should speed up or slow down.  The Garmin also has a heart rate feature which the watch determines aerobic and anaerobic thresholds.  If you're starting out and just getting into it, I would use iPhone apps such as Runkeeper, Nike+ GPS, or MapMyRun.  All of them have their pros and cons, but I tend to use Nike+ more mainly because of their presentation on the website.  If you get pretty serious and want to train in zones to maximize energy etc, I would invest in a GPS watch such as the Garmin.  If you don't have an iPhone, I'm pretty sure they are available for Android (except maybe Nike+GPS, but they have external hardware such as shoe mounts and wrist bands that you can use as well).

There's also the whole fumbling the iPhone in and out of your pocket, unlocking it, and swiping it.  Or you can just press a button on the watch.  The iPhone usually has voice feedback and can also listen to music at the same time.  Some people just don't like carrying their phones with them when the run.  Below is a quick overview of each one.  Of course there are more features than what you see in the screenshots, but you get the idea.  As you can see the Garmin has a lot more info, which you may or may not care about depending on your level of training.

(I wrote this up June 2011, but I believe the information is still the same)

Runkeeper

Nike+ GPS

MapMyRun

Garmin Watch

-AaronMFJ-