Hyrdation
Camelbak Octane 18x
Hydration capacity: 3L
Total capacity: 18L + 3L bladder
Weight: 507g
The pack body is super compressible so this pack can be used solely as a hydration pack while training, and also expands to fit all of the gear I require for racing. All of the straps in the harness are very adjustable, so there are a lot of combinations, which make it really comfortable. The mesh pockets on the hip straps are a perfect size to fit a cellphone or camera, stash extra gear, or have food right at my finger tips.
I have found that carrying the full 3L bladder was excessive weight, and that I never consumed that much liquid while I ran, so I have also purchased a couple of smaller bladders, a 1L and a 1.5L, these are much lighter, and can easily be refilled over longer distances if I require more to drink. I purchased the smaller bladders as pack and bladder combos as these worked out to be cheaper than buying the bladders on their own.
Camelbak has a fantastic "Got Ya Bak" lifetime guarantee, where they will replace their product if it doesn't last the distance. The service and response from Camelbak is extraordinary, and they immediately replaced three of my hydration bladders that had broken. The replacement product is holding up really nicely, so I highly, highly recommend Camelbak if their products suit your purposes.
I have found that carrying the full 3L bladder was excessive weight, and that I never consumed that much liquid while I ran, so I have also purchased a couple of smaller bladders, a 1L and a 1.5L, these are much lighter, and can easily be refilled over longer distances if I require more to drink. I purchased the smaller bladders as pack and bladder combos as these worked out to be cheaper than buying the bladders on their own.
Camelbak has a fantastic "Got Ya Bak" lifetime guarantee, where they will replace their product if it doesn't last the distance. The service and response from Camelbak is extraordinary, and they immediately replaced three of my hydration bladders that had broken. The replacement product is holding up really nicely, so I highly, highly recommend Camelbak if their products suit your purposes.
Shoes
After a lot of um-ing and ah-ing, the agonizing over which trail shoes to go with was somewhat taken out of my hands when the demise of my last pair of running shoes meant that I had to buy a new pair back in 2012. I bought the Mizuno Wave Ascend 7's on a 30 day trial, not sure how they would work for me. But after running in them a few times, and testing them out on the trail, I LOVE them. They are super comfortable, sturdy, stable and grippy. The sole design provides shock absorption, and also makes my stride feel springier than my old shoes. The bright design, cheers even the most devastating hill climb, and I see them a lot, because I so often look down on the trails.
My first pair of beloved trail shoes have long since worn out, but I have continued to buy this make and model because they work so well for me. The more recent version has a black, orange and avocado colour scheme, but in every other way is the same. I have two separate pairs of these shoes that I currently run in. One I reserve for trails only and the other I use on the roads. The road pair wear out more quickly. Mizuno have produced a new version (Wave Ascend 8) to replace my version. They have made a few changes to the shoe, that I really don't like, so in the mean time I am stock piling as many pairs of the old version as I can, to keep me going for a while longer.
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