Oh my god I love these!
I know great way to start a balanced review but I am not kidding this has solved so many things for me. Granted that this is my first hydration backpack and I really, as a fairly new runner, only one half marathon under my belt, and I don’t have the experience of using to many of them yet but this pack feels like a second skin.
I have the Duro 1.5 and except for the fact that it doesn’t come in a colour I would actually run in (pink) I think it is pretty awesome.
There is enough space in this bag tcan comfortably fit a light change of clothes in the main pocket, along with pockets to keep my keys, money, phone, two water reservoirs (250ml though if you wanted to it would comfortably fit the 500ml as well), gels and probably a few other little bits.
I have taken it out on any long run I have done, anything over 5km, and I barely feel it. For a long time I have struggled to find something that suited me, I have a very odd shape when it comes to sports products so nothing in the belt range ever fits or feels comfortable, they all tend to slide up my waist and rub something silly, I am one of those people that if it rubs and upsets me then it is gone. I run for the enjoyment of it so it needs to be comfy. The idea of taking out a pack always seemed like it would be a little extreme, turns out I was wrong.
The fit is great as it has completely detachable straps at the front meaning that no matter what shape you are this will fit you (Except if you are silly tall like Mike). The lightweight feel of it doesn’t make me feel like I have anything to much on my back and it honestly doesn’t feel like I am sweating any more than I normally do on a run either, I have tried it in the hot weather we had. The water bottles are ideally located at the front of the pack and sit securely in place with bungie cords, I am not joking when I say they do not move I have been jumping all over the place to see if they will budge and nothing (think Tigger on coffee!) There is room to put a larger bag in the back area if you wanted to, if you were doing a full marathon or ultra and didn’t want a big bag. This has seriously improved my run hydration and confidence as it allows me the freedom and flexibility to run and hydrate. As I Say I have taken it out for the last three weeks with no issues at all and will be taking it on all of my runs and races this year.
Verdict
Just go buy it, if you were thinking about it before I cannot recommend this enough. It is everything I wanted and all the things that I didn’t realise I wanted too. Like I say my only bug bear is that I want one in Pink then my running kit would be completely sorted but if that is all I can say, and I know that Mike feels the same about the larger one, then Osprey you have hit the nail on the head with this one!