I’m doing a trail marathon in November and a 50K in December.
The aid stations are nicely stocked with everything I would need.
26.2: Aid station every 3.2 miles
50K: Aid station every 5 miles
They ask participants to bring a water bottle to minimize waist. I have a Nathan’s 20 oz and it is sometimes annoyingly heavy. Therefore thinking of trying a smaller 12 oz.
For the 50K, will I want more fluid between stations? I can drink multiple bottles at the aids station and “pack” 12oz to moisten in between.
Don’t want to look into fuel belts, camelbaks or waist packs due to chafing.
Not much help since I use a 2-bottle Nathan Trail Mix waist belt, but that’s 2 10oz bottles and I’ve done 4 ultras and 2 trail marathons with that, including some VERY HOT days with no problem. Never more than 6 miles between aid stations. 20oz of water, at least for me, is more than enough. I typically fill one with Gatorade and one with water and I’m good until the next aid station. I’ve tried handhelds and hated them.
I had a 16oz ultimate direction hand held two weeks ago for the Lake of the Sky 18 miler in Tahoe. Aid stations were at 4 miles 9 miles and 14 miles. It was MORE than enough. If it were super hot I may have wanted the 22oz one, but the 16 was plenty.
I would want more. 16-20 oz hand held bottle at a minimum, for me. Last thing in the world you want is to become dehydrated. That is plenty of aid stations for nutrition, but not for fluids IMO. Again, this is personal preference and requirements so you may be different. I weigh 70kg and I am drinking about 24 oz an hour.
It really depends on the layout of the course. I ran a 50-miler this past Saturday, and the shortest section (4.2 miles) took well over an hour despite running the 3rd fastest split. Factor in the unusually mild weather, and I was lucky to get by with a 20oz handheld. Rather than asking others for their opinions, you really should work to determine your personal needs and understand the challenge of each section before you select your hydration method.
For shorter races - like the trail marathon - you may be able to get away with a little less hydration based on the amount of time you’ll be on the course. Once you get up into the 50k, most folks are well into the 5+ hour range which is enough time for dehydration to stop you dead in your tracks. If you’re looking to place, then you’re probably fast enough and efficient enough to travel light. If you’re just out there to race and enjoy the day, then there’s little inconvenience in carrying more fluid with you. Run safe, and good luck!
I personally don’t like the lumbar belts, but I see people with them. Mine (Nathan Trail Mix) has the two small bottles on the front and it works perfectly for me. Has a small pouch for gels, etc.
I think packs are great for self supported runs over 20 miles. When I can get refills and aid stations every 5 miles - it’s over kill. A lot like loading up an Ironman bike.
FWIW - everyone that I have talked to regarding the Salomon packs has concluded that they’re excellent for performance, but awful in terms of construction and durability. I’ve never tried one, myself, but that is the general consensus among dozens that I’ve talked to. This surprises me as I typically select Salomon shoes for rugged ultras, and I’ve found them to be extremely durable, despite their somewhat “soft” material selection. The speedcross is a phenomenal mountain running shoe.
If you’re happy to stop and drink up in the aid stations as well as refill your bottle you should be okay. I’d be a little scared of doing it that way as I hate the thought of running out.
A couple years ago I did an ultra and was back and forth with a guy that was carrying nothing (I had two regular bottles). He was running faster than me, but spending way more time at the aid stations drinking all that he could. He did the race in just shorts, shoes and sunglasses. I don’t remember how far apart the stations were but it certainly felt like there weren’t many of them.
You could always carry another bottle, like one of those 10oz flasks, and if you don’t need it just tuck it in the back of your shorts. You won’t even notice its there.
I’m not sponsored by Salomon or sell the stuff. This pack, however, is excellent for self-supported training and racing. Here’s why.
The badder holds 50 oz, which is about two hours worth. The front of the vest holds two 12-16 oz bottles. So on a training run this is a 3 to 4 hour pack, no problem. Even when filled up like that, you still have room for gels, salt tablets, spare socks, and even a small jacket in the various pockets. The beauty of this pack is that it totally conforms to your body so you don’t have much bounce even when it is loaded down. If you run in it a dozen times, you get to where you don’t even notice it even when it is fully loaded.
For races, however, such as the 50k you describe, you don’t need to fill the 50 oz bladder. You can keep it empty if you want, or some folks even take the bladder out and fill it with ice and let it slowly melt on your back. You still have the two water bottle holders in the front. I generally fill one bottle at each aid station, and in the other bottle pocket I put my gels and salt. Or if you want two bottles, then fill one half-way with gatorade or cola and the other with water. What this pack does is keeps your hands totally free the entire race, and you don’t have the chafing from the waist bottle holders either. This pack also rides very high on your back, so it doesn’t cause overheating.
The only downside is that the two front water bottle holders are tight. They are not large enough for 20 or 24 oz bottles that are standard on your bike. You need 12 or 16 oz bottles that are a little smaller to make it work.
I agree that filling up the entire thing with 80 oz of water is not needed for a one hour run between aid stations, but this pack delivers no matter how you set it up.
Handhelds might be the superior choice for those who like them, and I’m a very firm advocate for fuel belts for road training, but I won’t get out on the trail without my Salomon pack. It is expensive at $180, but I put multiples of that into shoes each year, and this pack is going to last. Good luck.
X2 on the Salomon SLab pack. Used it for a trail marathon, trail 50K and a Grand Canyon R2R2R this past May. Best pack, hands down, you can’t even tell it’s on.
I think the obvious question is how much do you go through on a typical long run? I think 12 oz/5 mile should be fine as long as the weather isn’t brutal, but YRMV.
