My Review of Nathan HPL 020 Race Hydration Vest – 70 oz.

REI

Think of it as a hydration jetpack! Nathan Human Propulsion Laboratories 020 Race Hydration Vest is engineered to enhance your maximum velocity.


Good pack, poor bladder & drink valve

Todd in Detroit Royal Oak, MI 8/28/2009

 

2 5

Gift: No

Pros: Easy To Refill, Stable, Comfortable

Cons: Not reflective, Poor Construction, Leaks

Best Uses: Running

Describe Yourself: Avid Adventurer

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

I want to like this product. The pack portion is well designed and comfortable to run in. I don’t see any reflective piping on the pack which seems like a no brainer thing to add.

However, the bladder and drink system are of poor design and construction. The bladder leaks — mine leaks around the fill hole. In reading reviews elsewhere, this is apparently common. I would be hesitant to use this during cold weather events, since getting wet from your pack is not a good thing.

Another problem is the bite valve. It is difficult to open. I wore the pack during a recent 100-mile race and the valve became less and less operable. Eventually it simply fell off. It’s still not working properly and I expect to return it.

In summary, it’s a good pack design, but the drink system is simply unreliable.

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2 Comments

  1. Comment by David on August 31, 2009 11:42 am

    Hi Todd,

    Sorry to hear that you had such difficulty with your reservoir. Hydrapak offers a lifetime warranty on the reservoir systems that are built for Nathan pack system. Please feel free to contact us in order to process a warranty claim so we can get you moving with a non-defective reservoir.

    Thank you,
    David Kim
    Sales and Service
    Hydrapak
    info@hydrapak.com
    510-632-8318

  2. Comment by Todd Scott on September 9, 2009 7:25 am

    Update: I mailed my bladder back to Hydrapak and received a replacement which does not leak.

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