Race pack

[John]

Havnt done a race with pack before. I have a camel back pack that has a little room and capacity for 1.5L of fluid. Can you exp folk let me know the best pack to get so i can get in once and get it right!!! also it seem like a lot of kit to carry is pack enough. YOur thought ?

Cheers J

[Andrew]

Hi John

Yes there is a lot of kit for this race, but that's the rules so there's no getting around it. That said I saw some pretty small packs out there, so it can be done on a tight space budget, you just need to be organised with your packing.

The trouble with a small pack can be that you have to unpack everything each time you want to get something out. If you have a bigger pack you can get drawn into feeling the need to fill it and taking along stuff (extra weight) that you don't need just because you have the room for it.

As for specific packs, I've got the North Face Blacktail (now updated and replaced by the Enduro) and I'm very happy with it. Light, very comfy, great water delivery system, fully adjustable and lots of separate compartments to stash stuff in (without having to completely unpack to access kit). That said it is probably too big for this event, but I got it as I had other uses for it (running to work with change of clothes, etc). Also it has the 3l bladder which is important for a heavy sweater like me.

It will really come down to personal choice, and budget as these can get a bit pricey. Just try a few in the shops and make a call on which is the most comfortable as well as being suitable for the task.  You may want to get the mandatory gear beforehand, so you can take it to the shops and see how it's going to fit (not forgetting that the bladder will take up some space too).

Best of luck
Andy

www.ultrarunning.com.au

[Eddie]

Thanks Andrew. The issue for me is that Adelaide isn't the best place when it comes to finding North Face or Salomon brands so I might have to buy mine online so any reviews on any pack would be great. I'm currently tossing between the Inov-8 Race Pro 18 Rucksack, the North face Enduro 20 and the Salomon XA20. I'd love to know if the size of these packs is good, the bladder easily accessible for easy refill and all in all which one is the best for running

Thanks guys

[Aaron]

Hi there,

As Andrew has said, there is a fair amount of mandatory equipment for this race however, it is one of the few races of it's calibre/distance that does not require a previous race qualification/time, hence the comprehensive list. I personally have a Camelbak Mule which retails for about $170 and comes with a 3L water bladder. The pack is quite good and robust as the material is fairly thick. It comfortably holds the mandatory equipment list for this race. I will be transitioning shortly to the Salomon xa20 pack as I find this pack to sit better on my back. The biggest reason for this transition is however weight. The Camelbak Mule is much heavier than the Salomon. Unfortunately, the Salomon does not come with a water bladder but according to reviews, the Deuter 3L bladder fits like a glove so I will personally be going with this particular setup in the New Year and for TNF100. The Salomon retails at Paddy Pallin for $150 or half that price from the following UK website:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/

Very reputable website and I have purchased plenty of equipment from there.

As Andrew also said, the most important factors apart from budget are comfort/fit and ability to fit all the equipment required in there!

Best of luck!

[John]

Cheers guys. Your input is MUCH appreciated!!!

[Mat]

Another point worth thinking about is bladder vs bottles when it comes to looking at packs.

A bladder means you can only have one type (and concentration) of drink e.g. water or electrolyte solution. I used to run with bladders all the time but ran the '09 NF with bottle belt (Aphipod with 2x600ml bottles so I could have electrolytes and water for taking with food) it was nice to take the weight off my shoulders as well. I still ran with a very light pack (minus the bladder) for the compulsory gear. You can also look at securing smaller bottles to the shoulder straps to make up the 2lt capacity regulation.

22 weeks out so heaps of time to try things out on your long runs.

All the best, Mat

[Geoff]

Hi John and All
For what it is worth I am using an Inov-8 22 ltr pack with a 2 litre bladder that sits on my hips rather than the normal vertical bladders. Like others this pack also doubles as a run to work pack and its comfortable.
I got it from: http://www.wiggle.co.uk  (but be prepared to wait for wiggle stuff, if you order it now, to arrive as Customs is snowed under with Christmas stuff)
I also use  two 500ml bottles made up with a concentrated electrolyte drink, then use my water to sip both when I need it.
Food is the biggest quandry!!
Good luck Geoff

[John]

Cheers guys,

I think im going to go with th salamon xa20 with with the dueter streamer with 3 litre bladder with a weakish mix of 4to1 in it. What sort of food and refreshments do they have at check points??

[Adam]

local run shop told me just before xmas that Salomon would be updating their packs in Jan. I really like the XA20 but I thought I'd wait until I saw the new ones.......

Does anybody have more info on this?

[ranga]

I ran/walked the nth100 last yr on endura products.Gels,electrolytes&optimizer check it out.

[Mark]

Hi,

I think this is on the same sort of idea as the thread. Im just wondering if anyone knows any brands or links of where i could buy the holders that position bottles on the shoulder straps.

Ive been searching for ages for them but cant seem to find them. Im really over my bladder and would like opinions and ideas for attaching bottles to shoulders straps!

Thanks

[Jaci]

Hi Mark

I guess it depends on the type / brand of pack you have.  eg. Salomon have clip on bottle holders that go on front of the shoulder straps if you have that model of Salomon pack.  Also have a look on Zombie Runner http://www.zombierunner.com  they have a range of bottles with loops on the lid so you could attach them with a carribeena clip and fix a bit of elastic as a loop around the bottle?  Maybe try a diff brand of bladder, some clip on differently and some have a better flow than others .. just some ideas

cheers,
Jaci.

[Mark]

Thanks Jaci,

Ill have to have a look into the Salomon packs as i really like the idea of having the bottles on hand!

Any more comments welcome

[Osbert]

This should be the one you're looking for.

RaidLight Ultra-Light OLMO 20L Backpack with 2 Bottles

http://www.racingtheplanet.com/store/gear/backpacks-bags/backpack/raidlight-ultra-light-olmo-20l-backpack-with-2-bottles.html

The bottle holders are also available without the bag. I have the ones from Inov-8 and they are quite good except without the straws.

Only 10mths to go...

[Mark]

Thanks Osbert,

I ended up settling for a bottle belt and smaller bag, im going to see how that goes in training to see if i find it any better than the bladder set up.