M Orange Mud (Black) - HydraQuiver Double Barrel

Wore it on a 13 mile run today, 90 degree temps. Still have to figure out the strap keeper thing -- my straps flopped the whole time. (Edited to add: Duh. It's the elastic straps. Very clever. Never mind.) And also how to attach a third bottle w/ the bungie on the back. This item comes with two plain-vanilla 25-oz bottles. I explain below why you'll want to make sure you use them. Long story, but I started out today with a 16 ounce bottle of water and a 12 ounce bottle of Gatorade. The smaller sizes didn't fit well in the vest. It felt off balance and the weight was noticeable.I had read that the cupholders were adjustable. And they are -- but ONLY for the length of the bottle. The diameter cannot be adjusted as far as I can tell. Now, here's the interesting part. Later in my run I switched to two large bottles (20 oz) and they felt perfect. Funny thing is, they were actually bigger and heavier -- but felt light as air on my back. Whereas the two smaller bottles, poorly balanced, felt heavy. Cool, huh? Next time, I'll just go with the 25 oz. ones. Overall, I was super-happy with this design and am planning to use it in a 200+ mile ultramarathon. I've got a Camelback Octane 3L hydration reservoir pack that I like and use on my bike. In Texas, you need all the water you can get in the summer. But it's a pain for running. I do it, but I don't love it. I've also tried the Ultimate Direction-style vest where the bottles are carried on the front. Didn't like that at all. Bouncy, heavy, not well balanced. What I like about this is that once I figure out that third bottle, I can get 75 ounces on me at once. Basically the equivalent of a 2-liter reservoir. Then, if I carry another 16 ounce bottle in each hand, I'm up to 3L again. BOOM! The storage on the shoulders was intriguing. OM says it'll hold 10 gels. That was important to me. I'm a Type 1 diabetic so I absolutely have to carry gels with me, and a lot of them, for long distances. The compartments are very stretchy and they definitely will hold 10 gels. I saw someone who said they only got 3 in there? Baffled by that. I don't love the way the weight of the gels feels (so far at least) but it definitely holds them. I also like the pocket that lies flat between your back and the water bottles. Good for flattish stuff like phone, wallet. Not so much for bulky things like headlamps, though. JFYI. Bottom line, this is priced consistently with other highly technical hydration vests/systems, and reflects a great deal of thought and engineering to make it perfect for people who run. For the guy who only wanted to pay $79 -- go ahead. THAT'S the price for a vest that rubs, chafes, leaks, holds less water, has minimal room for gels, feels heavy and bounces as you run. Think... Ford. Or Chevy. If you want the one that's barely perceptible and feels WEIGHTLESS while you run -- fully loaded with 50 oz of water -- THIS is your baby. Think Lexus. BMW. PS Another runner stopped me and asked about this vest. Same story -- he's tried the reservoirs, tried the bottles-on-chest vest -- dude, if you see this review, go for it. This felt great for my whole run.

Holds the bottles well. Bottles stay in place. Fairly easy to put bottles away while running. The straps dig into my arms a little, but I got used to it.

Running in Texas in the summer is a miserable, hot, sticky experience. I needed the ability to carry more fluids on long runs than my belt was allowing me, but I didn't want a hydration vest; it just seemed like it would be too hot to wear one. The Orange Mud HydraQuiver Double Barrel is a great solution. It does not cover the chest when worn and only minimally covers the upper back. The bottles are easy to reach and hold over 40oz of hydration. The vest is comfortable and does not chaffe. I like the convenient strap pockets for holding gels and the large pocket on the back which easily holds my phone and car keys.

It took about a mile in my first run the find the most comfortable tension on the straps. But after that, it’s been perfect! No bouncing around, can barely tell that I’m carrying extra water weight. And the bottles are easy to reach. The little should pockets are the perfect size for Gu packets. The only knock is that the zipper pocket is not accessible without taking the whole unit off my back. But, this is pretty minor.

High quality, easy to use, fits perfectly... highly recommeded