Nathan NS4913 Vaporkrar Running Fitness Waist Pack with Soft 18oz Flask

Definite pros and cons to this belt, though overall I am a big fan and it has made my long runs better. With a statement such as that, I wish I could give it five stars, but I can't.Pros:It allows me to carry everything I need for a long run in a wonderfully unobstructive way. My Galaxy S8, gels, baggie for empty gel packs, park pass/ID if need be, and 18 ounces of water are far less of a burden than they ever have been before.I’ve used more standard waist packs with water bottles and they’ve always bounced and I’ve struggled to get them to fit properly. I’ve had zero issues with this belt in that regard. It’s VERY easy to adjust the fit on the fly. If you completely fill the water bottle, there will be a slight bounce (in my experience), though it hasn’t bothered me at all. Plus, as you drink water, the bounce becomes less and less. The fact that the bottle is a soft flask and the size/shape changes as you drink, probably helps (less round=more able to contour to your body’s shape).Given the previous reviews, it seems there were issues with the water bottle in the past. I can report that I haven't had any real issues with it. Occasionally it takes two tries to get the cap properly threaded. I test it before heading out by giving the bottle a squeeze over the sink. I've been running with this for about six weeks now and haven't gotten leaked on yet (which is appreciated since it's cold out at the moment!). I also really like the design of the bottle. It's nice to have it get smaller as you drink from it. Plus, I'm a big fan of the bite cap.Con:There’s really just one and that’s the ability to get the bottle back into the belt after drinking. It really drives me crazy. It’ll often take me about a solid minute of standing on the side of the road, trying to “see with my hands” where exactly to slide the bottle back into, find the Velcro, and ensure that the top and the bottom of the flask are properly inside before starting back up. There are no quick and casual sips of water with this belt. It’s a commitment.Most of the difficulty is in determining *where* the opening is of the belt. I spend a lot of time thinking I’m opening it, when I’m actually reaching too far and am essentially trying to put the bottle between my back and the belt itself!This issue is made worse by the cold weather because I’ve found it’s basically impossible to get the bottle back in with gloves on. Or will it be worse in warm weather when one needs water more frequently??Conclusion/TLDR:Do you want minimalism and the ability to carry plenty of stuff without feeling like you are and are willing to sacrifice a little time on your run with water stops? I completely recommend this belt then! I’d think twice about it if the idea of 60 second water stops isn’t for you.Feedback to the manufacturer:Nathan, if you are reading this, you’re onto something here! This belt is fantastic overall and I’m sure with a little additional R&D you’ll be able to find a way to make it easier to find the opening of the belt. I’m completely sympathetic to the fact that much of what makes the belt so good is in fact what leads to the issue of getting the bottle back in. If you can come up with a way to guide the user’s hand into the water pouch, and release the 2.0 version of this, I’ll buy it in a heartbeat.

i love this belt! if you are a minimalist you will love this belt! living here in houston, running without a shirt is a must in the summer time! but i need a belt to carry my fuels, salt and electrolytes and i need something that will stay fixed in place! i have many belts and vests for just about all kind of distances....and i have to say this belt just fulfilled a need that i have been missing! i ordered this belt today....it came today...way to go amazon! i took it out for a 12 mile run. this belt is going to get used! i had an iphone in the front pocket along with my house key. i had a couple of gels on the right pocket; it can probably fit 6 gels if you stretched the pocket. in the left pocket i had my salt tablets and electrolytes tablets......there was plenty of room left over for other items. there is no fear of anything falling out of these pockets as i had cinched the belt down pretty tight. i replaced the bottle with an ultimate direction handheld, which i know defeats the purpose...i am used to holding a 20oz bottle in my hand. the pocket in the back can be used to fit a water bottle or foods or gloves or a light weight jacket or a flashlight.....it can hold a lot of stuff! now what is great about this pack is that you can cinched it down to fit your waist. i found that it did not move throughout the run.....a BIG positive in my opinion. i have been looking for a belt like this forever! it literally disappeared on my waist and i can just focus on running. now if you intend to use the pouch in the back to store a collapsible water bottle i can see it being a challenge when the water container is full. i think one of the reviews below talked about it being difficult to put back in after drawing a drink from it....i think he may be right. but since i carry my bottle in my hand i dont see that as a problem. having said that....what keeps you from bringing that to the front and the phone pocket to the back? anyway....really nice belt. it meets my needs for carrying all of my supplies for a self supported run probably up to a 50k. longer than that i will supplement this belt with a vest. i love the material that this belt is made out of. it is stretchable and seems to be very well made. nice job Nathan! awesome belt!

After many years using the flip belt, I wanted something that can hold my soft flask with easily accessible pouches. I tried many other brands including Salomon Agile 250, and unfortunately, due to my small waist, I was unable to adjust the size to fit me properly. I'm 5'4, 127 lbs 26 inch waist and 35 hips, 36 rear circumference This belt works perfectly because it doesn't buckle or has straps to fasen. I ordered the xxs.xs and it fits perfectly, stays on my wasist, doest bounce. I have room for soft flask it came with (love it btw), gels, and fits the new iphone 11 with a case snug (since the front zipper pouch is stretchy) and fits the new iphone SE (2nd generation) 2020 with plenty of room for keys and Vera Bradly ID wallet.The back pouch holds the water with no issue accessing mid run. The only issue I had so far is one of the nylon straps you pull to clinch the belt for a more secure fit snagged (I mightve pulled too hard accidently). I had my mom sew it back for me and haven't had an issue since. Otherwise, I love how it has grippy inner linings so it wont slip. If I could change one thing it would be making the back velcro pouch a zipper. There's nothing wrong with the velcro (still works after many hot sweaty runs), just a personal preference because I like to shove snacks in there and like knowing I won't lose jelly beans mid run.

Bought as a gift for my husband, as he'd used his previous one to the point of breaking! He loves it for his long training runs.

Water bottle cap leaks without a close inspection when tightened (9 out of 10 times); however success rate improves over time after practices. If the manufacturer can solve the cap closure problem this it can become a very good product.Wished the front pocket were made a tad wider.*** After a few times of uses, I've overcome this situation by taking a close look at the alignment of the cap before tightening. If I find a seam in between I just give it a push on the hightened side of the brim against the cap to close it, before giving it a final sealing quarter turn.*** Another tip: I rinse the inside of the bottle with hydrogen peroxide (I got from Walmart) whenever I suspect any mold is growing on the sidewall. A gentle rub will do the job. The transparent material has been a great help for easy inspection.A terrific product after all.

My decision to go with this belt was to avoid the dorky look of other running belts and something that was lightweight and reasonably comfortable for my 10k - half runs. It kind of does it, but with some drawbacks.My big issue with the belt is ease of use. Accessing the flask is a bit iffy while running and can easily roll out and end up on the ground if your not careful due to its floppy shape. Often I rotate the belt around so that the bottle is facing forward and easier to deal with, but doing so messes with my clothing (twists and bunches) and risks dropping other bits stored in the belt. Storing the flask is a pain. Getting the bottle back into the pouch straight without pinching the bite valve so that it doesn’t leak all over is annoying and involves matching a small patch of Velcro to ensure that the bottle is securely in place and won’t drop out.For now it works, but will look for other options.

This is a great product and it works as advertised. I would give it 5 stars if the water container didn't leak when put into the back pouch.

Great for the extra bottle space in the back. Snacks and phone for perfect. Didn't even know it was there unless I wanted something from it. No bounce. Had to tighten the belt after 10 hours of running (ultra).