Orange Mud Single Barrel HydraQuiver

Posted on April 27, 2016 by fjnardo

2 Comments

Disclaimer: I received a free Orange Mud Single Barrel HydraQuiver as part of being a BibRave Pro. All opinions are my own. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

So I received one of the Orange Mud Single Barrel HydraQuivers to test out and have found myself running a lot more trails and mountain biking because of it. I never thought I’d run with a hydration pack because the ones I’ve seen are usually too bulky, too flimsy, or just don’t seem to be functional for my needs. That’s where the HydraQuiver comes in.

Right away, you could see the quality of work when you unpack it. It comes in four colors and I opted for the gray but you can get black, orange, or pink as well. The features that put this over the top are the low profile so it doesn’t cover the whole back and make you sweat, an easy access deep pocket for valuables, adjustable velcro strap for various sized water bottles, and a good amount of padding that ensures comfort while wearing.

For running: The Single Barrel HydraQuiver was extremely easy to put on. I put some items (camera tripod, ID, keys) in the pocket that I would normally put in my shorts pocket but am so glad to free myself of that burden. Putting the vest on is best when you release the straps to the longest point and then slip it on over the head. I have a Youtube video below that shows how I put mine on. Right away, I could feel how comfortable it was and how it sits high enough on the shoulders and back to be practical. Tightening the shoulder straps was easy with a direct pull downwards to your liking. The shoulder straps have two easy to use velcro straps for energy gels and open downwards so be careful when you go to pull them open. I really like how padded the pack is and it doesn’t bounce around when running. The vest was tested thoroughly through some heavy duty singletrack trails and it didn’t disappoint. Many times I’ve run the trails and hills without water much to my detriment and have found myself running longer and harder now that I can carry a hydration vest that doesn’t burden me with uncomfortable chafing and weight.

For mountain biking: I do not have water bottle mounts on my mountain bike and really never carried water with me on my bike rides. I like the option of having a hydration vest during my long bike rides. The one thing I had to adjust when using the HydraQuiver during biking as opposed to running was lowering the water bottle with the velcro strap as it hit my the back of my head a few times. That’s why I think it’s great to have that adjustable option. A quick velcro pull to make the pocket deeper fixed that issue.

All in all, I am extremely happy with the HydraQuiver for the many features that I was looking for in a hydration vest. It’s a well designed vest that takes comfort and practicality in mind. I don’t mind carrying water now that I’ve found a good way of carrying it.