Disclaimer: I received an 16 oz Amphipod Hydraform Handheld to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!"
Well summer is officially here. In Atlanta it feels like summer started a month ago. As I wind down Peachtree Road Race training and get ready to start training for the NYC marathon, I am testing various hydration options to survive the summer heat. The Amphipod Hydraform handheld (http://www.amphipod.com/) is the newest hydration product that I am testing for my journey to NYC. In my next blog post I will compare all the products that I have tested so far. So how did the Amphipod perform in the Georgia heat?
The design
The plastic 16 oz bottle is snuggly wrapped in a removable insulated sleeve. The sleeve, with some effort, can be removed for cleaning. The cap, when closed properly, does not leak while running. Also the sleeve has a pocket for storing small item, keys, and a phone. I used the key hook in the pocket to keep my keys from jumping and rattling during a run. I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 that fit in the pocket with the case on. On a few occasions, I ran with both my phone and keys in the pocket. I think I will reserve the pocket for my keys since my phone was a bit bulky.
The Fit
The 16 oz bottle was the right size for my hands and wasn't too heavy or bulky. When my sweaty hands got a fatigued from running, it was easy to switch the bottle to the other hand. There are slots to store energy gels, but currently I am not running far enough to use them.
Hydrating
Just slightly squeeze the bottle to take a sip of your drink. During training runs it was easy to refill the bottle and keep going. As I mentioned earlier, the bottle didn't leak while swinging and moving my arms, so no messy runs to worry about during training.
The Verdict
I really liked having my hydration in my hand for easy use. I used it during the Braves 5k and it was great to not have to stop and grab water on the course. I plan to use this hydration system for my future training runs and races.
Want to try Amphipod?
Order products from http://www.amphipod.com/ or find a local store in your area by visiting http://www.amphipod.com/productlocator.