QT: Is It Worth It? The Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest 2 and RunLocker

One of the perks of my job is that, from time to time, companies will send me goodies to use/try/have in hopes that I’ll give a glowing review of their products either here, on the podcast, or on the social medias.

I appreciate getting to try some stuff, but one thing that I’m 100% firm about is that I will only speak honestly about the products that I receive.

If a company wants me to talk about their product favorably? Make a good product.

Send me something that sucks? And I’ll tell my audience it sucks.

Y’all remember the Soleus watch review, right?

So today, I’m going to deliver the good, the bad, and the ugly about a couple of pieces of running tech that I’ve been able to use/test/evaluate in the past few months.

Get ready, because I’m about to unleash some truth today y’all.

The Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2

One thing to be clear about right off the bat, Orange Mud didn’t send me a vest to review.

No discount code. No one asked for a review. So this one is all on me.

Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2

The Orange Mud HQVP2 is expensive.

When It bought it, I paid $135 for it. Since then, the price has come down a bit ($119 as of this post going live) but it is still pricey (in my opinion) for a hydration pack.

That said, I have to say I’m not upset with the amount of money I spent.

This is a quality pack.

The Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2: The Specs

The HQVP2 is pretty straight forward in design. And I have to say, the thing just works.

The shoulder straps have two pockets on the front that are big enough to hold just about anything you need.

I typically stash my phone in one pocket, and the other goes unused. But I could see it as a great place to stash some fuel or anything else that you would need during your run.

One pocket also has a little clip sewn in, which is designed to clip your key to so it doesn’t fly out of your pocket while running.

Both pockets ahve a drawstring closure which prevents whatever you put in there from bouncing and/or flying out on the road or trail.

There are also two smaller pockets, one on each strap, that have velcro closures that are perfect for stashing some gels or Tailwind sticks.

The bottles on the back fit securely and are easy to access on the move.

When it comes to adjusting the HQVP2, there are straps on each side, under the arms that are used to really sinch the pack down and a clip/strap in front of the chest as well. If the side straps are adjusted properly, the front clip is almost unecessary.

The Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2: My Take

Like I said earlier, I do like this pack.

My biggest concern when I was thinking about buying it was running bareback with it.

Would it rub me raw? Would I have to wear a shirt with it?

When I put my pack on for the first time, I was a little nervous that it was going to chafe something serious.

And while running, it did feel like it was rubbing on my chest a little bit. So I was worried.

But, thankfully, there were no chaffing issues on the first run nor on any run since.

I’ve worn the vest up to marathon distance so far, and have had no issues with how it works while running.

My only issues are that it can be a bit of a pain to adjust the side straps, which are really the most important straps to make sure that the pack is in place and not bouncing around during the run.

There is a new iteration of this pack that has hit the market recently, and from what I can tell the HQVP2.0 has addressed the issue. I haven’t tried it, so I can’t comment, but if I was going to pick nits this is the only issue I’ve had.

Laundering it is easy (hand wash), and the bottles are machine washable.

All in, if you’re going to use this pack on a regular basis, you will 100% get your money’s worth.

The RunLocker Premium Membership Service

Let me get the disclaimers out of the way early with this one:

They sent me the box for free in exchange for a review.
We are having preliminary discussions about the potential of continuing to work/partner together in the future.

So to sum up, I got my locker for free and I may be working with them more in a variety of ways in 2018 and (possibly) beyond.

So while you are within your right to assume that I’m just going to say all good things about Run Locker in hopes of keeping them happy and the partnership intact, I’d like to remind you of one thing.

If I thought their service was shit, I wouldn’t WANT to continue our relationship going forward.

RunLocker has only just launched, the first lockers shipped in December, so there are some things that will be iterated as the company continues to grow.

But the thing I notice immediately upon opening the box is that the items were different than the subscription services I’ve seen in the past.

To put it bluntly: the products were actual products. No knock-offs or samples. The items in the box were all legit.

Now, you can raise the question of whether or not I needed any of the things in the box, but I’d rather get a box of items that are actually useable (whether or not I use them) than a bunch of sample packs of gus and chews like I have seen from other companies/services.

Seriously, I don’t need any more sample packs of Bio Freeze…

The RunLocker Premium Membership Service: The Items

When I say actual products, here’s what I mean:

RunLocker Contents

Zensah Arm Warmers
Set of Lock Laces
Asics Head Band
RunLocker Pop Socket
Bonk Breaker Bars (Not Pictured. Pretty sure Beks or Adi ate those already!)

When you sign up for a RunLocker subscription, you fill out some basic information that helps them cater your box to you.

So, in theory at least, you’ll always get things that could be useful to you and that you actually want. As opposed to a box of stuff that you could really care less about…

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Well, there you have it.

My take on the Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2 and the RunLocker Premium Membership service.

If you have any questions or would like further clarification on any of these products, just let me know!

Leave a comment below, holler at me on social, or shoot me an email with your questions and I’ll be happy to help you understand either of these items more completely.

***Legalese: I received a locker from RunLocker in exchange for providing feedback on the contents of the locker and with the expectation of a review on the blog. The thoughts/opinions/reviews of each product are 100% my own. My reviews have been in no way influenced by anyone associated with any of the companies or products discussed in this post/episode.***

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Have You Used Either of These Items Before? What Are Your Thoughts?

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