I have noted before that the hydration pack count at ultras seems to be a two-horse race between Nathan and Ultimate Direction, with a slight edge to Nathan.

Well … remember the 2009 Kentucky Derby, when Mine That Bird stormed back from about 30 lengths behind to cruise to victory in the homestretch? That’s the analogy I’d use to describe the Ultimate Direction Wasp right now – making enormous strides on the field, poised to charge ahead at any moment. Whether or not the lead has officially changed hands is still up for debate, but regardless – this product has caused quite a stir in the world of ultrarunners.

The Wasp

Perhaps it shouldn’t be so surprising that Ultimate Direction is a leader in this market; they’ve been in the hydration game as long as anybody. According to their history page, “Ultimate Direction designs the first water reservoir and begins incorporating them into back packs, 1992”.

Ultimate Direction is also a leading innovator in hydration equipment, responsible for creations like the screw-top flask, gel flask, quad buckle (for hip packs), race belts, and the kicker valve (which is almost too erotically shaped and textured for me to use in good conscience … but that’s a separate story).

In that regard, the Wasp pack might be considered a combination of every feature that works well in other packs, with a few added tricks to distinguish it from others in this category. The end result is a very solid entry that’s tough to find any fault with (but of course, I’ll try).

One distinguishing characteristic of the Wasp is evident as soon as you put it on: namely, the hydration reservoir sits higher than any other model of hydration pack I’ve tested. The Sport Vest harness system keeps the fluid pack between the shoulder blades regardless of how much weight it carries, and prevents it from sliding down to the mid-back area. I found the positioning of the pack to be ideal, but this might be a personal preference issue for other folks.

The harnesses of the Sport Vest system are ergonomically contoured for improved comfort, and there are two strap adjustments on the front of the pack to help with variable positioning, with lateral straps that can be adjusted if necessary (I didn’t need to). The overall result is that the pack feels comfortably snug, like you’re wearing another layer of clothing.

In field testing the Wasp, I was quite impressed with how stable the fluid pack sits during long runs, no matter how full. The Sport Vest managed to virtually eliminate any bouncing or lateral movement on all kinds of terrain, even when running downhill. This is clearly one of the product’s strengths.

Better still, pack stability doesn’t come at the expense of comfort. The back panel features 3D AirMesh pods which create an air channel for ventilation and moisture transfer. Basically, despite the snug feel of the pack, it sits slightly raised off your back to dissipate heat and improve comfort. This is the pack I wore at the Quicksilver 50M last month; over the course of 9 hours, I had absolutely no complaints or discomfort from the pack on what grew to be a fairly warm day. The overall weight of the pack is 1 lb, 5oz, which is middle-of-the-road against the competition, but light enough to not be a problem over long distances.

Cool and comfortable at Quicksilver

The hydration reservoir uses Ultimate Direction’s patented rolltop open/close system. The opening is very effective for creating a tight seal, but it might take an extra second or two to close effectively compared to screw top reservoirs. In particular, on one occasion when I was trying to fly through an aid station quickly, I wasn’t paying close attention and rolled the top crookedly; a few minutes later, I felt my drink leaking from the top, and I had to stop and re-roll it. (This story probably speaks more to my ineffectiveness at aid station transitions than the pack itself, but I thought it was worth noting.)

Fluid volume of the reservoir is listed at 64 oz, which places it slightly below the 70-oz standard for this category – but honestly, I couldn’t tell a difference. On a few occasions, I filled the pack a little bit past the 64-oz line without any major repercussions (you know … as long as I closed the rolltop properly).

Two other features of the reservoir are worth noting: first is a grab loop that keeps the top of the reservoir positioned at the top of the pack, no matter how much fluid is drained. In other words, the pack doesn’t compress downward as it gets empty. Better still, you don’t have to disconnect the loop in order to refill the reservoir.

Another unique feature of the Ultimate Direction reservoir is the neoprene insulation that runs the length of the drink tube. It’s a unique feature among the competition in this category, and works remarkably well. During the Quicksilver race, whenever I dumped ice into the reservoir, the fluid that came out of the tube was immediately cold – I didn’t have to sip through a few ounces of warm drink that had been exposed to the sun before reaching the contents of the main pack. This is one of those “why doesn’t everybody do this?” features that is simple but highly effective.

The Front

The front of the Wasp has four mesh storage compartments: two smaller elastic holsters, one zipper pocket, and one drawstring pocket. The larger pockets are angled slightly laterally, and at first glance, I was worried that my arms would brush against them when they were full. My worry proved to be unfounded — I’ve used the drawstring compartment for my camera, and had the zipper compartment filled with gels and snacks, and never had any issue with my normal arm swing. And since they’re all in the front of the pack, convenience couldn’t be any better.

The Wasp provides 390 cubic inches of total storage space in a variety of locations. Two large compartments on the back of the pack – one in a full-length compartment that sits above the fluid reservoir, another in a separate lateral compartment that also contains a key-holder pouch – are big enough to stash extra layers of clothes. The outside of the pack has a large mesh elastic compartment, and a bungee cord to secure bigger gear. There are also Velcro straps for trekking or ski poles – but not being much of a pole user, I can’t say I got excited about those.

It’s really hard to find a drawback to the Wasp pack; thus far it has met every demand I’ve asked of it. Some summary bullets:

Strengths:

• Higher positioning of fluid reservoir
• Virtually no movement of fluid reservoir or pack in general
• Comfortable, ergonomic fit of vest and harness system
• Front storage areas provide quick access
• Ample rear and lateral storage areas
• Insulated drink tube
• Gender specific models (see below)

Drawbacks:

• Rolltop opening may require a couple extra seconds of attention if you’re in a huge hurry to get through aid stations – but unless you’re trying to keep up with Scott Jurek or Nikki Kimball, you probably shouldn’t be worried about this, anyway.
• It only comes in one color scheme: gray and “paprika.” And I’m more of a blue/black person.

OK, so that last one is nitpicking — but like I said, it’s difficult to find any complaint with the Wasp. This is an outstanding product on all counts, and it’s easy to see why it’s gaining in popularity among the ultra crowd.

Ultimate Direction makes a women’s version, called the Wink, with a slightly different harness and strap system. MSRP for both models is $82 (MSRP for Nathan’s HPL 020/Intensity is $85).

Cross-posted at Running and Rambling. (Originally published June 3, 2009.)

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Wasp Store Page >>

Wink Store Page >>

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