Product Review: Orange Mud HydraQuiver

Disclaimer: I received an Orange Mud HydraQuiver to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I recently had an opportunity to to try the Orange Mud HydraQuiver. It was an interesting looking hydration vest, and when I say interesting I mean it had a smaller look and the traditional bladder was replaced with a water bottle.

First let me break down the HydraQuiver in different areas. First, the bottle.

When I first took a drink from the water bottle I instantly knew there was something different about the water flow than my normal squeeze bottles. I am a huge fan of drinking from water bottles. I find it to be a lot easier if I am laying around the house to take a drink from a water bottle than have to fill up a traditional glass. Or when I go to the gym or an indoor fitness class I can fill it up and go. So I know my water bottles.

After drinking from this one I knew there was a difference. I couldn’t understand why or put my finger on it, but it felt different……better than what I was used to. It felt like I was getting more water every time I took a drink. This sounds crazy I am sure, but something inside told me this wasn’t like the traditional water bottle.

And I was proven right. Orange Mud responded to a tweet about this very topic…..

@ChaddBalbi @AngieMaskeBerka Glad you all dig it! We use a super high flow rate bottle!

— OrangeMud (@Orangemud) December 9, 2015

So there it is. This “super high flow rate” water bottle is supposedly a thing. I am glad they thought about that, because it made a difference for sure.

Next is the hydration vest itself. As I mentioned before this vest is a little smaller than the ones I am used to. As a result I wasn’t sure exactly how this was going to fit. However after a few tries I realized it slipped right on. The good thing about the HydraQuiver is that even though it is a little smaller than traditional vests you don’t lose storage space. There are two larger pockets on each side as well as smaller pockets for storage at the top of the shoulders. You can easily store the same amount of gear you would in a normal vest.

The final thing I wanted to know about was the fit while running. I am someone who does not like to have a lot on me when running. I don’t like worrying about adjusting gear when I have miles ahead of me. So how would this fit while I went for a run? And it stayed in place with no issues. I was able to run without it sloshing back and forth and needing to be constantly adjusted. It held tight to my body and had no problems.

While I enjoy the majority of the features on this vest there were some concerns. My first concern was going from a traditional bladder to water bottle while on the run. What I like about bladders are the ease in which to get the water. I can grab the tube connected to the bladder, take a sip and let it go. With the HydraQuiver I need to reach back, grab the water bottle and make sure I get it back in the pack. How easy will this process be while on the run?

I was concerned what if I miss putting the water bottle back correctly and it falls to the ground? Now I have to stop my run, turn around and pick it up. And honestly I never had an issue with this. Maybe I am underestimating my hand eye coordination, but it went back into the vest every time with no issues.

Overall I would recommend the HydraQuiver to anyone in the market for a new hydration vest. You will have to get beyond it not looking like a traditional vest the same way I did. But once you do you realize how much benefit this vest can provide you whether you are running, hiking or doing any other sort of outdoor activity.

Need to know more about the HydraQuiver from an expert? Check out this awesome video the owner of Orange Mud created. And once you realize how great this is get one for yourself!