It’s time. It’s definitely time for a change. Out with old and in with the new.
With this in mind, I was at Gord’s Running Store banging at the door just before 10 a.m. on Saturday morning. Just kidding … but I was definitely the first customer as Gord looked up from turning on the cash register. I’ve had it with my hydration pack. It’s been a good haul – over six years. Originally white in colour, my vapor shape now is faded and very, very dirty. No amount of soap would get out those nasty sweat marks.
Enter the Nathan Vapor Howe. A few weeks ago, I was listening to a Trail Runner Nation podcast with featured guest ultrarunner Stephanie Howe Violett. She spoke about the pack that she designed with Nathan. It sounded really awesome. I wondered if it was in Canada yet.
Sure enough when I was buying sneakers in Lethbridge, I noticed the pack in the store. I had already spent $300 on sneakers and I couldn’t justify spending another $275.
But when I got home, I Googled the pack and asked around about it. I remembered Amber recently bought a new pack. It turned out it was the Vapor Howe. Amber loved it. (Amber has never steered me wrong.)
I was sold.
I picked up the vest and headed to Kananaskis Country. There was a lot of traffic and stoppages because of traffic so I drove to Prairie Mountain. The night before I offhandedly mentioned to Amanda that I should do repeats. Rachel and I have run into Harold doing repeats on Prairie (and just about every mountain in the Rockies). We thought he was nuts. I swore I would never be that crazy.
So here I was talking to myself (iPhone died; low on water) on my way down Prairie. At first, I was optimistic – I will do three repeats. But I knew if I went back to my car to fill up my vest that I would not make it up a third time. Two times it was!
Vapor Howe? So far, so good. I’ll write a proper review after I run with it a few more times. My initial reaction? I love it.