First Look: VaporAiress 2.0 Hydration Pack by Nathan
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Nathan VaporAiress 7L 2.0
Price: $150
Weight w/o bladder: 8.3 ounces
Weight w/bladder: 12.2 ounces
Best features: Fit and stability
Room for improvement: Lack of breathability
While this may not be the lightest pack on the market, the fit and features make up for the few ounces of added weight. The pack slides on easily and adjusts to your body shape with a few pulls to the adjustable sides and chest strap. While running, it did not bounce or chafe at all; however, the one downside was the lack of breathability, which may only be an issue on very hot days. Poles slide easily in and out of the storage clips on the back without sliding or bouncing.
The VaporAiress (see the men’s VaporAir here) has eight secure zipper pockets throughout the pack. There are multiple water-resistant cell phone pockets in the front that make it easy to store your phone, listen to music and easily take it out to snap a photo on the trail without having to worry about water soaking through.
Speaking of hydration, the pack comes with a 2L bladder that can be easily removed for shorter runs and fits two additional 22oz bottles that don’t come with the pack. I used the Nathan 20 oz soft bottles in the front and was pleasantly surprised at how easily they slid in and out (without bouncing during running), which is a feature that has been an issue with other packs. The bladder did not bounce around fully filled and the hose stayed secure and easy to access.
Kylee Van Horn, an avid road and trail runner lives in Carbondale, Colorado. She loves a good adventure, craft beer, and talking about sports nutrition.