When it comes to hydrating your body on the go, hydration belts and hydration vests are two convenient ways to carry water without having to hold a water bottle while running. If, in fact, you don't even want to touch a water bottle at all, a hydration vest bladder is the way to go.
For true handsfree hydration on the go, the Osprey Duro 6 is a neat hydration vest that also doubles as a minimalist backpack for carrying your stuff whether out on a trail, road or running with your dog.
The Osprey Duro 6 hydration pack comes complete with two soft flask bpa free pouches and extension straw with a bite valve mouthpiece attach at the end of it. Each soft flask water bottle can hold 500ml (17oz) of liquid and has a measuring scale in fluid ounce (oz) and milliliter.
As well as 500ml soft flasks, the Duro 6 hydration pack allows you to change water bladders to suit the quantity of water required, as well as storing larger water bladders in the Duro 6's hydration sleeve located internally in the main zip compartment.
The bite valves on the Duro 6 soft flasks work similarity to kiddies bite valve water bottles so, you bite down to get the water flowing and then release to seal the water flow, which automatically prevents spillages and water dripping.
Bite valves are a neat bit of kit but they don't last forever because the constant biting does eventually split the valve. Luckily, bite valves are removable so, you can easily replace the Duro 6 bite valves with an OEM bite valve from Osprey or with a 6.5mm third-party alternative.
Another thing to keep in mind with bite valves is that they are exposed to dirt so mold can easily build up especially if you live in a very humid climate. For hygienic purposes, you definitely want to be washing bite valves and bladders regularly. Getting a bite valve cover would also make sense.
The Osprey Duro 6 running vest is lined internally with 70 Denier ripstop nylon, while the exterior is made with 140 Denier ripstop nylon. Using ripstop nylon makes the nylon fabric much more resistant to ripping or breaking apart; hence 70 denier nylon isn't the same as 70 denier ripstop nylon even though they both have the same denier nylon rating.
While the Osprey Duro 6 running vest is designed for half marathons and trail racing, it also makes a perfect solution for a city runner who does short and longer jogs where they need to carry water and other bits and bobs.
You can carry a litre of water, which should be plenty of hydration for 2-hour runs in cool weather while keeping yourself constantly hydrated very conveniently and without ever having to reach to a water bottle!
There is even a red clip that you can use to clip your keys, as well as an elastic attachment on the back of the vest. Buy it