CamelBak Octane XC

With my marathon fast approaching, I new I had to sort out my back pack. The EnduranceLife series requires you to carry water, a space blanket and a phone. I have a very old CamelBak that I used the on one of their half marathons but it wasn't great. It was uncomfortable and rubbed a little so I figured by the end of 26.2 miles, it would be a disaster.

So I looked around and decided on the CamelBak Octane XC from Wiggle.

It has a 2 litre capacity and three pockets, two big ones around the sides and a small one on top. I had gels in one pocket, inhaler in another and my phone and money in the top.

I gave it a good test wearing it on my 20 mile long run at the weekend. It felt heavy when full of water but once I put it on it was fine. The strap around the waist made it feel stable but the strap around my chest did feel like it was lifting and separating and giving me a nice rack so I didn't do it up. Vanity over comfort.

After I started, it was fairly uneventful. The water did slosh around and the noise was a little annoying but the movement was minimal. It was very comfortable, didn't make me too hot and didn't rub. I had to tighten the shoulder straps a few times as they felt loose but that was all.

I'm extremely happy with my purchase. £45 well spent.