Forums >Gears and Wears>Nathan #020 Hydration Vest - Am I Doing Something Wrong?
Proboscis Colossus
Got a sweet deal on a Nathan #020 Hydration Vest, which I'd been eyeballing for awhile (said sweet deal is still on, via that link). Love, love, love the fit and functionality (after my "National Treasure" moment when I discovered the adjustable sternum strap) - no chafing, even after my first ultra Saturday night, and plenty of storage space, even on the front straps for things you need to grab without stopping.
I'm having bladder issues, though. Er, the bladder in the pack, that is. For one, it seems to be too large for the pack. Even if I carefully lower it in, making sure the bottom of the bladder is flush against the bottom, it still doesn't "hang" from the hook at the top, meaning if I want it to stay upright, I have to sort of push it down and attach it to the hanging loop with a twist-tie. Obviously, I can just buy a smaller bladder, but since this one came with the pack, I wonder if I'm missing something, like I was at first with the sternum strap.
Also, when I drink from the valve, I get constant air bubbles, to the point that every mouthful is about 50% air. I figure there must be a leak somewhere around the tube, but then again, seems like if that were the case, I'd notice water leaking out into the pack, which I don't. If I leave the bite valve in the "on" position, it does dribble a little bit.
That's it for my bladder issues regarding this pack (my other ones have been documented in another thread). Anyone have any input? Am I missing something, or do I just need to upgrade?
"God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people
I have the same exact vest and haven't had any issues.
No idea how you could be getting air bubbles on a constant basis like that. The tube comes from the bottom of the bladder so even if you had some extra air in there that you didn't get out when you were filling it up, it would just be at the top sloshing around, it shouldn't be getting in the tube. Maybe you have a defective bite valve and it is not closing off completely after a drink and letting air come back into the tube that way? My bite valve is strictly a pressure activated one, no on or off position. To drink I have to bite on the valve to allow water to come out. When I'm done, I take my mouth off it and it shuts off.
When completely full, the bladder doesn't "hang" from the hook, but it will still clip into the hook and then as it is consumed it ends up hanging from the loop.
Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)
Current PR's: Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)
I have the same exact vest and haven't had any issues. No idea how you could be getting air bubbles on a constant basis like that. The tube comes from the bottom of the bladder so even if you had some extra air in there that you didn't get out when you were filling it up, it would just be at the top sloshing around, it shouldn't be getting in the tube. Maybe you have a defective bite valve and it is not closing off completely after a drink and letting air come back into the tube that way? My bite valve is strictly a pressure activated one, no on or off position. To drink I have to bite on the valve to allow water to come out. When I'm done, I take my mouth off it and it shuts off. When completely full, the bladder doesn't "hang" from the hook, but it will still clip into the hook and then as it is consumed it ends up hanging from the loop.
Hmm, it may be a defective bite valve, then...because mine is the pressure-activated one you describe - you can rotate it so that the flow is shut off even when bitten, but whether it is on or off, there are indeed air bubbles going back toward the bladder.
Not sure what to make of the hanging issue, though. Yours is the 2-liter capacity, I assume?
I have that model also, and the bladder doesn't really hang from that hook on mine either. I sort of assumed it's there just to prevent the bladder from deforming and scrunching down as the bladder empties.
As far as the air bubbles go, have you tried squeezing all the air out of the bladder before loading it into the vest? I always flip mine upside down (where the tube is at the top), squeeze the bite valve, and then squeeze the bladder to let all the air escape. That might be all you need to do?
Thanks, cliffy, I may give that a shot. I have to say, though, I don't understand how the air would be getting into the tube even if it was just air that had gotten in the bladder when I filled it.
I've gotten air bubbles in the tube before. What eliminated it was taking bite pressure off the valve while still sucking (at least a little bit) on the tube. Apparently, taking the suction away let air start going in through the valve before I stopped biting it enough to let it close.
As for the "hanging", I don't think the bladder is designed to hang from that spindly little loop -- it'd just rip over time with the constant force of the bladder on it. The loop is more to keep the bladder elongated, even as it empties and would otherwise fold down/collapse.
"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."
-- Dick LeBeau
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the best part about this vest is that I had it personalized with my name on it!
Nathan
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the best part about this vest is that I had it personalized with my name on it! Nathan
Lol! Yeah, I was wondering about that...I assume it's your signature edition. If we ever meet, I'll get you to autograph mine!
Help! Just tried my vest for the first time today, got a great deal at REI. Don't have any air bubble issues but mine won't hang on the 'hook' either which caused a lot of sloshing around during my run. I feel that if it did hang properly, it wouldn't bounce or slosh as much. As someone pointed out earlier, the bladder is as big or bigger than the pouch. It almost felt like the whole bladder was bunched up at the bottom and sitting against my back (I filled it about 75%). when I opened the pocket, the bladder was NOT hooked to the loop, it simply fell off.
I really want to like this, but after 1 try, i'm not happy.
Any suggestion on how to fit it properly?
Help! Just tried my vest for the first time today, got a great deal at REI. Don't have any air bubble issues but mine won't hang on the 'hook' either which caused a lot of sloshing around during my run. I feel that if it did hang properly, it wouldn't bounce or slosh as much. As someone pointed out earlier, the bladder is as big or bigger than the pouch. It almost felt like the whole bladder was bunched up at the bottom and sitting against my back (I filled it about 75%). when I opened the pocket, the bladder was NOT hooked to the loop, it simply fell off. I really want to like this, but after 1 try, i'm not happy. Any suggestion on how to fit it properly?
That's part of my issue, too. My solution thus far has been to...let's see, how can I describe it without having to dig it out and take a picture...
Okay, the plastic hook at the top of the bladder has the slot that is supposed to accept the loop on the pack, and then above it is another slot that is closed off, right? Okay, if you slide the loop into the open slot, as I assume you're supposed to do, then take a cheapo twist-tie and poke it through the closed slot to the side of the loop, you can then use the tie to secure the loop to the plastic hook, and it will at least stay up there. Bottom will still be bunched up, though.
That's probably clear as mud; I'll try to take a pic next time I'm filling it up.
I'm planning to call Nathan, if they have a customer service number I can find, and ask them about this and my air bubble issue. I'll report back after I get in touch with them.
Okay, just got off the phone with them. She said it sounded odd that it was bunching up in the bottom of the bag when hung properly, and perhaps it was mislabeled, so, they're sending me a 1.5L bladder (which of course includes a new bite valve and tube), free of charge.
I'm now a Nathan fan, based on that customer service experience!
I'm gonna call right now!!!
Your explanation was very clear
you faired better than me. They are going to send me some replacement parts to have it hook and hold better as my bladder is the new model but my vest is the old model.
They were very nice. I'll report back once i have the new parts.
running metalhead
Silly question (don't laugh please):
are you supposed to drink while running or shouod you stop, drink and continue?
I'm asking because I get out of breath when trying to drink while running. I also had the bubbles issue, but after reading the posts I think I will give Cliff and Cliffy's solutions a try. Note that I never fill the whole thing.
- Egmond ( 14 januari ) : 1:41:40 (21K)- Vondelparkloop ( 20 januari ) : 0:58.1 (10K but did 13.44!!!)- Twiskemolenloop ( 4 maart ) : 1:35:19 (3th M45!)
- Ekiden Zwolle (10K) ( 25 maart )- Rotterdam Marathon ( 8 april )- Leiden Marathon Halve ( 27 mei )- Marathon Amersfoort ( 10 juni)