The Details
- Hydration capacity 70 oz. (2 L)
- Total capacity 200 cu in. (3.28 L)
- 1/4 turn easy open cap
- Light-weight fill port
- Patented Big Bite™ valve
- Easy to clean wide-mouth opening
- Pack weight 1.15 lbs. (.54 kg)
- Dimensions 18.5 x 14 x 3 in. (47 x 35 x 8 cm)
- Retail $130
The Experience
CAMELBAK continues to find the best ways to take hydration with you. I ran the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim in 2011. This is a 43 mile run with 10k of vertical gain and 10k of decent. With the extreme changes in temperature, continuous hydration is essential. I did R2R2R again this spring 2012 and the temperature was hotter which made the experience even more challenging and dangerous. I ran this time with the ULTRA LR Vest by Camelbak.
Imagine running for 3 hours straight with temperatures in the high 90's, no wind; this is all after you have already been running for 10 hours. In comes the ULTRA. The ULTRA is made with a horizontal lumbar bladder that wraps around the waist. The shoulder straps help to secure the bladder and evenly distribute any weight through the shoulders, chest, and waist. The bladder carries 70 ounces of water. The construction is almost entirely made of durable mesh that does not absorb any water or sweat. The mesh truly wicks the moisture away. The waist strap has extra adjustable straps to help balance and tighten the bladder as water is depleted. These additional straps stop the bladder from sloshing. The pockets are evenly balanced on both sides of the waist and in the shoulder straps. These pockets are great for grabbing a quick energy gel. The back of the pack there is a vertical net pocket. I love this because I was able to stuff a hat, rain jacket and garbage in this area. I am very impressed with the ULTRA it is very easy to size and adjust. There were never any uncomfortable spots that were rubbing. The chest clip has some stretch to it and this is great for bouncing around quickly and taking deep breaths.
At each of the fill stations in the Grand Canyon I topped off the 70 ounce bladder. The refills were easy and quick and the support around the bladder is fine tuned to allow for quick removal and easy to strap back in. I consumed almost entirely GU ROCTANE drink. This was great for me and kept me going strong until I felt like passing out at the end.
When running in high temperatures and on challenging terrain there is an extra degree of confidence when you know that the most important piece of equipment (besides your shoes) is fail proof. The ULTRA LR vest was fantastic to train in through the winter and was perfect for an intense day in the Grand Canyon. The ULTRA LR is worth the price tag of $130 and with the Camelbak guarantee you cannot go wrong.
Check out more information at www.camelbak.com
