The Body Bottle: Hydration on the Go

Because I sweat so much on a run, I have to carry fluids with me on most runs, especially a long run. I use both a handheld water bottle and a hydration belt that holds 4 smaller bottles. Both of these work great, but I'm always on the lookout for new running gear that improves upon an old standard.

The other day on Twitter, I received a Follow request from Body Bottle. The name piqued my curiosity so I checked out their website. Body Bottle is a new hydration product that's an alternative to the hip-belt and hand-held options. Basically Body Bottle is a wide Velcro band that fits around your upper arm and the plastic bottle attaches to the band. So basically your water or sports drink is carried on your upper arm and when you need a sip, you pull off the bottle, drink, then stick it back in place.

This looked like a cool idea, but I was a little skeptical about how well it would stay on my arm and how well the bottle would remain in place once filled with water or sports drink. So, I contacted Body Bottle and asked for a sample so I could test it out.

The thing I liked about the Body Bottle when it arrived was that there was nothing to figure out. I opened the box, washed the bottle (shaped more like a flask to fit the contour of your arm), filled it up, slipped the band on my arm, and attached the bottle. That was it! Then came the real test—running with it.

It actually works quite well. I was surprised how securely the bottle stayed in place. It didn't slip around and it didn't bob up and down. It did take a few times to get the hang of removing the bottle (because the quality/grade of Velcro is very sturdy), but after a few tries I had no problem detaching the bottle. Reattaching is very simple too—just stick it back on the band.

The only thing that was a disappointing was the size of the bottle (12oz). I would be able to use the Body Bottle on a run up to about 6 miles, but not on a run much further than that and definitely not on a long run. I guess you could run with a bottle on each arm, but that would mean buying two bottles. The Body Bottle sells for $24.95 each, but you do get 20% 0ff when you buy 2 or more. Also, the website says that if you're running a half or full marathon in 2009, you get a 20% discount.

So, Body Bottle Gets 4 out of 5 Dudes on RunnerDude's new rating scale. Great product just needs a bigger bottle option. Check it out on their website and give it a try!