Gear Review: The Ultimate Direction Solitaire HHS

Bill Brown June 9, 2008

There are a few things about running that I’m still getting used to.

I’ve gotten running form and workout nutrition down fairly well, but other things are a little tougher for me to adapt to. Style things. Things like running spandex, or those short shorts, things like those water bottle fanny packs that hardcore runners wear.

I don’t know that I’ll ever be rocking the spandex, but after my little heat-induced revelation, I learned pretty fast that I’d need hydration on the run. So I sucked up my pride and bought the coolest-looking waist hydration system that I could find-the Solitaire HHS by Ultimate Direction. It features a singular bottle instead of those mini bottles scattered around the perimeter and it even has a nice little pocket above the bottle to store little snacks like Gu and Jelly Belly Sport Beans. The 24 oz. Bottle is stored in the back and comes out of either side for easy access. Convenient water at a minimal cost to my style-how could I go wrong?

Any number of ways, apparently. Starting out my run, I was hugely disturbed by the bouncing weight at the small of my back. Fortunately I didn’t have to put up with it for long, because the bottle fell out before I got 100 feet away from my car. I stopped, trying to avoid eye contact with the other people on the trail, and put it back in. It promptly fell out again. And again. After a very frustrating half-mile, I ditched the belt and tried to run with the bottle in my hand…until the top started leaking water everywhere, sending a spray of water in a frustrating arc every time my arm swung forward. I’m not sure which is more embarrassing to do in public: to fling water everywhere or to yell at a half-empty bottle. I can tell you that both were pretty bad.

To make matters worse, my best friend, who had opted to go with the geekier (but far more effective) Ultimate Direction Thunderbolt model with the smaller bottles disbursed throughout the belt, smugly finished his run fully hydrated.

Luckily, I snaked a mini bottle from him and survived my run.

It was a shame because I’m usually a big fan of Ultimate Direction with their neat-o Kicker valve. I have their Wasp hydration pack, and I’ve been hugely pleased with it, so I’m not ready to give up on them yet. I’m going to try the hand-held Fastdraw Extreme next time. Wish me luck…


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