GEAR GUIDE: Nathan Shadow Pak

I've only had one test run on this product, but I think that's enough for this kind of product.

Compared to SPIbelt:

The Shadow Pak is very similar to the SPIbelt. I tried to look for reviews of the Shadow Pak vs. the SPIbelt when I was deciding on which one to buy. The SPIbelt is widely used, but I was able to find the SP for a few dollars less. Note, I've never used a SPIbelt, but I did try one on, and it seemed very snug, no-bounce, and comfy. So I was tempted to go with the tried and true product, but the SP had a few things going for it.

Besides the discount I found, it has reflective accents (I've been really into reflective and highly visible gear lately, since I now am often forced to run at sunset on workdays if the season's right, and/or in areas with much heavier and faster car traffic than in my personal running utopia of Pton.

Anyway, the other plus is a built-in ID tag. I've never really cared about ID'ing myself. I figured that if I was found maimed but alive, I'd get medical help regardless, and if I was found dead, they'd figure it out eventually that it was me. Since I don't stray that far from home, that could fly. If I wanted to run in another state while on a trip, or if I wanted to go to a remote area like trails in the mts, I would definitely see it as a good idea, though (actually doing it is still another issue). So I consider it too bothersome to buy an ID bracelet or to stash my Driver's License, but since it's already in the SP, great. Kill yet another bird with a stone.

The SP has a mesh bag vs. the SPIbelt's like... thick spandexy bag. I think either of the two would be fine. I guess your items may get sweatier with mesh, but you also get to breathe better. So that's about even. One benefit of the SP vs. the SPIbelt, however, is that the zipper is at the top of the SP, so things don't spill out. As I said, I've never tried the SPIbelt, but since its zipper is in the front in the middle, you may have to be a bit more careful about not spilling when trying to access stuff while moving at 7mph. The third point of comparison about the bags is that mesh doesn't expand that much, but spandex does. With the design, though, the two take up about the same amount of space anyways when not full. You could probably force a bit more into the SPIbelt, though.

Test Run with the SP:
I had been concerned that the SP was a knock-off of the SPIbelt that may look visually superior but be functionally inferior. I was most concerned about the bounce. I can happily report that there was no bothersome bounce, though. There is a lot of extra strapping, since my waist is smaller than average, and I had to tuck them into itself, which does make the belt not smooth against my skin. No chafing issues for this distance. 8.6 miles is short, so I never accessed stuff stored inside (this time, I had Shot Bloks and keys). So I guess that's all I can really say for now.

Largely makes my Race Number Belt obselete, since the pouch is more secure than the straps for holding Gu's, and safety pins can easily be used to secure the number to the SP. I guess the Belt can be slightly advantageous in short races that require nothing (due to the lighter weight), like small 5K's where you are totally safe putting your keys in your gear bag out in the open.

// Added 8/14/2011
This is the most popular post in this blog, so I think it's worth giving an update.  It's been over a year and a half since I first purchased this product, and I'm still loving it.  Still no chafing.

If you're wondering about volume, it's big enough to squeeze in my iPodTouch, but if you put that in, that's about all it will be able to hold.  If you were to look at a 3D model of it, it really has a rectangular-ish base (ends are pinched), and the top is the zipper, and the sides would be triangles (but pinched... so a triangle in the middle, but towards the end, they become lines). 

I don't think I've written down contact info yet, because I'm afraid that if I move, it'll be outdated.

I've seen that they now sell it in many different colors.  Black is nice because it matches everything and is less obtrusive for the rare occasion that I wear it out... not while running, but reflective or fluorescent would've been my kind of thing, too.

// Added 9/18/2012
Still going strong, 2.5+ years later, with about 1-2 uses per week, by a fairly speedy (read: sweaty) runner!  I even bought a second one recently, in case anything ever happens to my current one.

Here's a picture of what it looks like, full:

I normally don't stuff it this full depth-wise, but I wanted to give you a sense of the volume.  In it, I stuffed 4 Powerbar Gels and a phone.  It may be a bit awkward if you try to run with it this full.  I typically keep my car key and 1-2 bars or gels in here, and I don't even notice it anymore... I don't think I ever really noticed it, either.  Just for sizing refence, I included sunglasses and a quarter in the picture.

Here's what it looks like, unpacked:

And here's a pic of me wearing it:

FYI, I'm shirtless 99% of the time, even in the dead of winter (I live in the South), and still, no chafing!