Ode to Gu Brew

I love GU Brew, specifically Blueberry Pomegranate.  Flavor wise it is my favorite tasting drink, hands down!  It is the perfect balance of flavors, sweet, and salty. Goes down so smooth, and the hotter it gets outside the better it tastes.  Blueberry pomegranate has twice the sodium so it is perfect for South Carolina's sweaty humid summers.

But this could be a sad tale.  I bought some on sale at Runningwarehouse, then I realized why it was on sale....

Gu Brew is getting a face lift and a new carb profile.

Original

New Brew

So a hair more sodium, slightly less potassium, same total sugars but apparently they have gone to a 50/50 maltodextrin/fructose mix.  This is exciting for me since I prefer my sugars to be as complex as they can be.

I also like the smaller single serving mix packets. 

So reserving the right to be sad at the passing of my favorite tasting drink, bit hopeful that the Nu Brew will be as good if not better than the Old Bru.  

More to come.  Gotta run!

Mud Energy Gel

So I got my first Runnerbox in so I will have fuel for running and reviews. Here is the first thing I tried out of it....

To give you an idea of size...

These things are freaking huge! They take up the space of about 2-3 gels in a pocket.  But of course this increase in size comes with an increase in calories right?

No not really, about the same as every other gel product on the market, only hugified!  That is the scientific process of making smaller things huge, hugification!

The big awesome thing about these that justifies the size is the protein.  

Gu-0,Mud-12!

So that's a huge amount of protein for a "gel".  

The taste was ok, let's face it most gels taste nasty... These are not the nastier nor the best.  I would put them in the top 5 for flavors.  

So as a running gel these seem ok.  They are originally intended for cyclists I think.  For long distance running they are something that I want to try out, but as regular running gels they unfortunately complicate the whole thing since most running gels are about the same size therefore most holders are meant to hold that standard size.  The big boys just don't fit most pockets.  

Flavor-4/5

Nutrition-5/5

Design- 4/5

Cost- 3/5

Flavor was good, I give it the 5 for nutrition for the protein addition.  Design is pretty cool, cost is the only ding.  At 37.80 for a 12 pack that's 3 bucks a pop!  But again the protein for marathon to ultra distances would be a good benefit.  

So for longer events I would recommend these but for normal training no.  

Run Commuter Bag: Ultraspire Fastpack

I am an unashamed Ultraspire fanboy.  I love almost all of their products, I run more with their products than anything else.  I picked up a Fastpack about a year ago and it has sat. I have never really used it, it is too big for training runs.  I had bought it specifically for a two day run/hike I was going to do with my son next year (he's going to ride his bike). 

But since I am having such a problem finding the perfect run commute bag I figured I would knock the dust off an take it for a whirl.

If you have ever used anything Ultraspire then you are familiar with "The Front".  It is the same front they use for most of their vests, and for good reason.  

Right side has a stretch mesh bottle holder and above that is their magnet closure small pouch, meant for electrolyte  

pills but also great for cash since it is sweatproof.  I stow my iPod shuffle in there when it rains.

Left side has a small upper stretch pocket good for gels and a larger zippered pocket below with an external stretch mesh pouch.  

The back has a nice stretch zippered pouch on the flap that snaps down to an external stretch stow pouch.  

Large bottle storage holders on both sides.

The main compartment is just over 16L.

And the waist belt  straps have a stretch pocket and zippered pocket.  

The real genius of this pack is it's form.  The usual side adjustment straps are replaced with one continuous strap that slides through the back portion.  This means as you swing your arms and swivel the pack does not shift and pull as much.  It also means there is only one adjustment that needs to be made for the 

sides. No more trying to make sure both straps are even.  In conjunction with the waist strap the fit can get really dialed in.  I do find it takes about the first half mile running and messing with it to get it right but once it is there it is there. It becomes a part of you.  

Now let's get to my beef with this design.   

First there needs to be two chest straps! They have then on their smaller bags so this their biggest should also have two.  

I would also like to see the torso sections a little longer.  They ride up a little on me but then again I am bigger than the average runner.

The other gripe I have is only specific to evaluating this as a run commuting bag and that is bags zippered access.  It is very narrow.  Great for stuffing things down but bag for trying to get folded clothes in flat.

Function- 4/5

Looks- 4/5

Quality- 5/5 

Weight- 5/5

Price- 4/5

Like I said earlier I have the older model.  The newer one has the better mesh and even lighter materials. I have to ding function as a commuting bag due to the 

narrow opening.  Over all probably one of the best options I will have for run commuting for awhile.  Thanks for reading.. Gotta run!

Run Commuter Bag: Grip EQ

Another hobby of mine is Disc Golf.  I play about once a week.  I'm ok.  I birdie

, I bogey, I par.  I won't tell you which one I do most often.  But as I mentioned in an earlier post I am run commuting to work and have been looking for the perfect bag.  

In discgolf most people carry a bag to hold their various discs.

Smaller ones look like this...

Slightly larger ones look like this...

These would obviously suck as running bags! But so that you are now luggin abunch of weight on a strap on one shoulder, companies started making back pack style bags.  One of the premier bags is the Grip EQ bag

Now as you can see it is a large bag with lots of storage.  Dual water bottle holders, I don't know of you can access them on the run. 

Here is some stuff for Grip's site showing off the theoretical storage of the bag...

They even imply that you could run in it...

The question is can you? Well that remains to be seen. I'm not in a money position to drop $250 dollars on a bag that might work...I got burned by the Salomon Commuter RX so I'm buy shy about spending right now.  I have been corresponding with Grip about getting a bag to review and I hope that they can make it happen. Until then I think it could be a great bag.  Lots of storage, lots of padding, large structured area for disc storage could  easily be used for shoes and clothes.  

So until I can get one to try, this is all theoretical.  

Update... I have been in contact with a rep about trying to get a bag to test out.   

Gotta go throw!  Then run... 

Run Commuter Bag: Salomon Run Commuter RX

So I have started run commuting both ways to work.  It's just under 6 miles. So in and out it just over 11 miles. 

So when I saw the Salomon Commuter RX back pack I thought I had found my perfect solution.  

Sleek, black, lightweight, it looked perfect... So I made the classic mistake of trying out something new on "race day".  I tried it for inaugural run into work.

I put in a few changes of clothes, and some other accessories and I was off.

The straps are really thin... And there is no chest strap!  Absolutely nothing across the sternum!  This combined with the thin straps made for a miserable run but I was already on the way and didn't have time to turn back.  

The back is broad and has very poor ventilation and minimal padding.  I can appreciate this for the minimalness but in practice it was miserable.  The buckles on the straps ended up riding pretty high so they were rubbing on my ribs.  I have a long torso but I'm not a freak of any kind. 

The storage was nice and as an everyday backpack it is great.  Like I said ninja black, sleek, sexy, great around town bag .  

As a run commuting bag... This is a fail.  

So evaluating this as a run commuting bag...

Function-1/5 

Looks-4/5

Quality- 5/5

Weight- 5/5

Cost- 4/5

So as you can see over all it is a great backpack.  But as a run commuting backpack it just falls too short for me, overall score...

2/5

Thanks for reading, gotta run!