I was contacted at the end of last year by the guys at Silverfox (their website is Travel Outdoors) asking if I’d like to review one of the Lowe Alpine Lightflite products.
I tend to use a small daysack if I’m out on the moors with the dog for shorter jaunts but it does feel a bit of overkill when it’s just a couple or four hours mooching about the hills, so a beltpack has actually been something I’ve thought about getting.
The product I got was the Lightflite hydro beltpack. They were initially designed by an ultra runner (Mark Hartell) but can be used for short day hikes too. Which is good, as I’m no ultra runner. [cough].
The photo below is from the Silverfox website : as it’s a beltpack it’s hard for me to take a photo of me wearing it with setting up the phone / camera on a handy drystone wall and on a timer – the current windy weather isn’t conducive to doing that 😉
I’ve worn the beltpack on three occasions now and it’s been really useful. It has a 4 litre capacity and I haven’t yet filled that. Typically I have a couple of scooby snacks for the dog in there plus my useful bits and bobs of emergency whistle, headtorch (sometimes I head out late and just in case I’m up on a track as it gets dark – be safe kids) and a snack (an apple fits in well.. and chocolate of course).
The bottle capacity itself is about right for a fairly short hike, if it was a hot day and I was out all day I’d want to take more fluids with me and it would fit a juice tetra pack I reckon. I’ve worn the hydro beltpack over a midlayer and fairly thin rain-proof coat and also with just a base layer (was carrying a sweatshirt with me). It was comfortable each time, nicely padded where it needs to be. I think it would fit over my thicker winter coat too as lots of adjustment on the belt. Now I’ve got it I’m wondering why I didn’t use one earlier!
You’ve just made clear to me how much I need one of these. Sounds ideal for cycling too.
I think they would be good for cycling Jenny. It’s been really useful so far!