Hydration Vests: Top Table Mountain Trails
Hydration vests are extremely popular for trail running and hiking adventures. These vests are incredibly useful in terms of staying hydrated while on the go. These vests allow runners to carry their water and other essentials on their backs or chests – making any trail run a breeze thanks to the ingenious, even weight distribution and breathability of the design.
For all your trail running needs, Ultimate Direction has got you covered. We provide convenient running and hiking gear to help our clients make the most of their outdoor adventures. Keep reading to find out more about our running vests as well as a few of the best Table Mountain trails you can use them for.
The Top 5 Table Mountain Trails
Cape Town is a gorgeous location for trail running and hiking, and Table Mountain alone has many different trail running spots. These spots are excellent for testing out our hydration vests. Below we’ve covered some of our top Table Mountain trails that truly capture the sprawling beauty of Cape Town. Get your hands on one of our reliable hydration vests and get ready to take to the trails.
1. Lion’s Head Summit: At the top of the list is Lion’s Head Summit. The length of this trail is 4.3km, with an elevation of 341m. This route is considered challenging by many trail runners and hikers, so it is recommended to make sure that everyone attempting this trail is wearing well-stocked hydration vests.
This trail has amazing views along with native wildlife that can be spotted along the way. The route of this trail is an out and back.
2. Platteklip Gorge To Upper Cable Station: Another beautiful trail is the Platteklip Gorge to Upper Cable Station. The length of this trail is 2.9km with an elevation of 699m. This trail is a point-to-point and, on average, takes about 1 hour and 48 minutes to complete. The Platteklip Gorge to Upper Cable Station is very popular among hikers and runners and it is open throughout the year.
3. Cecilia Waterfall: The third most popular running and hiking trail is the Cecilia Waterfall via Cecilia Forest. This beautiful trail is 4.3km in length with an elevation of 285m. This route is considered challenging but with enough water in your running vest, it is more than worth it. While hiking or running this trail you will come across many breathtaking waterfalls during the winter rainy season and friendly fellow runners and hikers. This route type is a loop.
4. Kasteelspoort Trail: Another popular challenge in Table Mountain National Park is the Kasteelspoort Trail to Diving Board. The length of this trail is 4.7km with an elevation of 576m. The route type is also an out and back. Exceptional views of the Camps Bay coastline and the Atlantic Ocean can be seen while exploring this trail. If you decide to attempt this challenge, keep in mind that the weather on this trail does change quickly throughout the day.
With all these trails to be explored, it is important to make sure that you are prepared – armed with knowledge of the natural trails as well as with the right gear. Ultimate Direction will have you sorted with all your trail running and hiking essentials. With several running vests for you to choose from, you can’t go wrong when you rely on Ultimate Direction gear.
How Do Hydration Vests Benefit Trail Runners?
Trail running is a sport that demands a lot physically. Trail runners need to balance strength, and endurance, and consider safety precautions as well. Therefore, an important aspect of this sport is staying hydrated, especially in hot and dry conditions.
If trail runners do not have enough water for their runs, they will become dehydrated which may result in cramping, heat exhaustion, and fatigue. This can negatively impact the performance and safety of runners. To reduce the possibility of this happening, runners and hikers turn to hydration vests. These vests have been designed to provide hikers and trail runners with hassle-free water access.
The biggest benefit of these vests is that they keep runners’ hands free during long distances or trail races. Running long distances with a bottle in each hand can be uncomfortable and may result in your arms taking strain. There are many variations of running vests available, some of these vests even have space for food and an extra layer of clothing. These vests are perfect for runs that are longer than an hour.
With these vests, runners will be able to improve their performance by staying properly hydrated. This will make it easier for trail runners and hikers to maintain their energy levels, and focus on their form, instead of worrying about possibly becoming dehydrated.
These vests allow runners and hikers to have enough water and food with them for longer runs. It is recommended to always take more water and food than necessary just in case you decide to extend your run.
Hydration vests also give trail runners extra space for safety gear such as emergency whistles and first aid kits – this is extremely important in the case of an injury or accident. Additionally, some of these vests have built-in rain covers and waterproof materials. This makes these vests beneficial for runners and hikers carrying gear in wet weather.
These vests also make it easy for runners to distribute the weight of their gear across their upper body, instead of carrying all of their gear in one waist pack or backpack. It significantly reduces the strain many hikers and runners experience on their lower back and shoulders. This makes carrying essential gear for long periods far more comfortable.
Furthermore, these vests are very versatile and have been designed to be worn for long periods. Many athletes can benefit from using these vests. If this sounds interesting to you, why not take a look through the various running vests available on our Ultimate Direction website and pick one out for yourself?
Important Things To Consider When Choosing Hydration Vests
There are many hydration vests available on the market, which may make it challenging to decide what vest will work best for your trail running and hiking needs. Choosing the right running vest is the first step in making sure that your trail running and hiking experiences are comfortable. There are 4 things that you should consider when deciding between hydration vests:
- Capacity: Ensure that the vest you choose has enough space for water, food, and additional clothing. If your runs are usually between an hour or two, you will need an average of two litres. For longer runs, you will need space for two to six litres of water.
- Decide between bottles and/or bladder: Most hydration vests either carry water in bottles – stored in pockets in the front of the vest, or a water bladder in the back of the vest. Bottles are often faster to refill but water bladders are easier to drink from.
- Find the right fit: As mentioned, these hydration vests should fit comfortably so they do not jostle around during a run. Use the size guides on our Ultimate Direction website to find the perfect fit for you.
- The comfort of hydration vests is extremely important: Comfort goes hand in hand with finding the right fit. Make sure that while wearing the vest you do not experience any chaffing against your body. It’s best to pick out hydration vests that have adjustable straps.
- Look for extra features: Take a clear look at the vest and see if there are additional pockets, reflective materials, a built-in whistle, breathable materials, or a trekking pole-keeper.
- Durability is also a very important thing to consider: It is important to buy a hydration vest that has been made from durable materials. It would be a waste to buy a vest that will get damaged easily. Lucky for you, when you buy your gear from Ultimate Direction, you’re buying guaranteed high-quality products that won’t give in to wear and tear for a long time to come.
- Easy to use: Hydration vests should be easy to clean and fill. These vests should also be easy to close and secure. Many vests are designed with quick-release valves, which allow people to drink water completely hands-free.
- Style and design: Functionality is very important, but so is choosing a vest that feels and looks good. Choose a style and design that grabs your attention and matches your style. Take a look through our online catalogue – you’re sure to find something to your liking when you look to Ultimate Direction for reliable trail running gear.
After you have chosen a vest, it is time to test it out. The vest you have bought should move around a lot. Hydration vests should securely sit on your lower back and shoulders, and fit snuggly, without chafing, below your armpits and across your chest.
You can test this out on a short run. During each run, the vest should not swing side to side, bounce, or shift. Ultimate Direction has many vests to choose from, with accommodating size options to boot, so finding the right one for you is bound to be a breeze!
Bottles And Bladders
Each trail runner and hiker will need to decide whether they would prefer to use bottles or bladders, or both. This decision comes down to personal preference. Some of our hydration vests have a water bladder and space for additional water bottles, allowing you to carry far more water than you would be able to by hand.
There are advantages and disadvantages to using either bottles or water bladders. When it comes to using water bottles, it is easier to see how much water you have left, and they can easily be removed from your running vest pocket and refilled.
When using a water bladder, runners and hikers can carry more water, however, these vests need to be taken off to be refilled and it is not that easy to keep track of how much water you have used and how much water is left.
This may make it tricky to know when you need to refill the bladder and there may be the possibility that you run out of water. The only way for runners or hikers to know exactly what they will prefer would be to test out both.
Ultimate Direction Gear
At Ultimate Direction we have an exceptional variety of outdoor sporting products and have made great strides in the hydration vest industry. We provide our clients with effective and reliable products that will ensure a positive sporting experience. Some of the best-rated products we have to offer include water bottles, soft flasks, packs, handhelds, accessories, running vests and vestas, and running belts. All our products have been designed to suit the specific needs of various outdoor adventurers and athletes.
For runners and hikers covering short distances, our running belts are reliable alternatives to running vests. These belts are perfect for short distances and have space for all your running essentials. They can also be bought in many different sizes.
We have created both a men’s and women’s range and have made sure that our products are made from some of the best materials on the market. This is a main goal of ours and we aim to ensure that the products we produce are durable, sturdy, and last a long while. With all the products we have available, we want to help our clients to achieve their trail running and hiking goals.
