Review on 💦 Ultimate Hydration on-the-go: CamelBak Flash Belt 17oz by Eric Pruett

Over the past 14+ years I have had many bottle carrier straps, mainly from the Camelbak brand but there are others. This is my second favourite. This strap puts the bottle in the most horizontal position of any strap I've used and it really helps keep the bottle from bouncing compared to all other straps I've used - as long as I have enough straps have stretched. Unfortunately, this position also makes it easier for the bottle to fall out compared to a strap with a more upright bottle, so an elastic band is needed to keep it in place. And this tape is a weak point - it stretched and deformed within a month (see photo). It's still holding up, but I have to be sure it's positioned correctly because it's easy to think it slipped off the neck of the bottle when it actually slipped off the rim of the bottle cap. Camelbak should make this strap out of a better material, or at least make it interchangeable, for example by using buttons at each end of the strap. The belt straps can slip through the plastic belt tensioners. The previous Camelbak had a buckle cam that could be locked to prevent the straps from slipping off - they should use this feature on every strap offered. If you're just using this for walking or a slow jog you should be fine, but if you're running at a decent pace you might need to tighten the straps at least once per run. The bottle that comes with the strap is fine, but I would like it to be bigger, like 21 or 24 ounces. Sometimes when I put it back on the belt it doesn't quite want to fit until I rotate it a bit forward or backward then it's ok. I hand wash my belt with Hex Sports Wash after every run, otherwise it gets smelly/mold. . Make sure you empty the bottle regularly, especially if you're running in 70+ degrees and especially if you're using a sports drink mix.