productreview

Science in Sport Isotonic Gel Review

Disclaimer: I received Science in Sport Isotonic Gels to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

It’s funny, during ultras I’m the girl you jealously watch as she pigs out on literally anything and everything (sans gluten) at the aid station.. But soon as you give me special fuel designed to be eaten while running my stomach is begging to go back to potato chips and m&m’s. I have tried a decent amount of different gels at this point with varying success, but after recently trying out SiS I have to say they are quite different from most others in all the best ways!

Consistency

I really like that SiS gels are so thin you can just squeeze and swallow. No chewing, worrying about it being stuck in your teeth/throat, or having to wash them down with water. During my hike, I was wishing I had brought a flavored drink (water was getting old) and I was able to take a gel as a replacement. I also used SiS during the Savage Race OCR and it was awesome they were thin enough that I could pour them into my mouth so I didn’t have to stick my mouth on the package that was covered in dirt from the race.

I wanted to demonstrate how different their consistency is myself, but I am no video maker and found they actually already had a video that shows it perfectly!

Flavor

Their flavors do a really good job of not being nearly as in your face as most gels. They also seem to leave way less aftertaste, if they do at all. I LOVE the apple. I am not generally someone for super sweet gels, leaning toward more savory ones like PB, but do have times when I want sweet stuff. I have yet to find a time when the apple’s flavor wasn’t appealing to me though. I also feel like that flavor leaves literally no aftertaste. I was very surprised by the lemon & mint being so good. It had a very soothing feel to me, like it would be good for an upset stomach. Salted strawberry was also good, but not apple status, and possibly better for sweeter times. I personally didn’t like the double espresso, but I also don’t really like any form of normal coffee (I know, BLASPHEMY! 😱).

Packaging

The packaging is a decent amount larger than most gels but it still fits in all of my gear pockets meant for gels. Also even though you are “eating” more, I find it much easier to eat more of SiS than less of other gels due to the consistency and taste. The part about the packaging I really like is the shape of their top. For me it is MUCH easier to open. My hands get really slippery with sweat and I have actually had times where my fuel plan went out the window with other products because I couldn’t manage to open the package.

SiS gels are so different from others that if you thought gels weren’t for you, but are still looking for a fuel source I would definitely recommend giving them a try!

If that sounds tempting use the code TRYSIS25 for 25% off all items on the site except clearance items!

Orange Mud Gear Vest Pro Product Review

Disclaimer: I received an Orange Mud Gear Vest Pro to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

Vest are by far my favorite way to carry liquids while on a run. They cost zero extra effort, unlike holding a handheld, and from what I’ve seen are way more secure and less bouncy than belts. But even narrowing your search down to just hydration vests, there are still tons of different ones out there. As someone who was in the market for a new hydration vest recently, here are some of the key things I was looking for and found in the Orange Mud Gear Vest Pro:

Coverage (or lack of)

I almost always run hot so with all my running gear the less fabric touching my skin and keeping heat in, the better. I was extremely happy to find this vest goes above and beyond to be as non-covering as possible. The back pockets are stacked width-wise so the pack only covers the top part of your back, while still holding lots. The sides and front (besides the front pockets) are made of thin straps, for as little coverage as possible, while still being very secure. The vest pretty much only covers about where a sports bra does, and that is a huge bonus for me. I was able to use it on the first hot, buggy day of the season and return without feeling like a complete puddle. It also made me think how much other hydration vests are actually helping if wearing them makes me sweat way more than normal 🤔

POCKETS!!!! (Especially front accessible ones!)

One major issue with my last hydration vest was the small number of very tiny front accessible pockets. The Gear Vest Pro has tons of them! It has two Velcro shoulder pockets, two very large cinch-able chest pockets, and one pocket on the outside of each of those chest pockets. It’s fantastic to be able to access so much of your gear without having to take off your vest!

The back has three large pockets that cover the entire back and are layered. The inner most Velcros shut and is where you would place the bladder when you plan to use it and the outer most is a fully closable zipper pocket. All three can be cinched tight with the zigzag elastic cord on the back. I was sick during the Newport Half and couldn’t decide how many layers I needed and was able to easily take them all with me with plenty of room to spare!

The front pockets are also large enough for front bottles, which I would now highly recommend! Not only is it nice to be able to have multiple different fluids on you, but placement and shorter straws on the front bottles keep the liquid cooler longer. My least favorite thing is having cold water in my bladder warm up as it sits in the long straw on my shoulder.

You can also get add-ons to attach poles that can go on the front or the back of the vest!

Fit

My last vest was specifically “made for women” but I honestly like the fit of this vest better. I found putting the front pockets over your chest (just like a guy would) worked better than having them go around it. When I used to put my vest around my chest it would cause my arm swinging to hit the pockets sometimes. I feel like putting it over your chest is actually more secure and keeps everything out of the way. This vest is also easy to get on and off so accessing the back pockets isn’t an issue!

Only looking mildly unhappy because of the bugs attacking me 😂

Overall this vest is the perfect balance of space and coverage (and honestly better on both ends than I originally thought possible together). I can’t wait to actually be responsible with hydration while hiking this year since this vest so comfy that I’ll actually wear it 😂 And I can’t wait to try running my second ultra in it!

If you want to check out Orange Mud gear for yourself use the code BIBRAVEGVPRO for 15% off!
Gear Vest Pro

Turtle Gloves Product Review

Disclaimer: I received Turtle Gloves to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

While the rest of me is almost never gets cold, my hands are terrible and constantly switch between too cold and too warm. Winter (and some of Spring and Fall) running used to be the biggest pain as I had to take my gloves off and put them back on every few minutes. I hated having to carry them when I wasn’t wearing them so some days I would opt out of bringing them when I really should have.

Now that I have Turtle Gloves though, I never have to debate it! Turtle Gloves are extremely versatile so they can be used in any amount of cold! I have now used them to keep warm in cold from pouring freezing rain for an entire half marathon to windy canyon side otherwise in the desert, and they were perfect for both situations. I want to say it’s partially because of their soft, stretchy, moisture wicking fabric (that keeps you warm, while also letting your hands breathe) and partially because of the flip design.

Turtle Gloves are actually mittens that you can flip the top of to turn into “fingerless” gloves. I put fingerless in quotes because there is still a tube of fabric that covers your fingers until you roll it down. I really like that they left this tube long so you can choose exactly how much to roll it, therefore exactly how much of your fingers are still covered. A few cold days, just flipping the top off for some extra ventilation (not actually exposing any of my fingers) was all they needed to be comfy. The fabric tube also means you can store items like keys and things in the gloves without them actually touching your skin and rubbing. I also found out I would much rather be able to quickly expose a finger to use my phone than mess around with “touch screen” gloves 🙄

These gloves keep your hands warm like no other! My first half of the year was in freezing downpour the entire time. So much that my legs went numb (that was a first!). It didn’t even hit me until after the race when everyone else was complaining, that my hands hadn’t felt cold AT ALL during the race. I also didn’t get that stiff, “can’t move your hands fast” feeling, which I usually do after even slightly chilly races. The gloves are not waterproof (they were soaked with all the rain that day), but kept my wet hands perfectly warm through the windy race.

Two thumbs up in the freezing rain 👍👍

An almost opposite situation where Turtle Gloves saved me was during the Antelope Canyon Half. This half was in the desert, but had a ton of cooler sections along the rim of the canyon. It was too hot for a shirt, but my arms were cold. I also forgot any of the pouches I brought in order to carry my fuel and things. Turtle Gloves saved me by functioning as arm warmers with pockets!

On the canyon’s edge!

Turtle Gloves have now become a staple piece of Winter running gear for me. If you want to check them out for yourself:

Use the code TurtleBibRave for 15% off
Turtle Gloves Website