The following test and review was written by ATRA gear wrangler Sarah Barber and features HydraPak Fuel Kit. Product was provided at no charge for the test and review. HydraPak is an ATRA corporate member and event standards partner.
Feng shui. Say it: fung shway. Translated literally, the Chinese nature-derived term means wind-water in English. The wind represents air and movement, which is believed to disperse energy, and the water represents flow and accumulation, which is believed to gather and hold energy. At its essence, feng shui holds that one’s external environment can affect one’s internal state with the goal of achieving harmony with the universe. As such, the adoption of feng shui by Western society has led to new professions in home design—ever heard of a feng shui consultant?
One need only look at my Post-It covered desktop with a half-dozen pens on top, computer keyboard skewed sideways with a week-old coffee mug adjacent, to know that the orderliness associated with feng shui escapes me. But the idea of being tidy still appeals, and when placed in the context of trail running, there’s a greater chance it will stick.
On-the-go sports hydration
HydraPak launched in 2001 and quickly became a dominant force in on-the-go sports hydration, developing bottles, flasks, filters, and other smart solutions to keep athletes from shriveling up like raisins on the trail. These days, they make accessories, too. There’s a fold-up dog bowl for the Fido in your life, along with cleaning tablets and bottle brushes to keep germs at bay.
Enter Fuel Kit
But back to feng shui. HydraPak’s new Fuel Kit is the ultimate portable bento box for trail runners who double as mixologists. I love a good Old Fashioned, but when it comes to optimizing hydration mixes, I want the newest and best. This Fuel Kit, friends, is just that. Organized into a lightweight carrying case with an internal zipper pocket and external mesh pockets for wet stuff, the Fuel Kit includes a Fuel Scoop for quick measuring of powders, a Fuel Funnel for spill-free mixing, and two large FuelPaks to hold a customized nutritional potion. There’s also a flexible plastic tray to catch any stray particles because—let’s be honest: sports nutrition ain’t cheap. No gram of carbohydrate will be wasted!
If every trail adventure happened right outside my front door, I’d say HydraPak’s Fuel Kit feels like a bit of overkill. But here’s the thing: the most exciting off-road excursions usually involve travel to someplace less familiar. And that might require an Airbnb, also known as an Air-NBD because there’s probably a kitchen sink. But if you’re in a Motel 6 or a tent, you might appreciate having a mobile fuel laboratory at your fingertips. Even with all the little tools stowed in the case, there’s ample room for bulk ingredients and an extra flask or two.
Fuel your adventure
With several principles of feng shui applied, I’m counting on HydraPak’s Fuel Kit to help me gather that perfect glucose-to-fructose ratio, optimize osmolality, and disperse all that carefully curated energy throughout my body, mile after mile. Will it bring harmony to the universe? Hard to say. But if it keeps my powder organized, my flasks filled, and my race-morning nutrition from looking like a toddler raided a supplement cabinet, I’ll call that enlightenment enough.
Editor’s Note: When you place an order, enjoy a 20% discount from our friends at HydraPak, use: ATRA-26 at checkout.
