Orange Mud P.F.V. – Phone. Flask. Vest.

Share

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

Disclaimer: I received an Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest. 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!

Ever since I first heard about the Orange Mud brand, I’ve been wanting to try out their products. Something about the name really appeals to me (you know, me and orange, my signature colour!) – plus, their selection of gear is diverse and tremendously practical. You can imagine my excitement when I finally got the opportunity to review a brand new product – the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest. (I’ll give you a hint: I was really excited!)

I’ve never worn a hydration vest before. Generally speaking, I tend to be pretty minimalist when it comes to running in general. Yes, I like to keep my iPhone with me for the selfies and other photo ops, but it’s often strapped around my waist. I’ve tried hydration belts, but the sloshing drove me nuts. Handhelds? Not my deal.

Enter the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest.

When it arrived in the mail – at the office, as usual – I tore in. And immediately tried to put it on. This was an epic fail.

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

I soon learned that there was a clip on the left side of the vest, to allow for ease of entry and exit. I’m a quick study!!

As a quick intro, I’ll let Orange Mud do the talking. Here’s a great little summary:

This pack is one of the most fun packs we’ve designed. The fit is awesome for mountain biking, running, and obstacle course racing. It’s designed to hold the essentials and not much more. As you can see from the pics, we minimized the amount of material on your body to achieve maximum breathability. The soft flask holder up front is great for 450ml and 600ml soft flasks (it comes with a 450ml). Then the pocket on the outside of it holds your smart phone wonderfully. On the right side is a shoulder pocket for electrolytes and backup nutrition. On the left side is a dust cover for the bite valve (our OCR people will dig that!). The back has shock cord to hold a jacket, and a small pocket perfect for small bags and sticks of nutrition.

That pretty much sums it up! But let’s look at it a bit more closely.

First Trial Run

I first took the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest. out on a 10k run through Stanley Park, and over Lions Gate Bridge. It was a muggy morning in late June, so I figured a bit of hydration couldn’t hurt.

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

Two things stood out:

  1. Having never worn a vest before, it felt like it was chafing the right side of my collar bone. This annoyed me off and on throughout the run. Remedy: adjust the straps so it didn’t shift so much. Really, it’s just about getting the fit right.
  2. My iPhone – safely in the front pocket – was SO readily accessible! No fumbling with zippers, or bulky devices in my pockets. I want to take a photo…and phone is at the ready!

My destination that morning was a West Van Run Crew run. Sure, people were glad to see me – but my PFV got most of the attention!

orange mud phone. flask. vest. orange mud phone. flask. vest.

Trial Run #1 Assessment: 6/10 – I’m not sold yet

Second Trial Run

If you’re not from Vancouver, you might never have heard of the Grouse Grind. Should that be the case, here’s the scoop – the Grouse Grind is a 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver, with an elevation gain of 853 metres (2,800 feet). I hadn’t tried the Grouse Grind in 11 years, and when I decided to tackle it anew…well, what better time to use the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest.?!

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

I stocked up with a full flask of water, an energy bar, a small jacket, and my iPhone. All strapped in tight, and me completely hands-free! The result? I managed the Grouse Grind fully hydrated, and in a new record time (for myself). When I felt the need to take a photo? iPhone at the ready! Thirsty? Drink spout right next to my mouth! And because I was climbing, rather than running, the PFV didn’t shift at all. And on top of that – I got a Grouse Grind PB!

Trial Run #2 Assessment: 9/10 – everything I look for in a hydration vest!

A Closer Look

Here are close-ups of the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest. features:

Hydration Flask (450ml flask included – can handle up to 600ml) – with a bite valve, and a dust cover!

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

Velcro pocket with clip – great for keys!

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

Shoulder velcro pocket – for gel or cards!

Back pocket - holds an energy bar

Phone pocket – perfect for my iPhone 6 – toggle closure for security

Orange mud phone. flask. vest

Bungee cord on the back – great for holding a light jacket; back pocket – holds an energy bar

orange mud phone. flask. vest.

Strap clip – makes it easy to get in and out (the more you know!)

orange mud phone. flask. vest

Final Thoughts

For a minimalist like me, the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest. has everything I want/need without too many bells and whistles. Complex simplicity. I found it especially useful for a challenging mountain hike, and also enjoyed its convenience during shortly (up to about 10k) training runs. I’d like to try it out on a longer run – is this something I would wear for a half marathon? Some might say it doesn’t carry enough hydration. However, since I generally carry none, the PFV might do the trick.

I’ve also noticed that wearing the PFV actually improves my posture – I tend to run more upright! Go figure!

Interested in the Orange Mud Phone. Flask. Vest.? Visit the Orange Mud website – and, for a limited time, save 10% off the purchase of any Orange Mud product with the code: BRPPFV.

Connect with Orange Mud:
website | facebook | instagram | twitter | youtube

What the other BibRave Pros had to say:
Casey | Mai | FallonHeather

Back to Top