My wife has just entered the grizzly next march that is a 20mile very hilly trail running race. For the training she will need to be able to carry a reasonable amount of water and a bit of food. Up until know she has only been doing upto 10 mile races so has just taken a gel and a hand held water bottle. I was thinking either small bladder back pack or a bum bag that holds a bottle.

Are there no water stops?

I have a camelbak ruuners vest with lots of pockets and a bladder low down on the back. Got it for £45 at TKMAXX. Only went in to buy socks…

This one:

Their will be water stops on the event but something is needed for the training runs.

Some folks get on OK with bum bags but I find they bounce around too much when you put any weight in them so it depends on how much water she wants to carry.

I have used a camelbak HAWG for years. It has enough straps that you can keep the contents tight all the time, so no bouncing or sloshing around. On hot days you can also put freezer blocks down with the bladder which keeps the drink nice and cool.
I’m not sure if a HAWG will be too big but they might have smaller female specific models.

For trail runs just run loops and use the car as a water/fuel stop. Or take some money (a note wrapped in a piece of foil so it doesn’t get soggy–then wrap any change in the foil so it doesn’t jangle) and buy a drink en route. A few jelly babies/shot bloks/pretzels should be food enough even for a long hilly run–I just wrap what I need in foil and carry it in my pocket (Ronhill trail shorts have very capacious pockets) or a money belt thing (I have an ancient Nike one, more comfy to wear than a bumbag). I bought a ‘hydration belt’ and a camelbak for long runs but they’re a bit awkward to run with and (for me) overkill for anything less than an ultra.

For trail runs just run loops and use the car as a water/fuel stop.

That sounds a bit dull.

Only £25!

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/womens-trail-bag-id_8312251.html

That sounds a bit dull

Or run a figure-of-eight route

Inov-8 Ultra 5 Race Vest

Highly recommended. I use this for 20 mile marathon training runs, and trail races. Doesn’t move at all if you get the right size, carries a bladder or two soft bottles or both, and enough room for mandatory race kit too.

hate cleaning camelbaks – have one of these

http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/hil40/hilly-hydrofuel-double-funnel-bottle-belt/ and sits well on my hips but possibly not suited to everyone but anything is better than carrying a bottle in your hand or trying to mtfu in my opinion

PS product recommendation not used the supplier

That sounds a bit dull.

Depends why you are doing it. If training is a priority as much as getting out etc loops are ace. A great way to judge if you are pacing well and gives you motivation to beat or match the last loop time etc.

I have a camelbak octane I use for shorter mtbs when I don’t use bottles and used to use for long runs (when I was still allowed to run 😡 ).

I have a Salomen belt which holds 2 bottles and I recently signed up to a runners world magazine subscription because for a tenner you got a free camelbak Classic 2 litre hydration pack (and 6 magazines). Must be £40 ish in the shops I’d think..
Ran 14 miles last Sunday with it and it does the job. Feels minimal but carries what I need on a long run

Pete Bland bum bag is the original and best running bum bag IMHO. I have tried quite a few and it sits very comfy. You can fit all kit and 500ml water bottle in it. Failing that, inov8 have one with a bottle holder, that will take a 750ml bottle which is good.

IM(limited)E women can have more problems getting a bum bag to fit well due to the waist/hip difference (waist belt slips up and then is too slack, unless it’s set rather high and tight around the thinnest part of waist, which may not be comfortable). I think there’s little alternative to trying a few on in a shop and even then they might not be so good when running.

I have had no such problems with a few different bum bags, but that probably doesn’t help the OP (or rather his wife).

You can get water bottles designed to clip straight on to the waist band of shorts. Not tried them and not sure they would be great with a full bottle.

OMM 3l bumbag for me or occasional longer trips in the hills with the OMM 15l sac. I do have a long distance trail starting 2 mins away that used to have a caff about 9 miles out, sadly now gone. Mm, cake 🙂

+1 on figure of 8’s

I like the looks of the Osprey REV 1.5/

Is suspect there will be drinks on the way and I wouldnt have thought drinks and food would be neccesary on training runs of around 10 miles, although maybe if those runs are taking quite a long time.

A lot of trail runs insist on a mandatory kit that must be carried, if this is the case, get a pack that is suitable and train with that.

I find any kind of bag, belt, bottle etc to be a bit of a trade off, my most used is a Nathan belt with bottle.

If you plan on using gels, etc on race day, then definitely use them I training, as they can give you the runs (quite literally) 🙂

Longer runs I use a Camelbak* with just the chest strap done up and have no problem with movement, even on stepped descents. I only ever fill mine with water, so a rinse and storing in the freezer has kept it bug free for years. Make sure you don’t follow the temptation to carry too much water and do eliminate all the air from the bladder as it’ll slosh around otherwise.

* Mine is not actually a Camelbak and I suspect many of the cheaper versions available are very close in the form and function.

I’ve done Grizzly a few times. There are drink stations and jelly babies. It is a tough course, big hills and mud ( Coast at Beer in Devon) and a mile of shingle beach!
I carry a bottle of energy drink and a couple of caffeine gels in a ‘Hilly’ belt, just big enough to take a bottle and gels, then rely on stations. It’s a good 4 to 5 hour run so something needed, even if you ( we all do) walk up the hills.
I think camel back too much, there is no minimum requirement of kit, other than Early March is often cold and damp on the coast, so a wind proof round the waist not a bad idea.
Great event, lots of atmosphere, 2000 runners, but! Places are from a ‘lottery’ you are not guarrenteed a place till all entries are in by Sept 11th. I got in last year but not the year before.
Hope this helpful and see you on the day, if I get in!!

I did a race of about that length this morning, also very hilly (and hot: central Spain at the end of August…). I used a Salomon bum bag+bottle, and carried a couple of extra gels in my shorts pockets. Unfortunately there weren’t enough water stops, and all of us running the race ended up cursing the organisers… that said, with better organisation it would have been more than enough. If I’d known beforehand I’d have taken my backpack, also Salomon (and stupidly expensive) but can carry a lot more liquid.

If it’s only a one-off event I’d head to Decathlon, their bags are getting some pretty good reviews and the pricing is unbeatable. Given how cheap they are I’d have a go with a bum bag first – there were certainly a fair few women using them at today’s race so I don’t think there’s any particular reason genetics/anatomy should rule them out!

I find that the waterbottles on the hips, with a small pouch for food/gells quite good for trail running.
My wife bought the decathlon one, and it was too long for her back during the runs.