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Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Kenmark Sports Armband Water Bottle > Test Report by Andrea MurlandKenmark Sports Armband Water
Bottle Tester Information
I began hiking frequently in 2006 and have since hiked in Western Canada, Australia, and spent 2 months backpacking in the Alps. I spend most weekends either day-hiking or on 2-3 day backpacking trips, with some longer trips when I can manage them. I also snowshoe and ski in the winter, but don’t have a lot of experience with winter in the backcountry yet. Elevation is typically 500-3,000 m (1,600-10,000 ft), in the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk, Purcell, and Monashee ranges. I try for a light pack, but I don’t consider myself a lightweight backpacker. Initial Report – December 22, 2012 Product Information
Description & Initial Impressions The Kenmark Sports Armband Water Bottle is a water bottle holder that can strap to my arm for carrying during activities.The bottle itself is aluminum with a threaded cap. The cap has a finger hole in it. The opening of the bottle measures 2.7 cm (1.1 in) across. I filled the bottle up to the brim and measured 18.6 oz (0.55 L), so the bottle definitely holds the advertised 16 oz (0.47 L). The water bottle holder is made of neoprene with sewn seams. The top of the holder has a flap with a hole in it for going over the neck of the water bottle and fastening over the top of the bottle to hold it in place. The flap is stretchy enough to stretch over the top of the cap. The front of the flap has the Kenmark Sports logo on it. The flap stays in place using a hook-and-loop closure onto the front of the holder or pocket (more on that...). The manufacturer also suggests that the flap can be folded behind the bottle for quick access. The back of the holder (facing my arm) has a sewn piece of fabric holding the two arm straps. Both straps are the same and are made of a stretchy material covered in hook-and-loop closure. The straps are adjustable in length using a sliding buckle and fasten by looping back on themselves. The front of the holder (the side facing away from my arm) is covered in the loop side of a hook-and-loop fastening. To this covering is attached a pocket that the manufacturer advertises as being for things like electronics. The pocket measures 12.5 cm (4.9 in) x 8.5 cm (3.3 in) and has a clear plastic front. The back of the pocket is covered in the loop side of the hook-and-loop fastening. Also on the front of the pocket is a strip of loops at the top, so that the flap can attach if the pocket is on the holder. The bottle came with a small set of instructions, which can be summarized as: wash by hand (before use and not with bleach), don't put in the microwave, and be careful with hot liquids.
Trying It Out The water bottle holder is surprisingly comfortable. Although it feels a bit bulky and with only one on I feel a bit off balance, I think I'll get used to it. 'Tis the season of lots of clothes where I live, so I have no idea how it feels against bare skin...maybe by the end of the test period I'll be able to shed some layers. I thought it would be difficult to get the bottle in and out of the holder with one hand but the holder has enough structure that it keeps its shape and opening. I suspect I'll use it a lot of the time in “quick access” mode, but time will tell.The pocket is just deep enough that I can squash my flip phone (without case) into it, or my ID and key, but probably not all of them. I definitely can't get my GPS in there (the item I most commonly carry – more often than a phone, ID, or key). I don't own anything with a touch screen so I won't be able to test whether it works through the plastic on the pocket. I almost never run or cross-country ski with music, preferring to listen for approaching bears or other wildlife (or dogs & humans), but I might have to try it for this test, since my mp3 player will fit in the pocket. I am curious to see whether the holder offers any insulating properties in winter for both hot or cold liquids and how the bottle performs in those situations. Summary I am pretty excited about testing the Armband Water Bottle. It seems like it will allow me to carry water while trail running and cross-country skiing, as well as day hiking and backpacking. I am especially interested in how it will fare during the cold winter weather.Thanks to Kenmark Sports and BackpackGearTest.org for the chance to test this interesting product! Check back in approximately 4 months (May 2013) for my Long Term Report to see my experiences. Read more reviews of Kemark Sports gear Read more gear reviews by Andrea Murland Reviews > Hydration Systems > Bottles > Kenmark Sports Armband Water Bottle > Test Report by Andrea Murland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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