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A fortiori, I use quite a few hydration packs. I'm not a huge fan of them, they dangle too much for my liking and for training distances of less than 20 kilometers, I prefer to manage with an improvised refueling. But there are situations where they are still mandatory, such as medium distance trails and longer.

So, when Salomon asked me to test their S / Lab Sense Ultra 5, I let myself be

convinced .....

First impressions

Salomon describes this hydration pack as minimalist and you immediately realize it when you unpack it.

No superfluous weight, no unnecessary zippers, pocket flap, back hydration pocket, long tubes that go everywhere, just some ultra light breathable fabric and two flexible stomach flask. For minimalism, it's minimalism .....

The fabric is ultra light, with a soft touch and quite elastic. The global size of the S / Lab Sense Ultra 5 looks ridiculously small, I must have ordered the wrong size !

The two flexible flask are supplied with Phaser type valves which allow a high flow rate without risk of leaks. The opening of the flask is wide for easy filling and very practical for inserting ice cubes. The bottom of the flask has a semi-rigid base with a pointed shape so that they can be easily inserted into the pockets. This is really very smart ! Who has never struggled for long minutes with certain flexible flask trying to put them back in place?

The back consists of a large side pocket and a smaller one, both with a silicone grip. Yes, here no flap, no zipper, pure minimalism ....

Each side of the bag has a side pocket with Zip to store your valuables.

The front includes two expandable pockets in addition to the two hydration pockets to carry your gels and energy bars, as well as two small pockets, one with zipper and the other expandable.

Despite its minimalist side, this hydration bag certainly does not lack pockets to accommodate all your trail equipment !

Use

The S / Lab Sense Ultra 5 literally sticks to the body. At first we have the impression that we chose it in too small a size because it's so short on the bust. But we quickly realize that it's judiciously cut to be one with the body and from the first strides it's totally forgotten.

Most hydration packs can't be forgotten because they wiggle left and right with each stride, but it's not the case with the S / Lab Sense Ultra 5, a real second skin.

What about water pockets?

The flexible pockets equipped with Phaser type valves are absolutely stunning.

First of all because the valve does not leak at all, even upside down. Just squeeze the edge of the valve with your lips and the water flows ....

Then as the valve does not let in the air, the bag is always under vacuum, which means no sound of water while running .... Believe me, it's more than a detail to be able to run without the sound of water bouncing around !

The pockets are easily accessible, even the one on the back and since they do not have zippers ... No need to remove the bag to put your jacket back in ...

The icing on the cake, if you have the Salomon Bonatti Pro Jacket, a protuberance is provided in the back to be placed above the bag .... Clever Salomon ?

The S / Lab Sense Ultra 5 closes with two elastic bands, simple, adjustable and above all ultra efficient ....

Want even more ?

Are you the ultra demanding type of person with your equipment ? Are you looking for total efficiency ?

Salomon has thought about it by making this bag even more autonomous thanks to its compatibility with the Soft Flask XA Filter water bottle system.

The Salomon Soft Flask XA Filter incorporates an antibacterial filter that allows you to recharge your flask each time you cross a water stream ....

Here is your even greater autonomy …

What about not liking something about that bag ?

It's hard to find, but there is a little something ...

The zippered front pocket of the bag cannot hold an Iphone type phone.

Both sides pockets can but it's very tight ....

Does Salomon think runners still only use Nokia 3310 ?

What do they think Kilian uses to do his pretty selfies during his training ?