Working out, specifically running, to music isn’t something I normally do, mainly due to safety reasons. However, under certain circumstances and in a secure environment, doing so can play a part in getting the workouts done. The 6 weeks of training prior to tapering for GCAM saw a number of double workout days and increase in mileage. Anyone can run a marathon but if one has a time goal, you need to put in the work. Since I’m not genetically gifted it’s been challenging, like any paths towards improvement should be. Music makes those hard days a little more bearable.

Note: I’m not here to debate the merits and demerits of plugging in when running. Whatever rocks your world. However, please read the cautionary note at the bottom of this post.

That precursor out of the way, let’s get on to the Sony Smart B-Trainer (SBT). The SBT is the 2nd wearable from Sony that I’ve had the experience of using. The first being the NWZ-W262 Meb Special Edition [review]. Since the W262, what a difference 3 short years have made. Where the W262 and W273S were mostly about the music, hence their Walkman branding, the SBT is a different beast. To the point that the company tries hard not to associate it with the Walkman. Nestled within the earpieces are Heart Rate, GPS, Accelerometer, Gyro, e-Compass, and Pressure sensors. Other features are of course the MP3 player, NFC, and Bluetooth components. It’s the market’s first all-in-one device that I know. No longer will you need to slap on the chest or wrist straps or hook up your smartphone or iPods. Because it’s IPX5/6 and JIS/IEC waterproof grade, you can wash it or wear it swimming (if you must have music while doing your laps in the pool).

Out of the box, the SBT looks very unassuming. Several sets of buds (for regular or swimming use), HRM covers, a carry bag, USB charging cable/dock, and quick guide.

Even though there’s always the excitement about using new gear straight out of the box, it’s my habit to first charge it up. Slide the right ear piece into the dock and plug the dock into the computer’s (PC or Mac) USB port. You’ll get a prompter to install either the Media Go (for Windows) or File Transfer (for Mac) software. (Windows Media Go (how-to setup) | Mac File Transfer how to setup). The installation is very simple and this software allows you to manage your music files, just like iTunes. The supported audio files are MP3, WMA, AAC, and Linear-PCM. The interface is easy to understand and use – the gold old-fashioned drag and drop method. To get the most out of the SBT, it’s advisable to export a large selection of music tracks to it’s 16GB memory. This is so that there’s a wide range of tunes assigned to all the training intensities. So go ahead and fill up your playlist.

This is how the Windows based Media Go User Interface looks like. The SBT appears as a removable device on the left panel – be sure to eject it like you would any flash drive before unplugging it. The UI is pretty intuitive and you can see from the highlighted column the track BPM. Some are blanks, which I’m not sure why.

And below, the rather inferior and spartan UI of the Mac version. Even the name of the software, Mac File Transfer, doesn’t inspire any excitement :D. To add salt to the Mac user’s wounds, the Mac File Transfer offers no calibration of the music tempo. There’s a workaround though, and to do that you’ll need the smartphone app – more of that in awhile.

It takes a couple of hours (max 2.5 hours from zero to full) to top off the battery so while that’s going on, it’s time to download and install the B-Trainer smartphone app to ensure that you get the most out of the device. It’s available for free on the iOS and Android (iOS | Android) platforms. This is the app that will get you going like setting up of a training plan, charting your workouts and getting everything sync’d with the device, not to mention the calibration of the track tempos done. With the app installed on the phone, it’s time to pair both the SBT with the phone. I had the opportunity to test it out with the Sony Experia Z3+ and connectivity is ultra easy with NFC (on the SBT, the NFC sensor is located on the right earpiece). On my iPhone 5S, I’d to toggle to the Bluetooth settings to get that done. Next, 2 screens will guide you on how to wear the SBT properly, which is important since the HR sensor needs a good contact with the outer ear to get an accurate HR reading.

Next will be the app settings you may want to get out of the way. It’s not something critical which can’t be done at a later stage.

I mentioned earlier that Mac users won’t be able to get the File Transfer software to calibrate the music tempo? You get around that limitation by going into the smartphone app menu and selecting Device Info > Retrieve song information and follow the onscreen instructions.

There’s a wide variety of training modes that are up for selection. For example, you could train by time, calories burned, pace or use the preset Fat Burning or Endurance training modes. There’s also the Custom option where you can tweak to your heart’s content, right down to what data you want read to you and at what intervals. Due to Sony’s partnership with Asics, there’s also the  Do note that whenever you select a workout mode, you’ll need to sync it to the SBT. Otherwise, the SBT will run on the same mode as the previous workout. I kept things simple and opt for the Free training mode every time. A great thing about this is, once sync’d, you can pretty much leave the phone behind and just go run without your ridiculously large phones strapped to your arms.

Now that all the setup is out of the way, you’re pretty much good. I pretty much had all the gear on for the first run – the Garmin watch and chest strap, and the B-Trainer. Although I’m no expert at determining which is the more accurate, this is necessary for comparison. The SBT’s GPS acquisition speed is impressive, and I noted that as you log more workouts with it, the acquisition gets increasingly quicker. This is consistent with the behavior of the wrist-based GPS devices. HR acquisition is even quicker and once both are established, all I needed to do was to press the Start button on the left earpiece. The Free training mode essentially allows you to run according to your music tracks. There are toggle buttons to allow the forward and backward skipping of the tracks. At the preset intervals, voice prompts will keep you updated on your distance, pace, HR and any other metrics you set to. Press the Info button anytime and the same set of data will be read out too.

Once your run is done, you can sync the data to the phone. Below are some of screenshots from the workouts.

There are several analysis you can make of your workout once the data is sync’d, for example, comparison between any 2 readouts from pace, elevation, heart rate, stride and cadence. Like any social apps worth their salt out there, there’s the sharing of your exploits on Facebook or Twitter too.

 

Past workouts can be easily searched from the logs and they can be viewed by the various measurements below.

fgdfgdfgdf

Note: As mentioned earlier, the SBT can be worn during your swim too, although several functions are inactivated in the water. I don’t swim but a friend who does, reported that the measurement is not as accurate given the bobbing motion of the head. He pointed out that his Suunto also has this shortcoming, and thus Sony isn’t alone in this area. The product website does, after all, states that only the music function is enabled during the swim mode.

The distance readout performed flawlessly and each kilometer was ticked off within 3 seconds of the Garmin. What proved more challenging was the HR reading, which depends largely on how well the device fits. This is critical especially if you’ve chosen the preset training modes where you could, inaccurately, be prompted to slow down or speed up. I was experienced enough to know that I wasn’t running at 170+bpm but beginners may be alarmed. So, be sure to get the correct earbuds fitted.

The GPS lock was good throughout the run, which was done on neighborhood roads. It only faltered when I logged my runs at the KLCC Park where the surrounding skyscrapers dropped the signal a number of times. Tall buildings are a bane to GPS devices and the Sony isn’t exempted. While the wrist-based devices only alert you in cases of extended loss of signal e.g. transitioning from running outdoor to a treadmill, the SBT will alert you each time the signal drops. In the case of my week day runs, drops can be experienced a few times over the course of a workout session, especially when I run along the KL Convention Center frontage. To be fair, the reacquisition is pretty quick.

I’ve used the SBT for a couple of months and the initial few weeks had been like discovering easter eggs. Many of the functions are not as obvious from the get go and some buttons serve multiple functions. Here are some of those that I’ve discovered:

Bluetooth button

• Short press – toggles between the Swimming or Device Mode.
• Long press – turns the Bluetooth on or off.
• Short press (when paired and used with the smartphone) – Toggles between playing songs stored in the sport device and songs stored in your smartphone

Info button

• Long press – Power on or off.
• Short press during workout – Info readout.
• Short press (when paired and used with the smartphone) – Answer or end calls.

Memo button

• Walkman mode – Play, Pause.
• During workout – records voice memo via a mono mic. Recording length is configurable via the app.

Depending on the usage, published battery life ranges between 3 to 13.5 hours. A friend wore it for the recent Gold Coast Airport Marathon and managed to squeeze 4.5 hours out of it. If the battery saving feature is enabled (via the app), 5.5 hours is a possibility. Given the size and weight of the device with so many sensors, this is expected.

So, is the Sony Smart B-Trainer for you? On paper, it’s a solid proposition from the company, especially to those who place a premium on working out to music without having to lug around a smartphone or a HR strap around your chest. On top of that, it has every other important features – GPS, HRM, cadence sensor – a runner would look for.

Pros

• All-in-one device. Has pretty much everything you’d need to track your progress.
• Option to leave the phone behind.
• Fast GPS acquisition.
• Good sound quality.
• Not noise isolating, hence the wearer retains some awareness of the surroundings.

Cons

• No cloud sync. Storage and viewing of data are limited to the smartphone.
• Battery life is around 4.5 hours per real-life use.
• May be an overkill for those who don’t need as much in a product.
• Price. Some may compromise convenience with carrying separate devices.

Word of caution: Please exercise caution when plugging in during an outdoor workout. Be always mindful of traffic and other safety threats. The majority of my testing occurred at the KLCC Park where there are high human traffic. I don’t recommend running solo with the ears plugged. Always use your better judgment and never listen at extreme levels of volume.

Disclosure: The Sony Smart B-Trainer was a review unit courtesy of Sony Malaysia. The SBT is available from Sony Centers and The Marathon Shop outlets in Malaysia and retails for RM999. More information on the SBT here.

Originally published: July 19th, 2015

The Ultimate Direction Scott Jurek Ultra Vest (SJUV) is the medium-sized hydration vest in the Ultimate Direction Signature Series. On a more minimal side of the scale is the Anton Krupicka Race Vest (AKRV) while on the other end of the scale, the 12 liter Peter Bakwin Adventure Vest (PBAV). The SJUV is not my first experience with a hydration vest, my first being the Nathan HPL020 (reviewed here) purchased back in 2008. Even though not used as much as I’d like to, the Nathan is still in great condition, but I’ve been entertaining a ridiculous thought recently that calls for greater specs than what the Nathan can support me. More importantly I purchased the SJUV with clear requirements on what I need in a pack given the kind of event. Popular brands like Salomon cost nearly twice more, and would be overkill for me.

What I need:

1. Lightweight low profile fit
2. No-bounce
3. Plenty of storage
4. Versatile
5. Ease of maintenance
6. Durability

Per the UD website, the SJUV weighs in at 7.5 oz (13 oz with bottles) and has a 9.2 liter storage space. The marketing blurb maintains that “the SJ has the best weight-to-capacity ratio of any hydration pack on the market.” And if you’re interested in what kinds of storage the vest has, see the specs below as provided by UD. To know which pocket is designed for what purpose, watch the short video where Scott Jurek himself explains the use of the product.

First impression I had of the vest was how light and compact it was. Ultimate Direction claims the UDSJ has the best weight to capacity ratio out there and holding it in my hands for the first time certainly gave me that impression. Weight may not be an issue on a short weekend trail outing but multiply that over hours and miles upon miles of climbing and running, every ounce saved is hopefully going to make the journey a little bit more bearable. At least you won’t feel like carrying a donkey on your shoulders, although I’ve a suspicion that after 12 hours on your feet, nothing much matters anymore!

The first outing I had with it was an 8K trail run which was part of the TNF workshop – my load-up was pretty minimal, consisting only of my iPhone, a lightweight low-bulk Nike jacket and the 2 bundled 20 oz (591 ml) UD bottles with kicker valves. I tested the included whistle (loud enough) and tucked it into the velcro’d shoulder pocket. The 2 bottles were 3/4 filled as it wasn’t going to be a long run. Here’s how the unique kicker valve works. Pull it up and bite to suck in the fluids, flick it to retract the teat. I found taking in fluids via the valve is a hit or miss, depending if you get the bite right. I withheld my verdict on the bottles after the run.

Whether you’re carrying a bladder or 2 bottles, I suppose there’s no escaping the sound of fluid sloshing sound.The good thing, however, was the absence of insecurity and bounce. My vest were lashed down and compacted by the extensive network of bungee cord and hooks. As a result the vest were like part of my t-shirt. I’ve never felt such a good fit before. There was no sideways sliding, nor up and down bouncing. I came away very happy. We were out on the trails for about 1.5 hours and the fluids on board were sufficient. For longer races, one will need to review the distances, weather conditions and terrain between the refueling stations. There may be a need to supplement the 2 bottles with a bladder. Or just rely on the 2-liter bladder, freeing the front pockets for supplies and a camera.

When the 2nd trail outing was planned, I got the trekking poles out to check how I could carry them along with more stuff. Some of the photos show Snickers and even a tube of Vitamin C solubles being stashed into the pockets merely to show what the pockets could or couldn’t handle. The best way is to take plenty of photos to show you, so that’s what I’m going to here.

If there’s one disappointment, both the pockets under the lat pockets are too small to hold a tube of electrolyte tablets – see 2 immediate photos below. No issues if you’re using S-Caps because you’ll be stashing the pills into a zip lock.

My trekking poles, while extensible and retractable like most others, aren’t the very compact nor foldable type. The plus side is that being fully carbon, they’re light. When fully retracted and secured using the Powerlock System, the Komperdell C3s are still pretty long and stick out like crazy. It took me awhile before finding a viable way of securing them. This setup will need some testing before embarking on a longer run of, say, 50 miler. Always test and train in the gear that you race in, the wise ones would say.

The next thing to do was to take the vest and poles out on the trail. Purposely started at 6am to get an hour of darkness and headlamp time – creepy at first but comforting to have the company of a fellow runner. Covering the terrain in the dark trail certainly takes some getting used to, and we spent more time walking and trekking than running. No face time in the dirt from tripping on roots thankfully.

The vest performed superbly and I’ve absolutely no complaints on the fitting. One of the very lightest and best fitting I’ve tried on. Just by comparing the SJUV’s weight against the Salomon XT Advanced Skin S-Lab 5 and you’ll appreciate the fact that you’ll be lugging less weight 60K into your race. The issues I had were more on the access to the side pockets and stowage of the poles. As you can see from the photo below, I screwed up the whole thing and ended up like a Ninja Turtle. Even so, because everything was compressed close to the body, the awkward positioning didn’t impede my running. We ended up with close to 2:30 of time on our feet in the trails, an awesome way to spend Sunday morning. No such issues if trekking poles aren’t part of your carry-on. Otherwise, do experiment.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a noob and am learning as I go along 🙂  but here’s my take after 2 runs in the SJUV:

The good:

1. Amazing fit for size S. No issues yet as mentioned in the Blue Ridge Runner’s review, but I’ll be looking out for issues.
2. Truly lightweight even with 2 full bottles
3. No-bounce
4. Expandable compartments
5. Cuten fibers feel strong, lends some confidence in rough handling the vest

Could be better:

1. The nozzle on the bottle’s kicker valve takes some getting used to. No big deal really.
2. The finger loop on the bottle is unnecessary in my opinion.
3. Shoulder pocket can’t really fit an iPhone much less a ruggedized point and shoot camera.
4. Not too ideal if you’re packing poles.
5. Not easy to stow and remove things from the small lateral pockets as they’re located more to the back than to the side. Needs practice.

Further experimentation is necessary of course. I’ll probably do a follow up post on how much the vest can carry. If you’re on the look out for hydration vests, there are many options out there in the market, with many really good ones from Salomon, Nathan (the 6.5L Vaporwrap looks darn good) and of course if you need a larger vest, check out the PBAV from Ultimate Direction.

I purchased the Scott Jurek Ultra Vest from The Ultramarathon Running Store (UMRS). I highly recommend them for their excellent service, very reasonable pricing and prompt delivery. They’re also expanding their range of products. If you want to check out the Signature Series, head on to the Ultimate Direction website.

Originally published: May 22nd, 2013

I’m glad to have wrapped up the final week of the year with a rolling start to my training plan. It’s super to also see quite a few of my friends getting a head start to the year. All but yesterday’s run were great and enjoyable. A serving of weak coffee failed to pick me up (intake of coffee or tea after 12pm has detrimental effect to my sleep) somehow and I felt sluggish.

But a workout is a workout. Commitment is such that once you’ve penned it down, you will complete whatever task it is. Well, at least most of the time.

Yesterday was an opportunity to test out the Ultimate Direction Fastdraw 10, a 10 ounce (300ml) handheld water bottle. Prior to the UD, I’ve had many experiences with the various hydration options for runners. There’s the waist belted option like the popular FuelBelt, Nathan or those from nearly every major sporting brands. For ultra runners, backpack types like Camelbak and Nathan are ubiquitous. Finally there’s the handheld type. I typically stay away from hand-holding water bottles because I’ve never liked the stress it placed on my hands, arms and shoulders. But the UD design proved to be very appealing when I tried it in the RunnerzCircle store and decided to invest in it.

It’s basically a removable clear BPA-free bottle (so that you can check the fluid level) held by a compact holder. You slip your hand in and the entire package fits inside your hand. It’s designed for ambidextrous use, so you can switch it from left to right hand easily. You can customize the fit by pulling the cinch cord. There are plenty of reflective strips to ensure visibility. The small pocket will allow you to carry cash and your keys or a single gel pack. Unlike the 20-ounce bottle option, the 10 ounce bottle cap is the traditional pull and suck type. The 20 ounce bottle option called the Fastdraw Plus [brief review here] has the patented Kicker Valve, a very neat device, but I felt that it’s too large for me and will just put a strain on my hand and shoulders eventually impacting my natural running movements.

I filled up the UD with 50% isotonic drink and 50% Mountain Dew, all chilled and headed out. The small and compact build of the Fastdraw 10 fitted near perfectly in my left hand. The holder and bottle felt very comfortable and fitted so well and I needn’t even clasp my hand to hold on to it. I could relax my hold and even ran with open palms and the UD will stay in position. The pull action of the cap was the smoothest I’ve found. Drinking off it meant squeezing the bottle or just sucked as usual. Even with fluid sloshing around in the bottle, there was no spillage. I overturned it and the drink stayed where it should.

Overall, I can safely say that the UD is the best handheld I’ve used. The 10 ounce capacity is just enough for a 10K run on the road or trail, refillable at the various water stops on long runs. The pocket fits my car keys and cash. Most importantly it’s very ergonomic, fits like a glove, and felt so secure that I could run without always exerting pressure by having to grab it hard. Even after using it only once, it’s now my favorite water bottle, and that’s saying a lot from a person with too many bottles in the cupboard. RunnerzCircle stocks the UD Fastdraw 10, Fastdraw Plus and the Access Single Bottle Pack (a waist belt option).

Note: Do also check out Andy Bowen’s post on finding out which hydration system is best for you.

Originally published: Jan 3rd, 2011

 

As far as hydration vests go, I’ve used 2 brands – Nathan HPL020 and the Ultimate Direction SJ Ultra Vest. Both have different capacities but they’re very light. I’ve always put a premium on using products that offer a blend of performance in a lightweight package and both have not disappoint. I wore the Nathan in TNF 50K in 2008 and found it to work well. While stilla race virgin, I’ve been very happy with the UD in training. Its shortcomings are a few – a little issue with the sizing/fitting and lack of use of its tiny pockets. Despite that, it’s one of the best vests around, supremely lightweight and stable.

The problem for me started when the race I’ve signed up requires the content of the drop bag to be brought along (or face disposal). This meant that while I can spread out the lugging of my fueling needs and other ancillary gear, I won’t be able to leave behind the stuff that I may no longer need. Runners will also have to contend with wearing a single pair of shoes after several stream crossings.

Tried as I may over several separate attempts, I’ve been unable to cram the gear into the UD and my outer gear are already all of the packable and compact variety! No choice then but to cast my eyes on 12L packs. For a moment, UD’s PB pack seemed a valid choice but I didn’t want to face the UD design of “neither-here-nor-there”. My requirements are simple – lightweight, 12L capacity, non-bladder setup – yet choices are limited. Raidlight’s OLMO, while has the right capacity, felt a little too sloppy.

Until Salomon (it had to be Salomon!) came along. Prior to the Salomon Advanced Skin LAB HYDRO Set (5 and 12L options), the Advanced Skin LAB Sets were the bladder types. While the brand prides itself as battle-tested by its stable of elite athletes in exotic races, I’ve not really gravitated towards it for reasons of cost and them not being exactly lightweight (I’m spoilt by the UD’s featherweight!). The HYDRO Set, introduced as part of their 2013 Fall/Winter lineup, changes all that. It’s heritage is the 2013 bladder version and therefore retains most of the features that Salomon vests are known for.

However upon closer look, the vest has gone through several important tweaks. First, the Salomon Advanced Skin LAB HYDRO 12 Set comes with 2 500ml Soft Flasks that are carried in front, has 2 large drop in pockets, side webbings that can actually accommodate gear and energy bars and 2 very nicely implemented lateral pockets with vertical zippers. Other than the top main compartment, the wearer could extract stuff from these pockets without having to remove the vest. With the simplification of the construction, there’s now less material used and the HYDRO 12 Set weighs only 340gms compared to the 530gms of the bladder version. It’s also 20gms lighter than the already lightweight SJ vest (368gms) and way lighter than the PB pack (496gms). The Soft Flasks alone already shaved off some weight compared to hard bottles.

No change are the fully customizable elasticated Twin Link, Sensifit, Load lifter, insulated bladder pocket, 4D pole holder, safety blanket, whistle and reflective trims. With 10 pockets and more compartments, there’s now enough room to carry the full load of battle gear. Since I prefer the Soft Flasks, the space vacated by the bladder pocket can fit a few more items.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My first outing with the HYDRO was for RJM recently. Though it was a road event, the distance and leisure nature of the event was perfect to test the vest out. 42K and over 5 hours would give me adequate time to get to know the product. So what did I pack into the vest? A tube of electrolyte tabs, GU Chomps, 2 GUs, a tablet carrier, the Olympus TG-2, a rain jacket (just to simulate partial load-out), 1 headlamp, an old iPod Shuffle, and of course the 2 soft flasks.

As expected, the HYDRO acquitted itself very well. What I love in particular are the well thought access to gear, from the direction of the zippers to the large access of the compartments. Even the small pockets were useful. The other thing about the Soft Flasks was the near complete absence of sloshing. As a bonus, you could actually drink from it without having to remove it from the sleeve. Just squeeze and the fluids squirt right into your mouth. Thirdly, the vest doesn’t slide around laterally nor bounce, even though I didn’t really adjust the fit out of the pack. When the sun was scorching, things didn’t get uncomfortably warm either.

A few days later, I started putting stuff into it just to get an idea how they’ll fit into the HYDRO. I gathered up the following items: 1 sachet of Perpetuem, 1 sachet of Heed, a tube of Fizz, chomps, 2 gels, a bottle of Endurance Amino, 2 packs of batteries, a packable Inov-8 Mistlite pants, packable TNF Venture jacket, 2 headlamps, the TG-2 camera, beanie, gloves, iPod Shuffle, trekking poles, safety blanket and the 2 Soft Flasks. Of course in this simulation, the Hammer and GUs are insufficient but there are plenty of room left.

The Salomon Advanced Skin LAB HYDRO 12 Set fits the bill if you’re looking for a vest that can carry plenty of gear while at the same time remain lightweight. It may seem like an intimidating piece of gear (the price certainly is so, since it’s a Salomon) but play around with it and you’ll realize that every component of it has been given a fair bit of thought in its design. In my opinion it’s leaps and bounds an improvement over the old Advanced Skin Lab 12 in that it’s lighter, tweaked zips and much better all-round accessibility. If there are some areas to improve it’ll be the following:

1. There are straps running here and there and it’ll be great if some literature is provided. As it is, only a tiny card showing how to secure the trekking pole is included.
2. Increase the size of the screw-on caps of the Soft Flasks. I needed to break the electrolyte tabs in two before being able to drop it into the flask. This is where the UD bottles triumph over the flasks.

In the coming weeks, there’ll be more and more opportunities to use the HYDRO. Can’t wait to use it on the trails. I bought my HYDRO 12 Set from the UltraMarathonRunningStore. Head on there for great products at very competitive prices.

Originally published: Sep 9th, 2013.