I have had the opportunity to try out the Nathan Thermal Quickdraw on two long runs, an 8 miler and a 10 miler this past weekend. After these two runs, I can safely say that I am a convert to the Nathan handheld.

Nathan Thermal Quickdraw 22 oz.

I finally had to break down and look for a new handheld after endless frustration with my Fuel Belt one leaking all over my hands while running. While it served its purpose, I was also not a fan of the strap that covers your hand. It isn’t too comfortable when you start hitting the double digits. One of the things I did like about it was the fact that it was pretty light.

Enter the Nathan Thermal Quickdraw. Since summer is right around the corner, a thermal handheld sounded very appealing!  Although I usually do my long runs very early in the morning, it can still get pretty hot and humid early in the day in Providence.

The first thing I noticed about the Nathan was its super comfy hand strap. It is very soft on the back of your hand and fits very snuggly, without being bulky.

The other thing I love is the sizeable pocket on the side. The pocket is advertised to fit an iPhone, and it did so comfortably. It also has a small identification tag that slides out of an inner pocket located directly above the larger pocket. While I always run with my Road ID, I think this is a very nice feature.

View of pocket and identification tag

The one drawback of this handheld is the added weight of the thermal cover. My drink did stay relatively cool, but I found that the secret to keeping the overall weight down was to fill the 22 oz. bottle half way. On the inaugural run, I filled the Thermal Quickdraw all the way and found it to be a bit too heavy over the longer distance. On my ten miler, I filled it half way, and it was perfect.

For anyone looking for a new handheld, I would definitely recommend the Nathan Thermal Quickdraw. I am looking forward to summer runs with refreshingly cool water!