The Amihan Hauler is Designed for the Long Haul

Amihan Hauler at Hong Kong’s Dragon Back

Amihan’s Hauler Vest has all the compartments for your run to sustain you in the Long Haul.  It’s a race ready vest that’s snug fit and can go with different hydration setups. 

Amihan Vests

Fastrak on left, Crosswind on the middle and Hauler on the right

I’ve been using Amihan Vest for over a year now and through those times, I’ve seen the evolution of their vest.  It just get better every time.  My first one was the Fastrak and I love the compact design and the open back pouch for easy storage of poles.  I also got to try the Crosswind and it has a bigger capacity as well as zipped pockets to secure your belongings.  The comes the Hauler, which has all the capacity, pockets and also open back pouch for poles.  I’d be comfortable with racing with any of these vests and have gone through a lot of trails and races with Amihan already.  It’s proudly Philippine made and is really affordable for the trail community.  There are pros and cons for each model but I use them based on need.  The Fastrak is more compact, The Crosswind is more secure and the Hauler is a little bit of everything.

The Hauler

Hauler at Lantau Two Peaks Race

The Hauler, like its name suggest can really fit in a lot of items with 4 zipped pockets and 2 bottle holders on the front,  2 zipped pockets on the side, 2 compartments of open pouch and 2 zipped pockets on the back.  That’s a lot of compartment for the hauler and it does take you a long way.  That also gives you a lot of flexibility with your hydration setup.  You can go with a bladder at the back or if you prefer to use bottles you can use the front bottle pockets or for really long ones, you can use both.

Big Wave Bay

The first time I used the Hauler was on a trek from Dragon Back to Big Wave Bay in Hong Kong.  It’s an 8K loop that gives you a look at Shek O Peak with the Dragon’s Back view and ends in the beach at Big Wave Bay.  It’s an easy hike but since we started late, we need all the hydration we can get.  I used a bladder for my water while using the rest of the compartment for my extra clothes for the day.  I used the side pockets for my extra shirt and shorts, the back pockets for my clothes, the extra back pouch for my Anker powerbank, food and my bladder.  The front pocket – I had a pocket for my Young Living essential oils (Peppermint to perk me up and Deep relief for the muscles), food and gels on the top pocket. Mints and candies on the lower pockets and my phone an wallet on the bottle pockets. It’s a bit heavy for a setup but I did have everything I needed inside the vest. After all, I’m testing out a vest that’s designed for the long haul.

Lantau 2 Peaks with Princess

For Lantau 2 Peaks, I went for a lighter setup with just the bladder an extra flask for water refills, my oils, gels and mints.  That’s the thing I like about the Hauler, you have so many options on the setup.  It’s also snug fit so it doesn’t feel like carrying a vest at all since its as if its part of you already.  That eliminates the drag and inconvenience of a loose bag.  It’s definitely a race ready bag that has all the compartment you need for the required gear.

STAR Trail Challenge Route

I’ve also used it on the recon for STAR Trail Challenge Route and also my routine trail runs in Camp John Hay.  For the easier runs, I just use the bag for storage and just add a bottle of water.  I also like the color scheme of the Hauler with a bright blue and fierce red that stands out to keep me visible on the trail.  The advantage of the hauler is that it helps you sort your stuff for easier access on the trails.  It also helps even the load on the body to keep things more balanced.   It also has a latch to keep the bladder in place and not fall of to the lower of the bag to shift the load to the lower part of the bag.

Hauler at Yellow Trails in Camp John Hay

You’re definitely in for the long haul with Amihan Hauler as you have enough space and compartment to keep your race essentials stored and organized. There’s room for your poles, rain jacket, extra clothes, food, gels and a lot more with the hauler.  It gives you faster access to your items with the different pockets.  It’s also spacious enough to keep your used clothes after each run so you don’t have to have an extra bag.   The hauler is also an eye-candy with its colorway that I get excited to hit the trail just to be able to use it.  The hauler is now my favorite vest now since its compact, spacious and efficient.