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TETON Sports Trailrunner Review

This is an inexpensive hydration pack with minimal storage
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teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review
TETON Sports Trailrunner
Credit: http://www.tetonsports.com/
Price:  $25 List
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Manufacturer:   Teton Sports
By Jason Cronk ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jul 15, 2017
34
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Ease of Drinking - 20% 3.0
  • Ease of Filling - 20% 2.0
  • Comfort - 20% 3.0
  • Storage - 20% 3.0
  • Weight - 10% 9.0
  • Ease of Cleaning - 10% 3.0

Our Verdict

The TETON Sports TrailRunner 2.0 is an inexpensive hydration pack geared towards minimalists on a tight budget. This pack doesn't have a lot of frills or extra features, but is a basic pack that performs well enough when used for day hiking or nontechnical bike riding. Best of all, its minimalist design is light on your back and light on the wallet, especially when compared to most other packs in our lineup. If you're looking for an affordable hydration pack for casual use that won't break the bank, the Trailrunner 2.0 is definitely worth a look.
REASONS TO BUY
Lightweight
Inexpensive
REASONS TO AVOID
No storage
Difficult to fill and clean

Our Analysis and Test Results

Is the TETON Sports Trailrunner 2.0 our Editors' Choice or Best Buy? Top Pick? No, not even close. What this pack does have is a low price and it does work well enough for occasional use. For the recreational day-hiker or someone who may occasionally carry a water bottle on their walks and wants to try something new, this pack is worth a look.

Performance Comparison


teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - the trailrunner 2.0 on a spring hike.
The Trailrunner 2.0 on a spring hike.
Credit: Jason Cronk

Ease of Drinking


The TrailRunner has a two-liter BPA free hydration bladder included. This water supply is connected ultimately to the bite valve via a potentially problematic threaded fitting on the kink-free drinking hose.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - the threaded fitting is similar to the wacool 2l.
The threaded fitting is similar to the Wacool 2L.
Credit: Jason Cronk

We actually did experience kinking at the top of the shoulder just outside the drinking hose exit port on the left shoulder. The drinking hose had a mind of its own and seemed to like to bend sharply before traveling down the shoulder strap. While the kink didn't completely obstruct the drinking hose, it restricted the already less than impressive flow that much more.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - kinking in the hose made drinking tougher.
Kinking in the hose made drinking tougher.
Credit: Jason Cronk

With that exception, the drinking hose remained kink-free during our testing. The bite valve supplied with the TrailRunner delivers an adequate but not impressive flow of water. Our testers all commented on the effort needed to satisfy their thirst while on the trail.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - not the easiest drinking pack in our test!
Not the easiest drinking pack in our test!
Credit: Jason Cronk

The TrailRunner also has a push-to-close style bite valve; slide the valve forward to open and back up to close. The mechanism seems to work, although we still experienced an occasional drip even with the valve supposedly closed. If you're a light water sipper, this may be a non-issue, but for those of us who tend to gulp now and then, it's not ideal.

Ease of Filling


The hydration bladder of the TrailRunner has an ample supply of water once filled, carrying two liters of liquid goodness. The bladder can be accessed via an opening on the main pack compartment itself which opens completely across the top and is secured with a one-inch hook and loop closure. On the outer half of the pouch is a flap that folds over the upper part of the hydration bladder.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - a throwback in design, the pack's bladder is not the easiest filling.
A throwback in design, the pack's bladder is not the easiest filling.
Credit: Jason Cronk

This flap needs to be pulled upward out of the bag in order to access the bladder. Once you've done this, there is a simple hook and loop strap to loop through the water bag to keep it upright. Undo this and remove the hydration bladder approximately 6" to access the fill port which is 2" in diameter and capped. We felt like we needed to exercise extra caution with the hydration bladder since it seems thin and flimsy, not in the same league as many of the other higher-end packs in our lineup.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - a narrower opening, like the one found on the teton sports model, is...
A narrower opening, like the one found on the TETON Sports model, is often tougher when filling and cleaning.
Credit: Jason Cronk

The TrailRunner has one of the smallest bladder openings in our test. This doesn't affect filling if you've got access to a sink, especially if it's a deep sink. For other water sources, it may prove a tougher task to fill up than our other test packs with their wider openings and better handles.

Comfort


Once loaded with water and a jacket strapped to the external bungee cord on the back of the pack, we found that the TrailRunner carried well enough, though we were not overly impressed. Our testers with narrower shoulders commented that the pack straps were too wide and had to be cinched in with the sternum strap. Our testers with broader shoulders didn't mind the fit, and the shoulder straps stayed put where they should.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - the pack's straps suited our testers with wider shoulders.
The pack's straps suited our testers with wider shoulders.
Credit: Robyn Cronk

The independently thinking drinking hose rode annoyingly, either rubbing users' arms or chests. Perhaps shortening the hose by a few inches would help? The TETON Sports TrailRunner is a simple hydration pack and has a lightweight 420D ripstop body attached to a padded, insulated, and somewhat ventilated mesh back panel. We found the ventilation was not in the same league as other well-ventilated packs, but then the price is over $100 cheaper than many competitor models. The simple two-layer mesh shoulder straps did an okay job supporting the hydration pack and the primary adjustable webbing waist belt kept the pack from bouncing around too much. Overall, for an inexpensive hydration pack, the comfort level is okay, though it doesn't compare to the more expensive models.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - the drinking tube made the pack less comfortable.
The drinking tube made the pack less comfortable.
Credit: Robyn Cronk

Storage


Being a minimalist lightweight pack, the TrailRunner's storage is limited. The pack only has one dedicated storage area, which is a simple unsecured mesh sleeve on the back of the pack with an external stretch bungee cord to pull over it.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - the teton model was not the roomiest or most effective of storage in...
The TETON model was not the roomiest or most effective of storage in our test.
Credit: Jason Cronk

If you're gentle, you can possibly store soft items inside the main body, along with the hydration bladder, although there would be nothing to protect the bladder from your gear. A simple zipper would likely puncture the seemingly fragile bladder. TETON Sports says the pack will carry wallets, phones, and snacks, which sounds pretty accurate after testing. We found that strapping a light shell jacket under the bungee worked well and didn't affect the carry of the pack. For an inexpensive lightweight pack, the TrailRunner carries just enough for a short day out.

Weight


Here's one area where this affordable model stands out. While it lacks in other metrics, it is indeed lightweight. Coming in with a measured weight of 12.8 ounces, the Trailrunner weighs in among the lightest packs in our lineup.

Ease of Cleaning


The TrailRunner is the most difficult to clean in our test lineup. The opening of this pack is the smallest in our test. To clean, the bladder is removed from the main pouch, and for better or worse, the drinking hose can be unscrewed from the bladder which gives easy access to brushing it out. Cleaning the hydration bladder proves more difficult with the narrow 2" opening. Where all of the other packs can easily be cleaned by hand with a cloth, sponge, or brush, the bladder of the TrailRunner can really only be cleaned with a relatively narrow bottle brush.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - typically, when it's tougher to fill, it's also tougher to clean...
Typically, when it's tougher to fill, it's also tougher to clean. The TETON Sports model earned low scores for ease of drinking, filling, and cleaning.
Credit: Jason Cronk

The drinking hose is easily accessed for cleaning from the threaded fitting on the bladder end. Unfortunately, we were unable to remove the bite valve for complete cleaning.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - cleaning the drinking tube with a specialized brush, which did not...
Cleaning the drinking tube with a specialized brush, which did not make for easy cleaning.
Credit: Jason Cronk

The valve has a similar fitting like all the other packs, but when we attempted to pull and twist it to remove the valve, we stopped for fear of breaking it. Cleaning the inside helped us relive the past when we let our hydration bladders become microbiology experiments since they were a pain to clean.

teton sports trailrunner hydration pack review - simplicity and adequate performance are offered, making this...
Simplicity and adequate performance are offered, making this contender ideal for casual users on a budget.
Credit: Jason Cronk

Value


As one of the most inexpensive hydration packs we've ever tested, the TrailRunner 2.0 is a basic pack with a low weight and adequate comfort for broader shoulders, perhaps providing some value for the right user. In comparison to any other product in this review, though, this model feels cheap, lacks longevity, and falls behind in all performance metrics except trail weight.

Conclusion


If you're an occasional hydration pack user and don't need anything fancy, check out the TETON Sports TrailRunner 2.0. It'll carry your water and a couple of small extras without breaking the bank.

Jason Cronk