We love a good lightbulb moment. Especially when it comes to running gear.
That’s what Maureen, a half-marathoner in training, recently had. “I love running with a hydration vest: I can’t believe that in my 13 years of running, I’ve never thought to buy one. Sometimes you don’t know how much you need something until you get it,” wrote Maureen, who was one of nine BAMRbassadors who got to test a vest. “If you run distances over three miles, I think you should consider the investment of a hydration vest.” (We agree, Maureen!) Kerry, another tester, echoed Maureen: “I never saw myself using a vest before receiving one, but now I swear by it!”
A quick primer: Hydration vests typically come in two styles—ones with a reservoir (also called a bladder) and ones with water bottles that tuck into vest pockets. (Some two-hump-camel-like vests include both, which can be nice for storing electrolyte-drinks in bottles and water in the reservoir.) A vest with a bladder connects to a tube with a bite-valve that you snake over your shoulder. When you want a drink, you bite on the valve. Vests also provide storage space, often designed cleverly, to let you stash a light jacket, gels, phone, trekking poles, and more. (Then it just becomes a case of remembering where you put what!)
Here’s what testers have to say about five hydration vests.
Nathan Pinnacle FeatherLite 1.5 Liter Hydration Vest
Price: $110
Sizes: XXS-XXL
This bladder-free vest is like a wearable collection of pockets—four on the front, one on the back—including one for the included 14-ounce collapsible flask. “The material [power stretch mesh and stretch woven fabric] is so light, it barely felt like another layer,” said Alison, who wore the FeatherLite while doing our recent Go the Distance event. “I like having water/electrolytes with me on most runs, even the shorter ones (why be thirsty?).”
That said, Alison said she’d need more water-capacity on longer, summer runs. “But definitely I will use this for my weekday runs when I don’t need two liters sloshing around with me.”
Both our testers found the vest fit well. “I measured myself following the online directions, and the vest fit perfectly,” Maureen wrote. There are several easily adjustable straps: two on the front and one on each side. She appreciated the included directions showing how to tighten the vest. “The vest didn’t move around as I ran, and it sat so well on my body.” Alison agreed: “I have a round torso, so sometimes I have trouble with them fitting correctly, but the adjustment straps were well placed. This one didn’t shift as I ran.”
Ultimate Direction Race Vesta 6.0
Price: $129.95
Sizes: S-L
“Lovely” was the first word that popped into the mind of our tester when she saw this ice-blue vest. (It also comes in black.) This versatile beauty comes with two collapsible water bottles that tuck into front pockets, and it has a large rear compartment that can accommodate up to a 2-liter reservoir (not included). Our tester, Sara, is training for a 23K trail race so she added a bladder.
She was grateful for this vest’s storage capacity: “I love that this vest has lots of pockets for bottles, gels, snacks, a clip to secure my keys, and the elastic loops for holding my trekking poles when not in use.” Sara also appreciated the women’s fit and sizing to accommodate her narrow shoulders. “It fit even better when I pull the ‘comfort cinch’ cords on the backside once it’s on.” And “the breathable mesh throughout the whole vest was helpful during hot afternoon runs.”
Sara’s one gripe was that she “couldn’t get the bottles that came with the vest to stay upright in the front pockets. Once I started drinking from them, they tended to sink down like saggy boobs.” (We’re here for any and all TMI descriptors!)
Price: $154.95
Sizes: One size
The fit of this women’s specific vest won raves from our two testers, including one with a self-proclaimed “larger bust.” With its patented harness system, “it’s very easy to adjust the fit with the multiple fit straps, even when you’re already wearing the vest and out on a run,” reported Karen, who’s training for a variety of races in her pursuit to run a half marathon in every state.
Basically a vest-novice, Karen admitted she was “nervous” about being distracted by the vest. “But I forgot I was even wearing it once I started moving.” She often has “issues with chafing” and she worried she’d get hot spots from the vest, but its microfiber polyester edges are soft and non-abrasive. “I didn’t have any chafing under my arms or on my chest from the vest.”
Brandi, our hiker-tester who is training for several endurance hikes, loved the control flow vent on the drinking tube from the 2-liter reservoir. “You can control your flow-speed with a lever on the mouth piece. And it never dripped or leak.” Karen concurred how easy the “straw” is to drink from.
Ultimate Direction Tarmac Vest
Price: $79.95
Sizes: S/M + L/XL
This new-this-season vest is more minimalist than other ones in this review, yet it still boasts five front pockets (including one zippered pocket, something many vests lack) and two rear ones. Two of the front pockets accommodate soft flasks, while one of the two back ones holds up to a 2-liter reservoir. Neither bottles nor a reservoir are included, so take that into consideration if you’re shopping by price point.
Shannon, a marathoner-in-training tester told us, “I really like how lightweight the vest is: I feel like other running vests can feel heavy and almost like I’m carrying a rucksack. Not this one.” She also liked how easy the fit was to adjust and how it sat snugly on her body without rubbing. “It didn’t bounce or move around as I was running.”
Liz, a self-proclaimed “well-endowed” tester who is training for a 20-mile hike, felt this vest ran large. “I wore the L/XL to accommodate the ‘girls.’ I snugged up the adjustable straps and still had plenty left so maybe the smaller one would have worked. Yet I didn’t feel like the L/XL was too big.”
This vest is available in two colors, both with the brand name in large, reflective letters on the back, which a morning runner appreciated. “I’m always looking for clothing that has reflective material on it so I’m visible to cars.”
Nathan TrailMix 2.0 12 Liter Hydration Pack
Price: $150
Sizes: One size
The TrailMix 2.0 feels like a backpack/hydration vest hybrid, thanks to its ample storage capacity. Each of the four front pockets fit up to 20-ounce flasks, while a separate back interior zippered pocket accommodates the included 1.5-liter reservoir. The back boasts storage galore with an exterior stretch mesh pocket that can even accommodate collapsible trekking poles and an expandable bungee strap system for quick-access essentials, like a jacket.
Adjustable sternum and side straps let the wearer dial in a secure fit, and an internal compression system tightens the load against the back for stability. “This vest is very comfortable and lightweight: It didn’t dig into my shoulders like other hydration vests have,” wrote Amanda, who’s training for the Hike Like a Mother 20-mile hike. “It sat in just the right spot on my back where I almost didn’t notice it.”
One knock against the TrailMix 2.0 was the hydration bladder itself, which Amanda found “tricky to figure out” the first time she used it. “I spent way too much time trying to figure out how to open it to fill it. I finally had to ask my engineer-husband how he thought it worked, and he had to Google it.”
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