Trail-running hydration gear has evolved a lot since the days of fanny packs and water bottles with duct-tape听handles. As the sport has grown,听so has the variety of vests designed to hold water, food, and gear for hours-long runs or between race aid stations. We spent the summer听checking out new and updated packs from a host of top brands.听Here are six of our favorites, some recently launched and some coming in early 2019.
Ultimate Direction 国产吃瓜黑料 Vesta 4.0 ($160)
Online managing editor Abigail Wise ran two ultras in the original version of the 鈥擴ltimate Direction鈥檚 large-capacity women鈥檚 vest for long days on the trail鈥攕o she was excited to test the updated model. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like UD was watching me fumble with the old one and dreamed up impactful tweaks to make this model as efficient as possible,鈥 she says. Cases in point: one of the two front bottle holsters听is replaced with a zippered iPhone-size听pocket, a new fabric loop听snaps open and shut to quickly secure drink tubes, and the vest now has a monofilament听mesh backing that is more durable but also more breathable and faster-drying than the old cloth-mesh听blend, which was prone to absorbing more moisture.
The North Face Flight Trail Vest ($150)
Don鈥檛 let the slim profile听of The North Face鈥檚 fool you: it can fit more than you think. Two front stretch pockets accommodate multiple bars, gels, and chew packets, while the zippered side pockets are each big enough for an iPhone鈥攖hough, when filled, they somewhat block the kangaroo pouch on the back. Two small zippered pockets听high on the shoulder straps听are perfect for keys, salt tabs, or lip balm. The North Face took a page from Salomon鈥檚 playbook听for the fabric and fit, with thin poly-elastane听for pockets听and fine nylon mesh next to the skin鈥攔eminiscent of the French brand鈥檚 wildly popular vest. The end result is close-fitting with a low-bounce ride.
Raidlight Responsiv 10L ($170)
This French company has been gaining traction in the U.S. for several years, thanks to its detail-driven designs and听high-quality construction (think: laser-cut, stitch-free hems). The , the brand鈥檚 most popular vest, is getting an upgrade in 2019, with two additional liters of capacity and a zipper on one of the front pockets for more secure storage. Thankfully, many of our favorite features remain, including the听Freelock听wheel-and-wire cinches, similar to Boa dials, on both sides for a supremely dialed-in fit听(though as a result the vest does not have side pockets).听Water-resistant nylon on the main rear compartment means gear stays relatively dry during squalls, while a vertical pole-storage system has stretchy pockets that cover the pole tips, so you don鈥檛 have to fear impaling yourself if you fall.听
Salomon Agile 6 ($100)
Some of us prefer a vest that fits more like a pack, without the full underarm coverage and the mess of front pockets.听That鈥檚 where Salomon鈥檚 new comes in. The front straps have soft-flask holsters but no other pouches; instead, the main back compartment offers a full six liters of storage, with a U-shaped zipper that opens the pack like a clamshell for easy organization. A smaller internal zippered pocket holds keys, and a separate zippered hydration-bladder slot听sits against your back. Without front听easy-access stuff pouches, this听isn鈥檛 the vest you鈥檇 reach for on race day. But the shoulder padding, wide opening, and large capacity make it ideal for those long days when you鈥檇 welcome the chance to stop and take off your pack to shed a layer.
Patagonia Slope Runner 4L听($140)
Patagonia鈥檚 new running hydration pack鈥攊ts first in many years鈥攚ears more like a shirt. The slim, minimalist design accommodates two 500-milliliter soft flasks up front and听a bladder in back. The two side and front pockets are made of compressive, stretchy fabric, which keeps small items like sunglasses, keys, gloves, or snacks听from jostling around or slipping out. The chest-flask holders are made of the same fabric听but lack a听cinch up top, so getting flasks back in after a refill can be difficult. Still, the close-to-the-body fit and secure pockets make听this a great choice for light-and-fast runs.
Available January 2019
CamelBak听Women鈥檚听Ultra Pro ($120)
The Ultra Pro has been in CamelBak鈥檚 line for several years, but 2019 marks its first听women-specific version. Like its unisex predecessor, the Women鈥檚 Ultra Pro听houses seven liters鈥 worth of gear and water, but听it听is equipped with two sets of pockets for housing soft flasks, one high and one low. Three large stuff pockets and a phone-size听zippered pocket up front hold everything from snacks and headlamps to gloves and sunglasses, while a听rear kangaroo pouch layered over two smaller stretch pockets (also phone-size) offers easy on-the-go access to stashed layers. The main back compartment also accommodates a water bladder. CamelBak opted for a听3-D mesh next to the skin, which is chunkier than the thin stretch mesh used by听Patagonia and The North Face but rises听off the skin at points for ventilation, a bonus in hot weather.
Available in January 2019