My Sunday mornings usually involve trail running with my friend Rose in the mountains and canyons surrounding Los Alamos, New Mexico. Rose is training for the Mount Taylor 50K, and because I鈥檓 such a sucker good friend, I keep her company during long runs.
I recently tested women鈥檚 hiking gear for the 2014 Summer Buyer鈥檚 Guide and 听I thought might do the trick for two, three, four-plus hour runs in the Jemez. About six miles into a 12-mile run, I realized what a fool I was. To prevent bounce, I鈥檇 cinched the front straps tight enough to dig uncomfortably into my chest and stomach, but not snug enough to prevent chafing on my shoulder blades. By the end of the run, I鈥檇 developed what looked like giant hickies on each scapula.听
Lesson learned. No more hiking packs for running. Rose, coincidently,听, and mentioned her听听had been selling really well. So I decided to to try one out.

I went with 听($140), which debuted this year and is among the company鈥檚鈥攁nd the entire market鈥檚鈥攂est selling packs. Specifically designed for women (guys, you鈥檒l want to check out the men’s version, the听),听the lightweight race vest has everything you need for a morning in the mountains, including:听
Plenty of Water Capacity
听The pack comes with an easy-to-fill two-liter reservoir and an 18-ounce hand-held bottle that fits perfectly in the front-right pocket. Use one for water and the other for electrolytes, and you should be good to go for at least three hours. The hose runs from the bladder over your right shoulder and easily clips in and out of the sternum strap for on-the-go hydration.
Storage
The Zeal is designed to keep you light and fast, but there鈥檚 plenty of room鈥攁bout seven liters鈥攆or a shell and snacks, even when the bladder is full. A small internal pocket and key clip ensure that valuables stay safe, too. If that鈥檚 not enough, an external bungee cord holds extra layers, a hat, or even post-race flip flops.
Front Pockets
There are five of them鈥攁 zippered pocket for your smartphone, two for gels, one for the above-mentioned hand-held, and a smaller one for salt tablets or other pills. Basically, anything you might need easy access to can be carried across your chest (this pack is essentially the same size and shape as your rib cage; everything you carry up front hangs fairly high鈥攂etween the top of your shoulder and your 10th rib鈥攏ot down around your waist area).
A Whistle
Yes, a whistle. Which I plan to use . It鈥檚 tiny and gray and unobtrusive鈥攅xcept if it鈥檚 not secured properly, in which case it will bounce right up and hit you in the teeth. Ouch.
No Chafing
No one likes to head out for a run knowing that no matter how much Body Glide is applied, some spots will still end up raw. Thankfully, this is not an issue with the Zeal, which uses a magic combination of external shock cords, a three-way Propulsion Harness, and side straps that can be adjusted on the fly to ensure that the pack does not bounce. The sternum strap is adjustable and can slide vertically to wherever is most comfortable (i.e. adequately above or below the breasts). Combine that with breathable mesh shoulder straps and a perforated back panel, and your on-the-go comfort鈥攏o matter how much you鈥檙e carrying鈥攊s pretty much ensured.
All this in just 1.1 stylish pounds? Excuse me while I lace up my running shoes.
$140,