The Nathan Pinnacle 12L has the best bladder design and hydration system of the running vests we tested. It ships with a 1.5L Hydrapak insulated bladder, insulated to help keep water cold on the hottest summer days. The shape of the actual bladder is tapered in the middle, creating an hourglass shape, which we found helped with the sloshing problem inherent with many running vest bladders.

Flasks can also have a lighter weight than reservoirs. However, some tend to fall down or are hard to reach without a lot of work while on the move. Look for elastics to hold flasks in position even when they’re partially empty.Extra features can make the difference between an OK vest and an awesome one. There are so many additional organizational features on different running vests. Here are a few we see a lot:

Bottles range in size from about 250 to 600 milliliters and are a popular form of hydration for supported races, short runs, and routes near lakes, rivers, or other bodies of water where you can replenish your supply throughout the day. The advantages over hydration reservoirs are clear: Bottles are much easier to refill and don’t require that you take off your vest to do so, and they allow you to monitor how much remaining liquid you have far better than a reservoir. Finally, most runners carry two bottles (one on each shoulder strap), which allows them to drink two different liquids—often water and an electrolyte fluid—and balance the weight. The Salomon ADV Skin's HydraPak bottle P art of Osprey’s ‘born to run’ series of comfortable hydration solutions, the Dyna (women’s) and Duro (men’s) ranges specialise in optimising fit based on our different geometries. It’s up to you how much you ask of your running vest. A minimal vest may only work for short runs with lots of places to grab food and water nearby. A vest designed for racing may not carry your phone, Personal Locator Beacon like a Garmin InReach Mini, or two liters of water the most comfortably, but may excel in providing easy access to nutrition and lightweight clothing layers. For more information, see our whole section on running vest comfort and fit above. Does a hydration vest use water bottles or a bladder?

Recently, the most popular design for running vests focuses on designs where the water is stored in two soft, collapsible flasks (and, less common, even a hard-sided bottle). Storage capacity The REI Co-op Swiftland 5 redefines the standard of introductory running vests. At an affordable price, it's easy to use, highly adjustable, and capable of carrying a decent load. Our favorite thing about this vest is the intuitive design; at no point do you need to contort your body or undergo an unnatural movement to tighten or adjust a strap. We love that the amount of storage permits you to get out for full-day adventures with the necessary gear and some additional layers or medical supplies if need be. Compatibility with both a hydration bladder and soft flasks (not included) add to the versatility of this do-it-all vest. As always, sometimes marketing is simply gendered without major differences beyond the color, unfortunately. Remember that above all, it’s best to choose which vest fits your body regardless of how you’re targeted as a consumer. You know yourself best. The majority of vests come in at least two sizes, with some available in up to five for both men and women. But as is common in outdoor gear, it can be difficult to find options beyond the small-to-large spectrum. For larger body sizes, the REI Co-op Swiftland 5 is the only vest we reviewed that offers both XL/1X and 2X/3X sizing. The Nathan VaporAir 3.0 comes in a 1X to 3X option, and a few others here have XL offerings. We hope that this is a sign of things to come, and look forward to seeing more manufacturers expand their size ranges. We do wish that the light thread also illuminated a bit on the front of the vest, as it is also important to be noticed by oncoming traffic — but bright reflective strips on the shoulder straps provide adequate visibility.

The verdict: The overall best running vest for trail running distances from 10km to 50 mile ultras. What we didn’t like: Bottles supplied get complaints about rib discomfort. Price high for problematic bottles.

Try and go for softer materials, padding, and adjustability. These are all things that will help you be more comfortable, and thus run better, while out on the trail. Visibility Designed by and for the fastest trail runners in the world, this vest has the fit and features to race fast

Trey gravitates toward accessible outdoor activities like hiking, running, and cycling, with an interest in human-powered, carless travel with the occasional assistance of public transportation or a friendly hitch. What we like: More than double the storage of the ADV Skin 5 for ultras, long unsupported efforts, and winter running.

Conclusion

What we liked: Light, vents among the best of any vest, intuitive to use, made with recycled silver for a more sustainable silver anti-odor treatment, trekking pole attachment Before we get into the nitty gritty, it’s important to note that even the lightest, softest, and best-fitting vests will still be a slight burden on your stride. In fact, one of our gear testers resisted wearing a vest for so long that she ran her first ultra (a 41-mile race) with handheld bottles and gels stuffed down her shirt. But she’s since changed her ways (and so have we), and the good news is that today’s vests are more comfortable than ever.