I have Decathlon Evadict 5L one, it's okay, but after watching this video I think Salomon one might be nicer, definitely wish for bigger pockets in the front and a higher water bladder capacity (mine is just 1L)!
I just use my fanny pack for my regular 1hr run jog routines. One 500cc bottle of electrolyte and a Blok's gel gummy things. My smart phone goes in the other water bottle sleeve.
I use one for long runs. We have a lot of hot weather lately. I have 1.5 L pack on my back and suck a tube. Perfect because I always gets dry mouth when running so good for wetting the whistle.
I use a CamelBak ultra vest with a bladder in the back rather than chest bottles. Half fill the bladder then freeze it before topping it off before your run. Keeps things cool and refreshing.
Not a long distance runner here, however, for my backpacking kit reservoirs I clean them out with hot water and denture cleaner powder as it clears the tygon tubing out well.. Rinse/flush several times.
Class tip with putting bottles in the freezer... love that idea. Great range of bags shown. One thing I find a negative with a bladder is unlike your upfront soft flasks with a bladder it’s hard to gauge how much water is left. I have 4 different vests for different days out, Arc’teryx Norvan 14 , OMM phantom 25 , inov8 race , montane dragon, all class bags all have a place.
I've got one of the Decathlon vests (a smaller one that the one in the review) I didn't expect much as it was super cheap, but it's lasting really, really well. Here are my top tips. 1. I use mine even on "shorter runs." (anything over 10k in the summer? Below that I don't take anything) You don't have to fill the bladder up, and you hardly know you are wearing it. Nicer than carrying a bottle. As Anna says, make sure you push all the air out and it won't even slosh. 2. Find something insulating, like a square of foam yoga mat or some corrugated plastic. Put that between you and the bladder to stop the water heating up. This really helps! Honest! 3. The chest straps on the decathlon vests have velcro to tidy up the loose end. - This will shred your nice running top! I've covered mine in KT tape.
Some very good tips here especially with the Decathlon vest which I also owned. Mould on the bladder I have also experienced oops but easy to clean out. On very hot days I have also fill the bladder and freeze it (Very refreshing when out and about ).
@@captainsolo2149 yes, you need to rince out and dry the bladder. (I hang mine over a spaghetti straining spoon to let the air in!) I also like to remove the rubber nipple from the mouth piece so it's not left wet.
I have a Anojie 5l vest with sort bottles at front for longer runs with extra kit needed. I also have a 2 build and fitness belts. Both of these are excellent for just throwing on for putting phone, card and keys. You can also put a soft bottle of needed.
I have had a flipbelt for years. It's great particularly for those short runs during business travelling, it takes no space in the small suitcase . You can keep all your basic stuff and access your phone very easily. It's much better than an arm band!
I’ve also used my FlipBelt to hold my soft flask vertically (not in the pockets) plus my long stun baton. I overheat; I was recently shown that a friend freezes a bladder in her vest to keep her cooler. I already put ice in my cap and wear a cooling gator with ice packs, so a vest is in my wish list. Thanks Anna. Lots to consider.
I use a belt like the "Flipbelt" on every run. It's great to store my phone, Keys, energybars...... Greets from Germany! By the way - thank you for the helpful and funny videos!!! P.S. Prices in € where great!
Thanks Anna, I’ve increased my mileage recently so I’m now looking for a hydration vest and your tips are very informative about the type of vest I should look for.
I have a Decathlon Kalenji 5L vest I've been using for several years. I've got no real complaints, the 1.75L bladder is plenty for all of my runs and the inside zip pocket fits my phone, keys and bank card. The only struggle is that there is very little additional space with the bladder full, but that's to be expected - I can just about cram my lightweight jacket in their (though I recently discovered there is an outer fabric pocket designed to hold a jacket!). I will be doing a 50km race soon, in quite hot conditions, so I'm going to need a larger capacity for water - I'll be looking at the larger Kalenji and also Harrier Trail Running, a relatively new business but has some great kit. Top tip: Add a little bit of squash to your water to avoid the taste of plastic!
Great video! This one will go in my save file👍🏿. How about a video on do’s/ don’t of trail running.(ie, pace, gravel, branches, sneaking off to the loo,-1&2,)
I have the Decathlon vest featured here. Got it as on a budget and some of the prices of bigger brands is eye-watering compared to Decathlon. I've had it 2 years now and worn it a lot - longer training runs and a recent 30+ miler on the Pennine Way. No issues with it at all. 👍
If you make sure your bottles/bladders are completely bone dry after cleaning, you don't need to put them in the freezer, also don't store them with the tops on. I hang mine upside down with my washing to dry them.
I was cleaning mine with sterilisation tablets but it does have some negative effects on the flasks so I now store them in the freezer. I will also be using plain water and taking salt tablets rather than putting things in the flasks. It's virtually impossible to dry the bite valves completely so the freezer is a good option.
One thing to remember is trail events often have a kit list so take that into consideration when buying! I didn't realise trail events have kit lists but just got lucky I can fit it into the pack I have 😁
Great reviews - thanks, guys. Never ceases to amaze (or disappoint) when the prices come up - other than the Decathlon vest, these are all serious money for not a lot. I have an Aoinje vest from Amazon (a light vest similar to these) and a full ultra pack, each was very good price, and even after several years use, still in great condition. Each is more than suitable for purpose, and I recommend with ease. Don't ignore the cheaper brands, they are often as good and a lot lighter on the pocket! Oh, if anyone is wondering - yes, I use them both for ultras, road and trail.
I just got the Salomon one, planning to run distances from the HM and further with it, and for me the larger size is perfect because I like to be able to bring equipment to record video, as well as a change and towel in case I want to have a swim haha. Great video!
I recently bought REI's Swiftland hydro pack and oh man do I love it. I was amazed how different it felt to run and hike with this vest vs a regular hiking backpack, which usually strains my low back after a while. Vest = NO pain.
I am using a Camelnak Ultra hydration belt at the moment. When autumn and then winter set in I guess that I might need a vest to carry a jacket, gloves and a warm hat for keeping warm after my run. Happy with Camelbak so will probably just get the Ultra vest.
Thanks for the video. Funny enough I bought mine before this episode. I looked into over last week and bought the Salomon ADV 4, decent price of £50 and you get 2 x soft flask and option to have a bladder. Great price for hydration vest. Well it was for me. I have a flip belt and it was for me.
I use flipbelt all the time, works well and I bought a curved flipbelt bottle which holds 300ml for longer runs. Takes a bit of getting used to, to pull the flask out when running but with that I'm all set for a long run with keys, phone, gels and water neatly tucked in the belt. My version also has a zip section for my keys. I'm thinking about buying a pack for runs over 20k, so really helpful video. Thanks!!
For warmer weather or longer (more sweaty) runs, invest in some insulated soft flasks... the hydration mix I used started to warm up and tasted a bit alcoholic by the end of me 30 miles :D
I always used to plan 2hr plus runs around petrol stations to get lucozade every hour or so. This is so well timed as i cant do that now with the pandemic. So need a vest.
@@rogvikristoffurhansen1432 I run anything up to 20 miles. Road or trail it's ideal. I tend to do more trail running with it. I wouldn't use it on a road race but I did an 18 mile trail event last weekend and it was ideal.
I bought Salomon Active Skin 8 for women, because I wanted bottles to be stored below my boobs. Did try the vest on before I bought it, couldn't have found the correct size without trying on. But didn't have a lot of options for other brands here I live. I am very happy, though. I have experienced the poking in the face, but I took some rubberband and fastened in the holes up on my shoulders, to fasten the tubes in to keep it away from my face. I also like the possibily to move the criss-cross fasteners. I've moved the lowest one a bit up. I added one extra too, used a carabiner hook. I really like all the 'holes' in this vest so that I can personalize it as much as I like.
I've been using my FlipBelt on recent ~2hr trail runs. 1x250ml soft flask at the back, phone in the front, flapjack for after the run on my left, 9ninebar on the right, plus a ziplock bag of dried fruit for during the run (keys and train tickets are in shorts pocket). Start the run with a 250ml or 500ml soft flask in my hand, swapped with the one in the belt when empty. Comfortable enough not to notice during the run, and easy to fish out my bag of dried fruit etc. I've done a FlipBelt run with 250ml soft flasks carried on each hip, but noticed the bounce a little too much. Love my Ultimate Direction backpack for commuting. Have used an ancient cycling Camelbak a few times with 1.5l in bladder. Had to cinch it down pretty tight to stop jiggling, and there was minor chafing around the neck. If I ever try ultras, I think it'll have to be a UD or Salomon vest…
I recently upgraded from the featured Kalenji vest to the featured Salomon vest (active skin 8). The Salomon one is way lighter and I think it actually has more capacity because the main rear pocket is so much better designed. The 8l was plenty for a 50km solo run (no water supply) and a 100km ultra with a big gear list (jacket, thermals, beanie, gloves).
I have a flip belt and I absolutely love it for daily training. It comes in different sizes and so you should be able to find one that fits you snug. They do sell their own water bottle which is curved so it will fit snug along the waist. Besides for daily training, I've also used it for half marathons and I'm able to fit my keys, water bottle, gels and my phone with plenty of room for other items if needed. For longer races, I suggest using a vest or something else that can hold more water.
Love that you are covering the dark side of running "trailrunning". Think the first thing is what do you want to do 20km run or a 100km ultra. What the race minimum that you need. I have a small camelbak 2 liter that can take some snaks. That i take for 10 to 15 km run. When i go up past 30 km i take the big gun 12 liter Salamon adv it has everything in from trekking poles to up to 4 liter water , medic kite. One thing you must remember that you must practice with a full kit that you get use to carrying the extra 5kg. They are expensive but you get your money back in comfort. Please do episode how to pack i would like to see how you do it. Tip ziploc bags. Thanks for nice video summer is on its way this side warming up hitting the trails again.
The Nathan VaporKrar 4L is my go to vest for long run days. Ample pockets for various things. Comes with a whistle inside one of the pockets. Also have the Nathan VaporKrar waist pack for short runs. You can actually place run poles securely in the waist pack.
Another runner once gave me an excellent tip on how to clean your water reservoir. Just fill it up with water and add a few denture cleaning tablets. It works perfectly. 😁
I bought a CamelBak hydration vest with a 3 liter bladder from a sporting good store that was going out of business for $25. Serves me well when I go on runs longer than 10 miles or I am on nature hikes.
I find an added advantage of using a hydration vest for women is it provides additional chest support, so can be good if you struggle to find sports bras that are supportive enough.
Love my Salomon 250 - I generally run for about an hour and the belt style holds a 250ml soft flask and has space for phone/keys etc so the small flask holds just enough in case I need it. Almost forget I have it on!
As it starts to heat up here in the Mohave Desert, I’m eyeing that Nathan Speedster for carrying some water on my 5k+ runs. I’ll have to get something bigger for longer runs obviously, but I’m rarely going to need too much, and have many convenience stores and drinking fountains around I can use as a backup if I run out while I’m out. Thanks for all the info, as always!
For my birthday last year I bought myself a running vest (Salomon Adv Skin 12l) with a 1.5L bladder. It's pretty awesome but I haven't used it as often as I had hoped. I generally don't like taking anything with me on my runs so it sat in my closet for months. I started using it on my long runs recently after moving to the coast. I was sweating a lot more with the warmer morning temps plus higher humidity so having a drink on hand helps. I do wish the manufacturers would include instructions or a YT video showing how to equip the hydration bladder and thread the bloody tube though! I spent ages trying to figure it out and thankfully found a YT video from Thai Land (I think!!??) which showed me how to do it. It's still a pain in the butt to thread. The way the tube bends means it can loop in the pack without you noticing in a way where it stops the liquid flowing. So when you're out running and want a drink nothing comes out. So you have to stop and rethread the tube which is super annoying! But I'm glad I have the vest even with the little annoyances. It's a useful item to have if you like running longer distances. One tip to stop the sloshing sound is fill the bladder with water / your beverage of choice leaving a little air inside. Then close the bladder and turn it upside down. There should be a pocket of air on the top. Then suck on the tube which should be close to the air pocket to get the air out. When most of the air is gone the sloshing sound stops. Another useful tip the manufacturers should include on the packaging! The sloshing sound alone stopped me from wanting to bring my vest on a number of runs!
I’ve got an Aonijie vest, you see a lot of people with them and I think that’s because they’ve more affordable than a lot of the options here. I put a couple of bottles in the pockets on the straps rather than a bladder in the back and it works fine.
I've got a smaller Camelbak Octane Dart. It's really durable, lasted me 3 years and counting still in good shape. Holds 1.5L in a bladder, but the only downside is that it doesn't carry much supplies. That's why I'm considering a new one, so thanks for the help!
Just some thoughts from a viewers POV, it would’ve been very helpful if you could put your hair up so we could we the entire vest top to bottom and maybe a 360 while wearing them. Lifting your arms so we can see what the side of the vests look like. Thank you for the video! : )
I've got a flipbelt and it's super handy but sometimes it rides up depending on what bottoms I am wearing. Looking to upgrade so this vid is great, thanks! 😊
Confusion busting - timely - video. First: I'm an old bloke so I'm duty bound to say "the prices! Am I the poorest man in the UK? No" The Kalenji looks good. I wore a hydration vest for the first time (after 100 ish Marathon/ultra runs!) on Sunday, I was impressed enough to want a better one. May I mention last Sunday's Marathon - first race since Bath Half in March. Bath Two Tunnels Marathon: well organised by Relish running in the new normal(sic) - we had set times to start, then every 30seconds, only 50 runners, 5k up and back course etc. Phew, it went well: I was sensible (!) pace wise. First in age category.....6/51 overall. Relief that my legs still worked in a race situation! Great confidence boost.
I have the Salomon advanced skin 8 shown in this video and I love it. It’s perfect for what I need and it’s incredibly comfortable with easy access to all pockets. I couldn’t recommend more to people looking to get one!
I have a Salomon Pulse Belt for shorter runs and an Osprey Dyna 6 for longer runs. The Salomon you can put a soft flask in the pocket. The Osprey comes with a bladder, but has 2 pockets in the front you can put soft flasks in. Quite happy with both, I just need a smaller vest, as since I bought it I have lost quite a bit of weight.
I've never been able to find a vest that fits my chest. As Anna points out, the women's vests are cut narrow in the shoulders so they're not great for people with larger boobs, and men's vests place the bottle pockets too high. I've been using an Osprey daylite backpack with a bladder and it's been great - you can reach the side pockets while wearing it and it has the bonus of being big enough to fit a laptop and use as a commuting bag if you run to work (but you can also use it empty but for the water bladder and it doesn't rattle around much).
Yep, i use a small running rucksac rather than a vest. It's more robust and more versatile. Better for the Lake District as it will carry more weather gear. :)
I bought an Ultimate Direction Race Vest 4.0 for my first marathon which worked really well for carrying my wallet and phone (not sure about leaving that stuff in bag drops) at the back and gels and a soft flask up front. I now have a Harrier Kinder 10l for longer trails and ultra training, plenty of room for fra mandatory kit. 👍
As always really useful video, I wear various things and also tried various running belts with water bottles. The running belts I just can't get on with they just constantly move and don't feel comfortable! Even though I don't do long distances longest I currently run is hm distance so I invested in a vest and wear it for most runs as it's just so comfortable it's the small 5.5 liter Aonjie one off Amazon, it has space for a bladder in the back but I don't use that I tend to just take one bottle out with me and have it in one of the front pockets. Very comfy and does not move. The other one I use although only use this for short runs were I only need my phone and key and that's the freetrain vest, again super comfy you don't know your wearing it! 😊🏃🏻♀️
I have the Kalenji 10L vest, and so far only used it on a couple of HM distance runs. It's been great so far ... and certainly can't complain about the cost because at £20 it's a bargain.
The Camelbak and mid-range Nathans have caught my eye. Been looking for a couple months for my longer runs of 20km+; that's where I usually struggle with hydration, or lack thereof ahaha. Anything under abouts 18KM I'm usually minimalist in carrying anything but phone, keys, bar... been also looking at GPS watches too lol
@@runningchannel yes actually! It's one of my top couple of reference videos when I'm window-shopping for watches! I've just got to pull the trigger now, really
I've got a FlipBelt Zipper which I used to use for phone, keys and credit cards. The advantage of the belt is that it doesn't bounce but it does need to be the correct size and is not adjustable. I have a Kalenji 10L and it works well but I've just ordered a Kinder 10L vest from Harrier Trail Running as it has a few extra features that I hope will be useful.
I think what could improve this channel is if you add those 'segments' in the timeline so people can scroll through to the different products and jump ahead if they want to!
Thanks so much for watching Christian and thanks for the recommendation. We've incorporated that into our later videos, but will make a note to update this one too :-)
I have an Ultimate Direction Race Vest and that can store 2* 500ml soft flasks in the front and enough storage in the back for a waterproof food extra water etc. Not all vests come with a whistle so make sure you carry one that is easy to access when wearing the vest. Also carry an emergency blanket and first aid kit. It’s not for you, but for who you find whilst out running. I can across a lady the other weekend who had fallen down a rocky slope and badly injured her ankle. You just never know out
I use the Mountain Laurel Designs H20 sleeve pack it weighs 21 gm. You will have to buy a bladder or water bottle(s) separately because it doesn't come with one. I use a bladder, i can but my phone, a snack and keys for long runs in trails. Might not work for ultra and shoulder straps might not be for everyone.
I wear a small unbranded vest it holds my gels keys and water and a jacket if I need one but I'm only up to half marathons and find the branded ones so expensive.. Great video..x
I use a small Decathlon (Kalenji) vest with a 1l bladder for long runs in the summer. I tend to dehydrate rather quickly, so I drink about 0.3 to 0.5l per hour. And my phone and keys are neatly tucked in, so I can leave my running belt at home.
I use a belt with a soft flask holder and a little poach for keys or stuff. Got it very cheap from Decathlon's home brand, but it's comfy and lasts me more than a year now. Phone goes on my arm. Now I need some bluetooth earbuds, cause after years of cabled buds, I'm very, very done with them. :p
The Osprey packs are also very good. I have a larger pack that I have used for long adventures (15+ hours between support), but I the smaller packs seem to be solid as well. My wife uses one of the new Nathan packs (not the vapor series) that she swears by. It is a great pack as well.
Man, I wish this had come out 2 weeks ago. I had to buy a vest for a Pen Y Ghent run and had no idea what I was doing. Now I want another vest. But what is running if not an excuse to get more gear. I'm blaming you Running Channel when my wife finds the receipts
It's ok dude, there is definitely chocolate in the house that you don't know about as well 😉👍 Edited to add: what vest did you end up getting two weeks ago and what do you think of it?
I always run with a small backpack which seems fine, although I do ask myself whether, as a semi-serious runner, I should be using a vest now! As such I would like to see a deeper review with analysis of their impact on running, although I do appreciate that each person is different. Looking at the models in Anna's video the price range is immense; £160 to £30. Maybe a look at why anyone would want anything apart from the Decathlon.
I have a Decathlon vest and you really can't complain as it's extremely good value for money. It would be nice if it had side zipped pockets and I would prefer a horizontal zip on the rear pocket as it would be easier to "stuff" things in.
I went with a Teton Sports TrailRunner 2.0 Hydration Pack, includes a bladder. It's a tight fit for me but doesn't bounce and is good on shorter runs (
So far, I've dealt with runs up to 1h 45m without drinking water by minimizing breathing through my mouth. But as it is right now, my trend has went from trying out taking on running in June with 20 minute runs, to daily 5Ks in July, to daily hour runs with weekend long runs this month. Might need to start looking into a pack soon :)
i really want one of the ultimate Direction vests. ive been on marathons were it would have helped to of had poles with me that vest would be perfect and blue is my favourite colour
I have a small Camelback, not for me but I clip a small silicone collapsible water bowl for my dog clipped to the strap. It the summers about every 3-4 miles I stop and give him a bowl full, decreases how often has has to stop for shade. Could you all do a video about running with dogs? Great accountability partners :^)
