Ask TS: Hydration Vests

Madeline Harms: What is “needed” really depends on your personal preferences and the type of events you hope to do. Many people wear hydration vests, especially for longer ultras where aid stations might be further apart, but others prefer handhelds or waist belts. Some things to think about are how much water/food you need to carry; do you prefer sipping from bottles on your chest or drinking from a handheld; will you be using poles? (this makes handhelds difficult). I recommend going to a running store, if possible, where you can talk to knowledgeable staff and try on different options to see what is most comfortable.

Sophie Speidel: There are many options for hydration — vests, waist packs, and handheld bottles all have a place, depending on the race. If you have a friend of similar size, I recommend borrowing their vest to get a sense of feel with bottles in front, a hydration bladder, or both before spending the cash to buy one (and if your running community does gear swaps, that a great place to get a gently used vest or pack). I like a 12-liter Salomon vest that uses collapsible bottles in front, a space for a 2L hydration bladder, and plenty of room for my phone, snacks, jacket, and poles.

Kuwanna Dyer-Pietras: To be honest, you really don’t need much more than you’d need running on the roads. I feel as though there’s this misconception that we need tons of gear to run trails, likely driven by social media, and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. That said, trail shoes are more ideal when changing surfaces. And as you increase your running distances, your distance from your car parked at the trailhead, or if you are running on hotter days, hydration vests are useful for carrying not just your hydration, but also your keys, wallet, cell phone, snacks, and any warm layers and other accessories you may want to bring along. My favorite vest is the now discontinued Nathan VaporHowe because it fits me really well and has space for my belongings and all of my nutrition, which I carry with me during races. I run with two 17–20-ounce soft flasks, though most of their vests can also hold a bladder. Nathan has replaced the VaporHowe with the Pinnacle, which comes in a 4L and 12L size.

Katie Webb: These are several factors that make the gear requirements for trail running different from running on the roads.  In the most basic sense, your runs will be on a variety of trail surfaces and take more time and be without access to food and water sources like you would have on a road run so you will need to plan on carrying enough to get you through your run well hydrated and fueled.  It can be tempting to want to invest in a bunch of new gear when you begin something new but from personal experience I found that some of the stuff I thought I needed when I started trail running turned out to not be necessary or I just found I preferred something else entirely and I probably wasted money by being overeager to buy all the cool gear.  I would recommend starting with the basics and then adding to your gear as the need arises and as you start to learn your preferences.  I would start with a good pair of trail running shoes and a hydration pack.  What brand you go with is personal preference, so I would recommend going to a store where you can try on several brands or ordering several brands from an online retailer that you can easily try on at home and then send back.  For a hydration pack, I have found that soft front bottles have several advantages over a bladder in the back, namely being easier to fill, not making a sloshing sound if you don’t get all the air out, being easier to clean, and also easier to monitor how much you are drinking and how much you have left while on your run.  

Amanda Roe: The best hydration vest is the one that fits your body best. Some come in different sizes and are even Men/Women specific. You should be able to wear it with a full hydration bladder without it bouncing around.  You should also be able to cinch it down so it’s not sliding or bouncing when your containers are empty.  This avoids chafing on your arms, back, and shoulders.  If you have friends that will let you give theirs a try, it can be good to do a short run to see what’s comfortable. You will also need to think about what you want to put in the pack, so you know if you need lots of pockets, or very few.  I’ve been really happy with my Nathan pack for shorter runs/minimal gear, my Ultimate Direction Vest for most trail runs and races, and I have an Osprey Pack for unsupported/fastpacking where I need to carry more gear. 

Kristi Confortin: It took me a quite some time to find a hydration vest that I enjoyed wearing for long runs. After visiting local running shops to try on different brands as well asking other womxn in our Trail Sisters community for their favorite vest recommendation and even trying theirs on, I chose a Salomon vest which seemed to be the best fit for me. Their unisex vest feels more comfortable since I am able to pull the straps tightly to my body to prevent chafing. I enjoy having the bottles on the front of the vest rather than a bladder (again personal preference here).

Katie Grossman: OMG there are so many options, right?!! One thing to first consider is where you’re planning on running and how far you’re going to go. If you’re in the mountains and need the ability to carry additional gear like jackets, extra food, poles etc. a pack with 1.5-2L water capacity and larger storage (12L) is usually the way to go. If your trail running is shorter or in an area where you can easily refill, you may find a smaller pack (4-6L) more comfortable and less heavy. For shorter trail runs you may enjoy just using a handheld. Next, material. I find the lighter, more flexible fabrics more comfortable – but they wear out quicker and may become looser over time. The sturdier materials are more cost-effective and hold up better, but definitely chafe me if I don’t have sleeves on. Finally, the most important thing to me, personally, is a perfect fit. It’s why I can’t recommend one brand over another because everyone is built different! The one universal thing I’ve found, as a woman with a bit larger chest, is that the women’s specific fits always work better for me, as they account for more room around the boobs while still being able to adjust under the ribs. If you’re more straight up and down, you may actually prefer the unisex fits. 

Junko Kazukawa: Depending on what types of trails you run, you will need to have the right kind of gears, but I usually go with these things.

• Shoes – Trail running shoes with a good traction and fits to the width of feet.  
• Socks – Dry fit type of material, seamless, comfortable fit on feet, to prevent blisters.  
• Rain gear – waterproof and breathable.
• Gloves and hat (depending on hot or cold weather)
• Hydration vest: fits well to the body to avoid bouncing while running.   Make sure the water flask would not rub to bounce to the chest.