Kim is a runrunner on the team and received this pack from Santa in 2020 and tested it out on a run right away. A special thanks to Kim for sharing her feedback on the pack!
Fit: The pack fits very well and snug. Once I had the elastic cords on the pack tightened, no bounce occurred while running. I wore 2 long sleeve shirts but didn’t notice any rubbing on the outside shirt. The outer edge of the front of the pack is firm, it feels like a thick plastic wire in the seam, which I wasn’t sure about at first but notice the less flexibility helped taking on and off easier and kept the pack in place better. I like the variety of pockets. So many pockets I’m not sure what I’d put in each one!
Pros: Snug fit and no bounce, a lot of space for food and gear, breathable
Cons: My biggest con is the collapsing water flasks. If you take them out of the pocket, they are hard to get back in to the pocket. I’m planning to order the bottle that comes with a straw so I don’t have to take it out of the pocket. Otherwise I like the flask because it isn’t chunky feeling or slosh around too much. Aside from that I haven’t found any other cons about this vest as of now.
Side note for the women who read this: I am a little “chesty” at 34dd. So I get worried about how packs will fit around my chest, which is another reason I like this vest has the firm and supportive seams.
Things I carried during this run:
Front right pocket: mashed potatoes and applesauce packets
Front left pocket: flask bottle with skratch hydration
Pocket below bottle on my left carried my phone.
A small pocket above the bottle carried the car key.
Doesn’t have anything in the back except my water bladder so I used the elastic cords to tighten the back of the pack and keep it from bouncing. I’m sure for longer runs I’ll be packing this more. I’m sure I could fit a packable rain jacket in the back and other gear.
There are several other small pockets in the front to carry gels, hand sanitizer, kleenex, as well as a zippered pocket, perhaps for cash and ID.
Have a piece of gear you’d like to tell more about? Write it here – we love to hear about gear – what works, what doesn’t, and what you have lots of info on. A special thanks once again to Kim for taking the time to write this gear review!
Best Use: Earlier this summer I tried and did not like their vest because it just did not work on my long torso. About a week or so ago I bought their Naked Band and this thing is a game changer. I wore it on Monday for a 75k training run and again today for a 50k run and both times I had it absolutely loaded with crap…
Monday I had 8 clif blox gel packs, my cell phone spare battery and usb cable (about 5 oz), 2 baggies of tailwind, my car keys, my airpods case, spare buff and two hand wipe packs….ZERO bounce, zero movement and never noticed it was there. It just sits on the hips so perfectly…no chafing or rubbing and I found an added bonus with today’s run that I could just hook my hat to the back when it got too sweaty.
I used to have to carry all this crap in my vest and I just could never get comfortable with the bouncing effect. I only had two bottles in my orange mud pack and my phone and it was like I was completely freed up top and felt much lighter overall. Can’t recommend this belt enough. I will be wearing it for my 100 in 2.5 weeks and expect it to carry everything I need.
Naked Running Band Sizing: True to size
Additional Sizing Comments: I am a 37.25″ waist when I wear my CWX compression shorts so I ordered their 37″ size and it is a perfect fit.
Comparison to Past Models: Never tried a belt before – I have always tried to make do with either my OMud pack or my Nathan vest and always end up having to just cram crap in everywhere and then spend all this time trying to find what I need later in the race.
Durability: So far so good! 80 miles of abuse and sweat and it’s still like new. 🙂
Changes for the next model: I personally hope they don’t change anything.
The True Test – Would you recommend this to a friend? I plan on gifting this to several people this Xmas.
Keeping it Honest – Any affiliations or free gear? I am not affiliated and I paid my hard earned cash. Like I said, I tried their vest this summer and was disappointed but I liked the concept so gave it another try. Winner!!
We asked the women on the team to pick their favorite hydration pack – the result? There are lots of great options out there! Find out below which are our runners’ and coaches’ favorites, along with why, sizing tips, and the most important test of a good pack: if they’d recommend them to a friend! Most of these packs range in price from ~$100-150 and you can find them in lots of places, including local running shops and online. Have one we missed? Let us know! *Note: None of the links below are affiliate links – these are just straight-up products that we like and recommend!
VaporHowe 12L – Why? So much storage space, insulated reservoir, super comfy fabric, awesome purple color
VaporAiress 2.0 7L – Why? Slightly larger reservoir, deeper front pockets, really good fit/adjustment system, and most importantly, loops for collapsible trekking poles
Best Use: Long runs (any terrain) and long trail days (esp. the VaporAiress w/pole loops – see photo!)
Sizing pro-tips: The VaporHowe has fairly particular sizing (XS, S, M, etc) whereas the VaporAiress has two size ranges (XXS-M and L-XXL) and more adjustment points.
Durability: So far both of these vests are going strong, I’ve had the VaporHowe for about a year and other than one snag I put in it ducking under a fallen tree it’s held up in near perfect condition over hundreds of miles! The VaporAiress I’ve only had a couple months but it’s going well so far.
Changes for the next model: The VaporAiress has bungee cinches on the frontmost pockets that stick out and brush your arms – it’s kind of annoying, but other than that small change I’m really happy with it!
The Friend Test: These are both super solid recommendations that I would definitely be comfortable making to a friend.
Other runners that recommend them: Margaret’s go-to running pack is a Nathan VaporShadow in order to carry a lot of “stuff” (sunscreen, chapstick, phone, s-caps, food…), for the accessible pockets, the 2L bladder for water, and for adjustable straps so there’s no bounce or chafing. CJ also love the Nathan Vaporhowe because it’s held up well and is super-comfy.
Why? I like that it fits snugly without being too tight, which means minimal bouncing without feeling so tight! It has plenty of space for a long trail adventure or race. It also comes in different sizes rather than being 1 size fits all, which is great for finding a good fit. I haven’t had any real issues with chafing or rubbing with it on longer runs either.
Capacity: 12L gear, 2L reservoir
Best Use: Trails and Long runs
Other runners that recommend them: Amy likes her osprey pack but loves her ultimate direction because it’s lighter and more breathable. Caroline has an older men’s pack – the AK Adventure hydration pack, and still loves it: “The bottles sit high enough on my chest for easy accessibility without feeling like I have water cleavage, the straps are adjustable and I love the pockets (including the ability to carry some backup gear like gloves or a hat if the weather changes on the trail.”
Osprey
Two favorite Osprey options out there, the Duro and the Dyna:
Why? I bought this at a pinch from a local store and have been delighted with it. The reservoir works so well and the vest fits very snugly. I can fit other extras in it, and don’t feel I am carrying a heavy pack on my back. I have worn it all summer for runs and bike rides and will continue to do so into the winter
Capacity: 2.5L
Best Use: Running – long runs on roads and trails
Comparison to Other Brands: I was using Ultimate Direction before – and this vest beats UD hands down!
Durability: So well made. I wash it after especially sweaty runs, and it still looks like new after a hard summer’s use.
The Friend Test: Yes! Would definitely recco to a friend!
Why? I have an older model of the camelbak marathoner vest. It’s about 6yrs old and I still use it! The vest has held up really well and the plastic doesn’t give a funny taste to the water
Capacity: 1.5L
Best Use: Long runs, trail, hiking
Durability: Very durable; super impressed with how it’s held up over the miles
Changes for the next model: More pockets
The Friend Test: Yes! Best running gear next to my shoes
UltrAspire
Shoutout to UltrAspire from runner Barb: “Ultraspire has been my go to! Momentum, Alpha, and Zygos are all awesome !! I love their products. Super comfy and well designed.”
There you have it – a guide to our favorite women’s hydration packs, brought to you by the awesome runners and coaches that make up this team. A special thanks to all the runners and coaches on the team who helped contribute to this article. Onward!
Team RunRun is all about connecting runners with coaches. We’re a growing team of over 600 runners and over 90 coaches, all supporting the goal of being better runners and therefore better people, and a better world. We embrace that journey with passion, grit, focus, and care.
An awesome group of women runrunners after finishing a race in Seattle
Gear Name: Ultimate direction Mountain Vesta 5.0
Jillian
Coach 
Gemma
Coach Anna Simmons
Coach Elizabeth Carey
Coach Annika Brubaker