Hydration packs are good for so much more than just ultra-marathoning. Having easy access to water is key, and the engineered hydration systems built into these vests are incredibly useful, though some are easier to use than others. We strapped on each running hydration pack over and over again and ran until we could run no more. We bagged peaks in the Pacific Northwest, meandering along rivers, and enjoyed some epic long runs on the beach to test these vests in various situations. We conducted road runs in the heat and under persistent rain to ensure a thorough testing regimen. Our collection of hydration vests has become one of our most prized running sidekicks. We are happy to compare each vest side by side, so you don't have to.
Comfort
Comfort is king, and as the miles multiply, this truth only intensifies. Nothing kills our runner's high faster than chafing and discomfort when high atop a mountain peak, even if the views are golden. We noticed that packs that initially seemed comfortable became less so the longer we wore them throughout our testing. This is to be expected, but we were happy to do this dirty work, so you don't have to. We enjoyed long and short runs with these vests strapped tightly to our bodies to ensure an accurate assessment of each model's comfort.
Hydration System
Hydration systems are important. After all, if you don't need a hydration system, you might as well stick to trekking with your day pack. The ergonomics and technology of the hydration systems we tested have come a long way in a relatively short amount of time. Our testing process was fairly straightforward as we measured the worthiness of each one. We filled each reservoir with water as instructed, and off we went. We sipped and slugged with some occasional sloshing and rediscovered one of the most basic laws of trail running — do not run out of water. Generally speaking, we prefer hydration systems with a larger capacity and some kind of leak-proof insurance. Most of the tested vests offered the option to swap from soft flasks to a hydration bladder and vice versa. This thoughtful customization option encouraged us to go the extra mile.
Features
We love exploring each piece of our gear to find new features. We are in awe of how high-tech some of the latest female-specific hydration vests are. Some of these vests have everything, from reflective racing stripes to secured safety whistles to ingenious moisture-wicking materials. We made sure to use every feature available to assess how pertinent they truly are. We even made sure to blow each whistle as loud as possible, much to the chagrin of our running buddies and spouses. As we tested, we found one thing to be true when the features are engineered precisely: the higher price points tend to be well worth it. One of our favorite features is covert trekking pole holders. To remain unbiased during testing, we made sure to carry our trekking poles in at least one pack on each run. We definitely think adding pole holders significantly increases each vest's value. You may not agree, though, depending on the type of terrain you prefer.
Pockets
We've said it before, and we'll say it again. This is our favorite metric! We love exploring all of the pockets that our roundup of vests has to offer. We definitely counted and assessed the pockets before taking each pack into the field, but in this case, real-life experience can't be beaten. We have our own general organizational patterns for gear on the go, but we swapped things around as we went to ensure a fair trial for all. We love accessible and secure pockets, especially when they are placed in a way that aids our organization. We have spent a lot of time rifling through the depths of our bags on the trail to find our lone Band-Aid or snack, but with segmented pockets, we no longer have to. We concluded our testing of this metric with a unanimous and irrevocable statement: there is no such thing as too many pockets!