Personal Consumer Issues • Runners: hydration vests - how to determine proper fit?

I am evaluating hydration vests for when I run and recently purchased a couple online to try them out at home. They are both fully-refundable prior to actual use.

I have never used a hydration vest but decided, particularly over the recent hot weather this summer, that I would like to carry water, in general, when I run. I also decided that I prefer water bottles (not soft ones) to a bladder set-up.

So, the vests I am considering would store up to two 500 ml or so vessels in front in separate pockets. Holding fluids is the main purpose to get a vest at this point, though if it can carry a bit more securely (phone, keys, etc.) that would be helpful.

I am looking for pointers or suggestions from runners who wear hydration vests, particularly with respect to fit. For example, how tight / snug should the vest be in the torso area? Should the vest be tight and move as little as possible or is some play inevitable and acceptable?

I figure to some extent I just need to get a vest to use and see how it goes, but to the extent I can make a thoughtful decision I would like to do that.

Thanks in advance for guidance.

The vests I am considering - I like the lower positioning of the bottle holders on the Spry 3.0 and am leaning toward this vest. The Bronco is also a racing vest, and I would likely use the vest for training (and not racing, where in my experience vests are not permitted).

https://www.rei.com/product/189589/ultr ... ation-vest

https://ultraspire.com/products/bronco_race_vest/

The water bottles I plan to use (kind of in-between soft and hard vessels):

https://ultraspire.com/products/flask/

https://hydrapak.com/products/tempo-bot ... 9927363817

Statistics: Posted by helloeveryone — Tue Oct 08, 2024 8:30 pm — Replies 5 — Views 447