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One of my absolute favorite things to do, especially out here in the PNW, is to spend a morning running around on trails in the woods. My Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta is a key part of these adventures!
(And no, I am not nearly cool enough to get free stuff so I paid for it myself!)
Why do you need a hydration vest?
There’s a state park about ten minutes from my house that provides an easy escape, where I can just zone out and enjoy the scenery. If you’ve ever gone trail running (or just long distance running in general), then you know that proper hydration and nutrition is key to not bonking out halfway through a run.
Unfortunately, water fountains are not readily available in the middle of the forest, or even on some scenic running routes. The easiest solution is to carry everything with you. However, it’s not always simple to carry a significant amount of water and food while running.
In college I did several half marathons. For these long runs, I had a Nathan waist pack with two water bottles. It was okay, but honestly it would bounce quite a bit and cause chafing. It was also just really annoying, and difficult to reach around to get the bottles out mid-run.
Buying a hydration vest was life-changing. It doesn’t bounce, chafe, or get in my way, and I can carry plenty of water and nutrition. I can’t express in words how amazing it is to be able to go for a long run with zero worries about water stops!
What makes the Jenny Collection different?
When I bought the Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta several years ago, it was one of only a few on the market built specifically for women. Since then, many more brands have jumped on this market, which is great news for trail runners!
Ultimate Direction had men’s running vests, but they didn’t always fit women very well. Jenny Jurek took input from a team of female runners to alter the men’s vest to better fit a woman’s shape. It’s designed to fit a smaller frame, and it has straps that can slide up and down to fit comfortably around boobs.
Water Storage in the Adventure Vesta
Essentially, the Adventure Vesta is a small backpack/vest designed to hold water and other supplies for long, unsupported runs. It comes with two flexible body bottles that fit into cinch pockets on the front vest. To be honest, I’ve never used these since I prefer to use a bladder.
Unfortunately, the hydration reservoir is sold separately, but that means you can buy a different brand if you want. There are so many options and different sizes, it’s quite overwhelming. I originally bought the Ultimate Direction brand, but if I buy another I would probably try a different one.
The one downside to using reservoirs is that they are difficult to keep clean and free of mold. I have put nuun in mine, but I had to wash it thoroughly before going back to water.
This vest has a large compartment with a velcro tie to hold the water reservoir, and straps on the front to hold the hose in place. The straps hold the hose so it’s not bouncing and it doesn’t get in your way, but it’s still easily accessible.
One of the best parts of using a reservoir is that it’s so easy to take sips of water during a run. That means I end up drinking more water, and it’s smaller sips at a time instead of gulping down a large amount all at once.
I have not used the flexible bottles (Body Bottles), but many other people have and love them. The benefit of flexible bottles is that they compress as they are emptied and don’t slosh around as much.
The Body Bottles provided are the kind that open when you bite into the nozzle, so you don’t have to mess around with opening/closing it.
Storage Space in the Adventure Vesta
The Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta is different from the original Ultra Vesta in that it’s slightly bigger and provides more storage space.
The Adventure Vesta is meant for longer and more extreme trail runs or hikes. It has straps in the front and back for hiking poles, and a strap in the back for an ice axe. I have not used either of those items, but it’s nice to know the option is there.
I decided on the Adventure Vesta instead of the regular version of the vest because I could fit more food and gear into it. This gives me the flexibility to use it for longer hikes as a small backpack. If you’re more competitive and want to carry the lowest weight possible, I would recommend the original version.
There are two zipper pockets on the front of the vest. The one on the right is larger than the one on the left. I use the larger one for my phone, and it’s just barely large enough for an iPhone 7 with a normal case.
The one downside to these pockets, at least on the version of the Adventure Vesta that I bought, is that they aren’t large enough for the newer monster sized smart phones. They have fixed that problem on the newest version.
There’s also a small non-zipper pocket on the left side of the vest. I don’t use it much because it’s small and easy for stuff to fall out, but you could fit a gel in there.
On the back, there is one large compartment separate from the water reservoir section. This section has a zipper on the bottom in addition to the top zipper, so you can access your stuff easier without having to dig around.
There are also two separate zippered pockets on the outside of the larger one, which are great for storing snacks and smaller gear. A large mesh pocket holds anything that you don’t need in a zipper pocket.
The bungee on the outside of all the pockets is one of my favorite parts of this vest. I usually will put my running jacket in there, and the bungee holds it in place. Since it’s not actually in the vest, it doesn’t stretch the material or take up space.
Fit
This pack is part of Ultimate Direction’s Jenny collection, which are products specifically designed for women.
The fit of the vest is smaller than their men’s vests, and it comes in two sizes. I was in between the sizes and ended up with the small/medium. It does fit me very well, although if I wear several layers it gets a bit tight.
One of the key components in making the fit great is the adjustable straps on the front. You can slide both straps up and down to whatever is the most comfortable for your body.
You can also adjust the waist straps with velcro. On mine the velcro has started to wear a bit, and it sometimes rubs against my elbow.
I was pleasantly surprised by how little wearing this vest impedes on my running. It’s noticeable that it’s there, but it doesn’t chafe or bounce around annoyingly.
Pros and Cons
The TL;DR version of my review:
Pros: No bouncing, fits well, adjustable chest straps, lots of pockets/storage, trekking pole and ice axe straps, comes with flexible water bottles, pretty colors
Cons: Expensive, slightly heavier than some packs (because it’s a long distance running pack), velcro on waist straps can chafe elbows, front pockets are too small for new smart phones
Note: The version of this vest that I have is several years old, and the newer models have solved the velcro issue and have bigger pockets for smart phones!
You can still buy the older version for a slightly cheaper price, but I would recommend splurging for one of the newer products. They have soooo many different vests out there now, I wish I could try them all!
Overall, I absolutely love my vest and I am so glad I shelled out the money for it. The biggest benefit to me has been the ability to go on long runs and trail runs without having to stress about where I’m going to get water.
It has also stood the test of time – I purchased this vest around August of 2016, about two years ago, and it’s still in the exact same condition. It’s pretty clear that Ultimate Direction makes high quality products.
(I realize how #hailcorporate that sounds, but I really do love this vest!)
I even wore it during my marathon! I personally loved being able to take sips throughout the race instead of gulping down water and gels at the aid stops.
There are several other brands that have come out with women’s specific running vests since I bought this one. I haven’t tried any of the others, but I highly recommend this brand!
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