Let’s take a look at a quick summary of the best ultra running vests (also called hydration packs).
| Salomon ADV skin 12 | Salomon active skin 4 | Nathan pinnacle 12L | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Best for storage | |
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Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Capacity | 12L | 4L | 12L |
| Weight* | 5/5 (13.4 oz) | 3.5/5 (7.1 oz) | 4.5/5 (13.6 oz) |
| Storage | 4.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 5/5 |
| Comfort | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Price | 3/5 | 4.5/5 | 3/5 |
| Where to buy | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
* The score for weight is based upon the weight to capacity ratio
List of best ultra running vests
Salomon ADV skin 12
Best overall, very comfortable — 380 g | 13.4 oz — 12L — $$$$
The Salomon ADV Skin 12 is perfect for ultra running. It has a capacity of 12L, which means that you have enough room to put all your food, water and potential other gear.
The vest is made in a convenient way. You can access small items like food, your phone, gloves… through accessible side and chest pockets. These are made of see-through mesh, which makes it even more convenient to quickly grab what you need.
Side and front pockets don’t have zippers, but the main compartment can be closed by the zipper.
Note that the Salomon ADV skin 12 does not come with a hydration bladder. However, it does come with 2 500ml soft flasks. The vest does have a 2L insulated bladder sleeve. If needed, this sleeve can be replaced and you could use a 3L bladder. Meaning that you could carry up to 4L of water, but the pack is optimized for 3L water.
This ultra running vest is also very lightweight when we compare the capacity to the weight, it’s one of the better ratios you will find.
To summarize: The Salomon ADV Skin 12 provides plenty of convenient storage, is very lightweight and especially comfortable. There are no real downsides, but the pack is pretty expensive, especially considering that a hydration bladder isn’t even included.
This product can be bought on amazon: Salomon ADV skin 12
Salomon active skin 4
Best budget, lightweight — 201 g | 7.1 oz — 4L — $$
The Salomon active skin 4 is a high quality budget-friendly running vest. However, the clear downside is the low capacity. There is room to bring 3L water, some snacks and a first aid kit, but that’s about it when it comes to internal space. However, you can always attach clothes externally to the vest.
For many ultra runners, this will be sufficient, but some might prefer a higher capacity. It’s definitely something to keep in mind. Also, there are no side pockets. However, there are front pockets and the active skin 4 also comes with 2 500ml soft flasks. Which is actually pretty amazing considering the price.
Now that we have covered storage, let’s focus on the quality of the pack. When it comes to value for money, the Active Skin 4 is hands down the best hydration pack that I could find (at the time of writing). It has superb quality, is comfortable, lightweight, affordable, convenient and easy to use.
If you care about budget, and the 4L internal storage is enough for you, I would look no further, this is the pack to go for!
This product can be bought on amazon: Salomon active skin 4
Nathan pinnacle 12L
Best for storage — 386 g | 13.6 oz — 12L — $$$$
The Nathan Pinnacle 12 is another very highly praised ultra running vest. It’s lightweight, comfortable and durable, but the main reason to go with this pack is the superb storage system.
It has a total of 13 pockets, which provides a total of 12L storage room. They use a smart storage system, which means it’s a layered pocket system.
It’s a comfortable vest, just like any good running vest, it feels more like a second skin than anything else.
When comparing this pack with the Salomon ADV Skin 12 we can conclude that they are very similar. However, the Pinnacle would take the win when it comes to storage, where the ADV Skin 12 would be slightly more comfortable.
The pinnacle does connect really nice with the body, but it has a couple of slightly stiffer parts, which is something that I did not have with the Salomon ADV Skin 12. That said, the inconvenience is minor and will only be noticed when specifically focusing on that aspect.
Another plus is that the hydration bladder (1.6L) is included. On the other hand, soft flasks are not included.
This product can be bought on amazon: Nathan pinnacle 12L
What’s important in an ultra running vest
Weight & capacity – Obviously, the lighter, the better. However, you should mainly look at weight to capacity ratio. Also, think about what capacity you need. If you never need 12L, it might make more sense to go with a smaller vest, which will often be cheaper and lighter.
Storage & convenience – Storage needs to be convenient. You want to be able to drink and snack while on-the-go, these items should be easy to get to. On the other hand, you might want to secure certain items behind a zipper. Also, you want your hydration bladder to not be moving around in your pack, etc.
Comfort & fit – One of the most important things for ultra running, comfort and fit. As I said before, a good running vest should feel like a second skin, it should definitely not feel like a backpack. It’s important that the pack doesn’t move around when running and cause irritation.
Price – As always, price is an important factor. For ultra running, it’s harder to find a suitable option at a very cheap price. That said, I’m really happy with the budget option that I provided. However, if you want an even cheaper alternative, take a look at my article about the best cheap hydration packs. I would normally not recommend them for ultra running, but if you really need to get a pack on a shoestring budget, this article will be a huge help.
Obviously, the overall build quality and durability are also important. All options discussed in this article are high quality and durable products.
Conclusion – the best ultra running vests
That was my review on the best ultra running vests (or ultra running hydration packs).
I never see the need to create a list of 20 products when it’s my job to actually review them and make a selection.
Therefore, I have created a list with only 3 ultra running packs so you can easily find which one is best for you.
Sure, there are a number of personal preferences that come into play and there are many other solid option out there. However, if you go with any of the options discussed in this article, you can be sure that you make a good purchase.
Looking for more ultra running gear? Take a look at my other articles: Best ultra running watches, Best ultra running shoes.