I've been looking for an ultra race vest for the last couple of weeks.
My search narrowed to three, the AK vest by Ultimate Direction, the
Inov-8 Race Ultra vest and the Salomon Advanced Skin Lab Hydro 5 Set.
Looking online at the various options I had settled on the AK vest as
it seemed to be the best mix of function and at a good price. I
discounted the Inov-8 one when I checked it out in the local Up and
Running store as it didn't have as many pockets for storage that I
wanted. The Salomon whilst I was sure it would be great was
considerably more expensive.
I checked for the AK vest but could not find one online in my size
anywhere. As I needed the vest sooner so I could try it out before
race day I opted for the Salomon vest choosing the 5ltr size (as
opposed to the 12ltr model).
First impressions are that it's stunning! The weight, design and fit
are perfect. With a chest strap fastening that holds the vest in solid
position there is no bounce. The soft flask bottles (half a litre
each) slot into the shoulder straps and on the front of the pack. They
are odd and feel like, I imagine, breast implants. They work
brilliantly though and as they empty weigh nothing which is an
advantage over the plastic bottles that the other vests use. I did
make a mistake when taking the bottle out of the vest by grabbing it
by the bite valve which caused it to spurt up into my face!
The vest has a number of pockets for gels that are easily accessible
on the move. They fit in the straps above the bottles and of the sides
of the vest. There are then two zip pockets, one on each side, easily
big enough for an iPhone, I used the second one for some cash and my
bank card.
In the back there are stowage pockets big enough for jackets and other
items. I found them a little tricky to use with gloves on but they
were secure.
The vest is really comfortable but it did start to pull on my back a
bit I think that was the weight of the bottles on the front which I'm
not used to. It's a snug fit, it doesn't bounce. The chest straps hold
it in place without being too tight or constructive. The pockets are
easily reached with the rear ones taking a bit more practice to reach
on the move.
This is a quality product, as you'd expect from Salomon. It's pricey
and certainly more expensive than the competition but you can see it
in the design and build. The only aspect preventing me from really
going overboard about this vest is the cost. If it were closer to the
£80 mark I'd say it was perfect.
