The Best Running Hydration Vests for Every Type of Run

The best hydration vests for running become part of your body. They distribute weight evenly across your chest and upper back, fit closely to your torso, and move minimally as you run over hill and dale. They carry liquids in soft flasks or bladders, and supplies like fuel, lip balm, phones, and layers in well-thought-out pockets that are easy to access on the go. Some are big, some are small—all have just the right amount of room for the day’s run, whether an ambitious mountain peak or a neighborhood road loop.

After months of testing, these hydration packs stood out for their comfort and performance in their respective categories.

Updated September 2025: We replaced winners in two categories, awarded a new runner-up, and created three new categories. Four of our 11 picks are from Salomon, all of which tested extremely well among a range of testers.

Best Hydration Vests: At a Glance

• Best for Short Runs: Salomon Sense Pro 6 ($180)
• Best Value with a Bladder: REI Co-op Swiftland 5 Hydration Vest ($100)
• Best Value with Soft Flasks: Salomon Active Skin 4 ($100)
• Best for Ultramarathons: Salomon ADV Skin 12 ($165)
• Best for Hot Weather: On Running Ultra Vest Pro ($200)
• Runner Up, Best for Hot Weather: The North Face Summit Series Run Vest 5 ($149)
• Best for Multi-day Adventures: Black Diamond Distance 15L Pack ($200)
• Best for Road Running: Salomon S-Lab Pulsar 3 Set ($160)
• Best Bladder System: Osprey Dyna 1.5/Duro 1.5 ($120)
• Best Pack with Straws: Nathan Sports Pinnacle Pro 6L ($200)
• Best for Mountain Runs: Patagonia Slope Runner Vest ($169)

Best Hydration Pack for Short Runs

Salomon Sense Pro 6

$180 at Running Warehouse

$180 at Salomon

Weight: 4.9 oz. (with two included empty 500 ml flasks)
Sizing: 2XS-XL (unisex)
Capacity: 6L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Versatile capacity
⊕ Good range of sizes
⊗ Hard to store phone with full flasks

Like all Salomon hydration vests in this round-up, the fit and comfort of the Sense Pro 6 are fantastic. The soft and breathable mesh fabric allows a close-to-the-body fit and great breathability. “It contours to my body and has minimal bounce, even with full bottles, food, my phone, etc.” said a tester.

Pocketing is well thought-out: All testers especially loved having two zippered pockets on the frontside, although the space gets a bit squeezed when the flasks are full. One tester said she also appreciated the two small pockets on the shoulders for her inhaler and other medications, while another noted how the mouthpieces of the soft flasks angled conveniently towards her face. We loved this pack for short runs, and appreciated its ability to carry more gear when needed.

Best Value with a Bladder

REI Co-op Swiftland 5 Hydration Vest

$100 at REI (Men’s)

$100 at REI (Women’s)

Weight: 9 oz (with included 1.5L bladder)
Sizing: XS-3X
Capacity: 5L

Pros and Cons
⊕ 1.5L bladder included at bargain price
⊕ Good routing system for hydration hose
⊗ Fit isn’t as streamlined as some packs

A quality hydration pack that comes with a bladder for a hundred dollars is a great value (the bladder itself can run you 50 to 70 dollars). The REI Swiftland 5’s 1.5-liter HydraPak Elite reservoir fits easily and seamlessly into the main compartment of the pack and stays put with a simple clip. The hose then routes, on either the right or left side, through a loop and two-clip system that keeps it secure, and your liquids easily accessible.

Chest pockets hold soft flasks (not included), if that is your hydration preference or if you need additional liquids. A zippered pocket securely holds a phone while a second mesh pocket on the front and a large one on the back add storage options.

The bulk of this pack sits in the center of the back, making the fit not as streamlined and close-to-body as some other packs. And the materials, while breathable, aren’t as soft as some (though we applaud the use of bluesign-approved recycled nylon). But as the least expensive hydration pack with easy adjustment straps and crossover capability to other activities like mountain biking and hiking, the REI Swiftland 5 Hydration Vest is a great choice.

Best Value Pack with Soft Flasks

Salomon Active Skin 4

$100 at REI (Men’s)

$100 at REI (Women’s)

Weight: 9 oz (with two included 500 ml flasks)
Sizing: XS-XL (unisex)
Capacity: 4L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Two soft flasks at bargain price
⊕ Versatile size
⊗ Material isn’t as sleek as higher-end Salomon packs

With four liters of storage and two 500 ml soft flasks, this hydration pack works as a short or long distance partner at a steal of a price. The fit is comfortable and secure, even when fully loaded with a jacket and a long-sleeve shirt in the main compartment. “This pack ends up feeling like an extension of your running shirt,” said a tester.

The material is a tad heavier and noisier than what is used on the pricier Salomon packs, but, as one tester noted, “I don’t hear the fabric when I’m running, and I don’t feel it either.” Said another, “I can wear it on hot days with a tank top and not experience any rubbing or chafing.”

Best for Ultramarathons

Salomon ADV Skin 12

$165 at REI (Men’s)

$165 at REI (Women’s)

Weight: 11.3 oz (with two included 500 ml flasks)
Sizing: XS-XL
Capacity: 12L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Well-thought-out gear organizing pockets
⊕ Customizable fit
⊗ Lacks a dedicated outlet for a hydration hose to thread smoothly to the front side

This hydration vest is a perennial favorite among our testers due to its adaptable fit, carrying capacity, organization, and comfort over the long run. This season, the Salomon ADV Skin 12 received some welcome updates that optimize fit and minimize bounce, including new shoulder straps and a new Y-shaped construction made with a mix of stretchy and supportive materials. Plus, it comes with new conical-shaped hydration flasks that slide easily in and out of the sleeves on the front shoulder straps.

One tester wore the ADV Skin 12 for 42 hours during a 100-mile race in the Swiss Alps on what she says was “very technical” terrain (we’re betting that’s an understatement), and reported that, “The pack held up fantastically.” She raved about the back storage that holds plenty of layers and how well the front pockets carry water bottle flasks. “This pack is so lightweight and doesn’t jostle at all,” she said.

The other front pockets are plentiful enough to keep a phone, food, and miscellaneous items separate and organized. Paired with Salomon’s Custom Quiver Pole Sleeve ($30), which carries collapsible poles like Robin Hood’s arrows, this pack is ready for battle.

The ADV Skin 12 can fit everything you need for a triple-digit-distance run, yet one tester also noted that the vest “wasn’t cumbersome for a six-mile run where I wasn’t carrying much.”

Best Hydration Vest for Hot Weather

ON Ultra Vest Pro

$200 at REI

$200 at On

Weight: 10.6 oz (with two included 500 ml flasks)
Sizing: XS-XL
Capacity: 10L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Mesh-lined back keeps air moving
⊕ Removable 10L waterproof pouch boosts versatility
⊗ Pricey

The white version of ON Ultra Vest Pro just screams summer running, and we loved running with it on scorching hot days. A stretchy, super-breathable mesh lines the entire backside, and soft mesh shoulder straps with a touch more structure make sure the hydration pack stays put. Multiple front-access pockets make organizing and accessing gear on the run easy, and the fit and security of this pack are fantastic. “The chest adjustments are easy to cinch tight for minimal bouncing or pack movement, and the fabric moves with your body and is very comfortable,” said a Boulder, Colorado-based tester who’s run dozens of 100-mile races.

What really sets this hydration vest apart from the rest is a detachable, waterproof pouch on the backside, which enhances the pack’s versatility. We removed it for shorter runs when we only needed water, our phone, and lip balm, and used it when we needed to carry a jacket and extra food. The waterproofing gave us peace of mind, knowing that our layers would stay dry in a downpour.

Runner-Up, Best for Hot Weather

The North Face Summit Series Run Vest 5

$149 at Backcountry

$149 at The North Face

Weight: 8.6 oz (with two included 500 ml flasks)
Sizing: XS-XL
Capacity: 5L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Easily adjustable fit
⊕ Exceptionally breathable
⊗ Flasks can be tricky to access while moving

When it’s so hot that the last thing you want to do is put on a hydration pack, that’s when you know you really need one. But you can ease the discomfort by wearing one that is ultra-light, airy, and doesn’t hold sweat. The North Face Summit Series Run Vest 5 weighs just 8.6 ounces with the two included 500 ml (17 oz) soft flasks it carries in the chest pockets. The pack is made out of nylon/elastane mesh that doesn’t retain moisture and vents air like a screen door. One tester called the back panel “exceptionally breathable,” despite shedding copious amounts of sweat.

We liked that this pack’s tension cords are simple and easy to adjust for a fit that is so dialed-in, one tester exclaimed, “It’s easy to forget you’ve got this on at times.” Until, of course, she needed to access her fluids or phone, and then remembered the hydration vest and was grateful to have it.

The hydration flasks, which come with the pack, are easy to fill and clean thanks to their wide openings. We could drink from the flasks easily without taking them out of their pockets. We found, however, that getting them in and out of the pocket on the fly requires a little extra effort, especially while carrying a phone in the zippered pocket, as the flasks tend to sink low in the compartments despite the tension cords.

Overall, we liked the pocketing and feel of this lightweight pack that, one tester said, carries “pretty much all you could need for most shorter trail adventures.”

Best for Multi-Day Adventures

Black Diamond Distance 15L Pack

$200 at REI (Men’s)

$200 at REI (Women’s)

Weight: 12.5 oz
Sizing: S-L (men’s); S-L (women’s)
Capacity: 15L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Carries a ton of gear comfortably
⊕ Comes in men’s- and women’s-specific fits
⊗ Doesn’t come with soft flasks or bladder

Thanks to its roomy capacity in the main compartment plus ample pocketing, the Black Diamond 15L carries a decent amount of gear comfortably and with minimal sloshing, making it a great pack for adventures of all sorts. Thoughtfully-designed storage—a cinch-pull main compartment, seven exterior pockets and one of them zippered, an interior zippered pocket, and dedicated loops for trekking poles and ice axes—makes this an extremely livable pack.

We love the cinch cords that trim the sides and reduce or expand the pack volume to secure whatever amount we’re carrying in the most compact bag possible. We also love the materials: soft, breathable mesh back paneling and shoulder straps, stretchy mesh pocketing, and durable ripstop nylon on the body of the bag.

Female testers also raved at how the pack fit their bodies, calling out the stretchy lower sternum strap, adjustable placement of both sternum straps, and shape and placement of the shoulder straps. “It’s really easy to fit the pack to the contours of your body using its harness system,” said one.

While it doesn’t come with a bladder or flasks, the bag can hold either—or both—comfortably, making it a great choice when your adventure calls for ample fluids.

Best Hydration Vest for Road Running

Salomon S/Lab Pulsar 3 Set

$160 at Running Warehouse

$160 at Salomon

Weight: 4.9 oz. (with two included 250 ml flasks)
Sizing: 2XS-XL (unisex)
Capacity: 3L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Perfectly minimal
⊕ Extremely lightweight
⊗ Small flask openings can be hard to fill

With its sleek, minimal design and ability to carry 1000 ml of water (two 250 ml flasks are included and a 500 ml flask fits in the back lumbar pocket), this hydration pack works great for long road runs. It intentionally lacks trail-geeky features like a safety whistle or trekking-pole loops, and carries just enough for shorter trail or road runs.

The lumbar pocket is a great place to stash a shell jacket if not using an additional bottle, and a zippered front pocket and open top back pocket (great for additional fuel) add functional storage while still allowing the pack to keep its streamlined fit. “The fit of this pack is amazing!” raved a tester. “It sits so close to the body and the adjustment cords are simple and minimal. You can hardly tell you’re wearing a pack.”

Best Bladder System

Osprey Dyna 1.5/Duro 1.5

$120 at REI (Men’s – Duro)

$120 at REI (Women’s – Dyna)

Weight: 12.4–14.8 oz (with included 1.5 L bladder)
Sizing: S-L (women’s Dyna); S-L (men’s Duro)
Capacity: 1.5L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Insulated hose
⊕ Made with 100 percent recycled materials
⊗ Materials feel somewhat scratchy

This pack comes with a quality 1.5L hydration bladder and an insulated hose that keeps water cool in hot weather and prevents water from freezing in the cold. It is smartly routed from the bladder pocket to the front, which testers appreciated enough to call it out as the best bladder system in the test group.

We were also impressed with the fit of these gender-specific hydration packs. “It’s easy to adjust and get fitted to the shape/contours of your body,” said a female tester. “It was lightweight and felt like part of my shirt,” said another.

The breathability of the back paneling also stood out even when we were sweating heavily. We found, however, that the all-recycled materials felt a bit stiff and scratchy, but we will take the trade off in favor of Mother Earth.

One knock: The upper shoulder strap pockets are unusually high, making it somewhat tricky to access them on the run.

Best Pack with Straws

Nathan Sports Pinnacle Pro 6L Hydration Vest

$200 at Nathan (Men’s)

$200 at Nathan (Women’s)

Weight: 6.9 oz (with two included 592 ml flasks)
Sizing: XXS-XL
Capacity: 6 L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Gender-specific fit
⊕ Straws provide quick and convenient access to liquids
⊗ Straws annoyingly missed mouths of some testers

This hydration pack comes with two 592 ml (20 oz) straw-equipped soft flasks that allow easy hydration on the run; there’s no need to bend your neck down to reach a regular flask, or push one up towards your mouth. Six liters of storage space made this pack work for mountain adventures and long runs where layers and extra fuel and gear were necessary, and the soft, body-contouring material kept the fit stable and secure, even when fully loaded. Testers reported this pack to be “very breathable” and “super-comfortable”—especially the dialed-in, women’s-specific fit (don’t worry guys, it also comes in men’s.)

Best for Mountain Running

Patagonia Slope Runner Vest

$169 at Backcountry

$169 at Patagonia

Weight: 6.9 oz (with two included 500 ml flasks)
Sizing: XS-L
Capacity: 4 L

Pros and Cons
⊕ Water resistant
⊕ Great pass-through pocket
⊗ Lack of large main compartment limits carrying capacity

The Slope Runner Vest was our go-to choice for mountain running, mostly because it is constructed out of airy, lightweight materials with a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish that repels precipitation that comes with higher altitudes. We also love that it breathes Patagonia ethos: it’s Fair Trade-Certified and made without PFAS/man-made chemicals).

The pack also carries flasks and/or a hydration bladder—securely and conveniently. The two included 500 milliliter flasks sit comfortably in deep mesh chest pockets, and a simple clip effectively holds a hydration bladder, when added. Six stretchy mesh pockets on the chest and waist straps are easy to access mid-run. The pass-through pocket on the backside proved a great place for a layer to be shoved through and accessed via either side. And the small zippered pocket at the top of the backside fits essentials like First Aid items (but nothing that big or bulky, like larger winter traction devices).

With a tester-approved, lightweight, simple corded system that secures the pack to the body, this is an overall comfortable pack, ready for adventure.

How to Choose a Hydration Vest

The best way to shop for a hydration pack is to read our reviews and then try on some options, making sure your final choice is comfortable and fits your specific body. If you can shop in person, assess how the chest straps sit on your body and if there are any points of irritation. See if you can adjust all the straps to get the pack nice and snug to your body, then jog around to make sure the pack doesn’t move too much.

Since sizes vary between brands, start by checking the brand’s measurement guide on their website, and then take your body’s measurements. The best hydration pack for you should feel snug, but not restrictive. If it’s hard to take a full breath without battling the straps, it’s too small. If there are gaps in the fabric around the shoulders and the pack moves too much on your back when you run, it’s likely too big. If you are maxing out the straps in either direction—cinched all the way in or fully expanded—consider shifting sizes.

After all of these steps, if you’re still having trouble finding packs that fit properly, try a different style. If men’s packs aren’t fitting right, try a unisex or women’s-specific model and see if that helps. Women’s packs typically have more room around the bust, are narrower in the shoulders, and are shorter overall.

For the final test, load up the pack (at the very least with a full flask) and see how it feels with a little bit of weight.

The final consideration comes down to personal preferences and how you plan to use the hydration vest. Some people, for example, demand a zippered front pocket, or pole storage, or large pockets capable of holding many easy-to-access snacks. Make sure the pack features and volume meet your specific needs: You’ll likely need a different pack for short runs around the neighborhood than for full-day (or multi-day) adventures.

How We Test Hydration Packs

•   Number of testers: 6
•   Number of products tested: 38
•   Gnarliest test conditions: A 100-mile ultramarathon through the Swiss Alps
•   Most common testing grounds: Trails along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains

Most of our testing took place in Boulder, Colorado, and on trails deeper into the Rocky Mountains. Our test team included six women, each of whom tested mostly apples-to-apples hydration packs: small volume, medium volume, or large volume, while one tester put every pack through the paces.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Lisa Jhung has been running in hydration packs for roughly 25 years, since she traipsed through the wilds of places like Morocco and Switzerland as part of multi-day adventure racing teams. In more tame periods of her life, like now, she regularly throws on a pack to hit the trails of Boulder, Colorado, and the high-alpine routes in the Indian Peaks of the Rocky Mountains with girlfriends or sometimes, her dog Lulu. Lisa is also the lead tester and writer of our women’s running apparel and sports bra categories, and co-leads our running shoe tests.