Ultra Vesta Review: Ultimate Direction's women-specific hydration vest

This post is in partnership with Ultimate Direction who sent me the Ultra Vesta to test. All the opinions expressed here are my own. This summer I had the chance to attend Timothy Olson's Run Mindful Retreat in Boulder, CO while I was there I had an amazing time. I packed enough running gear for my trip, but the one missing piece as a hydration vest. I have several hydration handhelds and belts, but we were cautioned that due to the altitude that we would consume quite a bit of water.

Runfargirl at Run Mindful Retreat with Timothy Allen Olson and Smartwool

I was able to borrow the Ultimate DirectionTO Race Vest, which is the signature vest of Timothy Olson, from Timothy Olson himself. I liked every aspect of the vest: the convenient pockets, the breathable back, with one exception: it just didn't fit quite right and I ended up with some rubbing on my collar bone.

Ultra Vesta

When I returned home Ultimate Direction offered to send me their Ultra Vesta, which is part of their Jenny Series designed exclusively for women. With the Jay Peak 25K on the horizon I knew I was going to need more than handhelds and a belt. Despite the fact that there were aid stations along the course, I knew that I wanted to have fuel and hydration available to me when I needed it and not based on my timing between aid stations. I'm pretty certain that that helped me in pulling off a third place finish at Jay Peak.

Races are always better with friends! So happy to have Sandra from Organic Runner Mom along for the ride!

Running with it at Jay Peak was a great way to break it in and give it a good test-run. I'm so pleased with the Ultimate Direction Ultra Vest for many reasons.

Comfort

The Ultra Vesta comes in two sizings XS/S and M/L they are specifically sized for women and the comfort of the fit shows that. I was able to adjust my vest to a snug fit and during my three and half hour 25K it didn't budge. And there was no chafing or bruising. The pack adjusts at four different points: at the sides and in two positions on the front. This allows for a comfortable custom fit. The side strap configuration also allows for a snug fit and keeps the plastic strap ring away from the skin.

Ease of Use

Once you adjust the vest to your specific size putting it on is easy and you simply click the front buckles into place. The two water bottle pouches hold both the hard UD bottles and their soft Body Bottles.

I used the soft body bottles at Jay Peak and the front pockets are high enough that you can access the water without taking the bottle out. This ease of use meant that I didn't have to take the bottles out until the end when I was down to the last few ounces. The other pockets for gels and GUs are conveniently placed and the zipped pockets in the back easily open and close on the run.

Plentiful Storage

This pack can hold a ton of gear and fuel. Along with the front bottle pouches, the vest can also accommodate a large bladder and hose. There's plenty of room for GUs, gels and bars which can be stowed in the pockets or held in the many elastic loops. You can also store extra apparel in the large compartment of the pack.

The Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta is designed specifically for women. Find the full review at RunFarGirl[dot]com

Small Details

The pack is constructed well, with durable fabric and bound seams. There are also small details, such as the whistle, the interior clip with an extra hair elastic and countless places you can stow or strap more gear or fuel. It is the small details of this pack that make it a great hydration vest for racing, mountain runs or day hikes.

Bottom Line

Hydration vests are one of the pricier running gear items out there, but if you're going to be running and racing longer distances on the trail (or even the road) you'll want to have a pack like the Ultimate Direction Ultra Vesta. It is a great investment and in my opinion, worth every penny.

-Sarah

Want to check out my training and daily musings? Follow me on Instagram.

Or connect with me here, I love getting emails from readers!

Email: RunFarGirl [at] gmail [dot] com

Twitter:@RunFarGirl

Facebook:Facebook.com/runfargirl262

Pinterest: pinterest.com/runfargirl

Review, runningSarah CanneyOctober 31, 2016jay peak, review, running gear review, trail running, ultimate direction, ultra, ultra vesta4 Comments