On receiving an email from Kailas asking if I could test and review some of their gear, I’ll admit that I had to go to their site to see who they are, having never heard of the name. Kailas are a Chinese company, founded in 2003 by Baggio Zhong. Their roots are in mountain climbing and rock climbing but have also entered the trail running arena with a relatively large range or running gear from shoes, to bags to clothing and I have to say, it all looks decent, though the only item I have seen in person, is the Fuga Air II vest which I am reviewing here.

As I pulled it out of its packaging, my initial thoughts were, it seemed light (180g), build quality seemed neat, and the interesting Boa style chest straps, which I was really keen to try out. I realise that Boa dials had been used before on vests, with The North Face possibly being the first to utilise them (I think?), but this will be the first time I have used a vest with boa on myself. For those who aren’t sure what Boa is, it is a system that is used to fasten and tighten very progressively and accurately via a round dial you twist. To release you just pull the dial out and it loosens. It has been used on many shoes now. I have boa dials on my ski boots and it is great as it is so easy to adjust with big gloves on.

I pulled the vest on and it felt like a good fit, so the size charts are good. The strap system felt like it could get in a bit of a tangle, but on using it numerous times now, I have not had any issue as there are some small rings around the cable to prevent it getting in a mess which seems to work well! There are three colour coded clips which you just push onto the other side. They clip on easily and to release you just bend them and the come apart. Once you have clipped the three clips, you push the dial in and then twist till it feels comfortably secure. It feels really neat and simple. The clips are not difficult to locate and fasten, but they are a little fiddly. The dial is in an easy to reach and logical location so my hand always went straight to it with no fumbling around. I was looking forward to taking it out running and seeing if it was as good as I was hoping! First some more details.

The Fuga Air 2 in use, showing the boa system and the clips clearly

Up at the front there are two soft flask pockets and it comes with two soft flasks manufactured by Kailas and not Hydrapak like so many other brands use. The flask seems good and have a short straw that makes it easier to drink without removing the flasks. Mid way down the flask pockets is a small compression strap you can simply pull to tighten for when the bottle is not full to prevent sloshing around. I generally blow air back in so was intrigued to try this system out. The front right bottle pocket has a stretch pocket on the outside.

The BI-FIX system which takes up the slack in the bottle pockets when the bottles aren't full.

Below each pocket is a stretch pocket within a stretch pocket which is nice for separating gear making it easier to be organised. On the right-side pocket, there is the boa dial which goes all the way through so you lose a little pocket space. On the left-side pocket there is a side zip and a place to slide your phone in. I found in practice, this pocket didn’t work for me as it felt unsecure and like my phone (Samsung Galaxy S9) would pop out. 

The side sections have a medium sized stretch pocket with a loop inside to secure valuables to if necessary. 

On the rear, there are four large pockets, one being zipped. There is also a large pocket for a bladder if that is your thing, with a bladder hanger strap at the top. At the top there is a stash pocket marked for a wind jacket and is about that size. This is reachable without removing the vest. 

Detail showing the 'wind jacket' stow pocket and the bladder pocket behind it.

Mid way down the back is the next pocket which is another stretch stash pocket. I really struggle to reach this while wearing the vest.

At the bottom are the final two pockets, on the outer there is a large stretch pocket, and within this pocket is a large zipped pocket.

At the lower end on the back you have the zippered pocket within a stretchy stash pocket.

Final features are the mini emergency whistle attached at the front. Last but not least, we have the pole attachments, which give you three different options. You can have folded poles vertically, one each side at the front, the same but at the rear, or folded, both together horizontally along the rear lower edge. Plenty of options for those that use poles.

In use, I have to say that I have been very impressed so far. It fits me very nicely and none of the edges cut in at all. We are all different shapes though. The boa system is brilliant. As already mentioned, it is a little fiddly to clip up initially, and would be more challenging with gloves on in the dark etc, but what isn’t! Once it is on and clipped up though, the boa system is fast, gradual and doesn’t slowly work loose. When running it is simple to locate the dial and tighten further if needed. I didn’t need to look down to find it. 

Sometimes I like to loosen my vest on a long ascent and then tighten back up for the descent. The pulling out of the dial, loosens it, but it isn’t gradual, it just lets out all the slack, which generally means I release, push the dial back in and tighten back up to where I want it. It is a minor annoyance, but the dial is so simple and quick to use that is about it really, a minor annoyance.

The bottles have held up fine and the short straw really helps make drinking on the move that little bit easier. 

The pockets are numerous and practical. As I already said, the phone pocket I am not keen on, but I am guessing it works for others. I would stuff my phone down the elasticated pocket on the outside of the bottle pocket. It was tight and secure. The two side pockets I found were quite a stretch for me to reach, though I know I need to work on my shoulder flexibility! For an 8 litre capacity vest, it feels roomy. The pockets are well laid out and really feel like this was designed by people who run a long way. Good work Kailas!

Overall, the Fuga Air 2 from Kailas is a really well thought out and executed race vest. It may well have just taken top spot above my inov8 and Salomon vests which are both excellent! A really adaptable vest with some really nice details. Multiple pole attachment options, bottles or bladder, excellent pocket configuration and not forgetting the excellent boa closure system. Light comfortable and practical. On long descents, when tightened up, it barely moves and really feels a part of you. I highly recommend giving the Fuga Air 2 a go if you are in the market for a new vest. 

It is priced at £117/140Euros on their website though they have a 15% off offer for your first Kailas purchase. I think this is a good price for an excellent vest which should give you a good few years of service. To purchase Kailas gear, you have to purchase through their site as it is not sold elsewhere.

When I first saw pictures of the new vest from Montane I was excited! The Gecko Ultra V+ is incomparable to Montanes other vest packs which are more ‘normal’ such as the Gecko VP+ which I recently reviewed here. 

This is surely as minimalist a vest can get? At 90g it is super light and the materials it is made from makes it feel like an item of clothing. There is no padding or even slightly thicker material anywhere on this vest. 

The feature that makes this vest stand out from the crowd though is the lack of straps at the front. In fact, this vest really further blurs the line between clothing and race pack as it is fully closed at the front. You therefore have to pull it over your head like a t-shirt, to get it on. There is a short zip at the front at the bottom you can undo to make it easier to get on and off, but other than that, there is no other form of adjustment or for that matter any strap! 

It does have pockets though (They didn’t go that minimalist!) with two bottle pockets in the normal chest position (bottles are included). There are two smaller pockets at the lower front which remind me of a watch pocket on a waistcoat!. On the rear there are two larger pockets that are angled to make entry easier

I think this stock picture from Montane demonstrates just how difficult it is to slide the bottles in!

The final two pockets are two small ones, one above each bottle on your shoulder, which have a side opening. 

None of the pockets are fastened with a zip or anything else.

When I first pulled the vest on, I knew it needed to be tight, to stop loaded bottles bouncing, but I was surprised just how tight! I think a larger size would have been better, but to be honest, I am not sure if it would then be tight enough to not bounce? I think the sizing is small. This is where I first realised that this thing had to fit absolutely perfectly as there was no way of adjusting it. 

I loaded it up with two full bottles which I learnt was easier to do when it was on, as pulling on the vest with lots of gear onboard was difficult! Once the vest is on though, it is difficult to squeeze the bottles in as it is so tight.

The full weight, including bottles is incredible!

While running the vest doesn’t bounce at all. It sticks like glue. 

I missed having the air flow through the front, as I felt I was heating up more, and I couldn’t even open it while on long, climbs here in Chamonix that I walk, to cool down a bit.

This vest has been designed with the shorter and faster runs in mind, and that is certainly what it is best suited for with it’s minimal capacity. It is an incredibly light, and very nicely made vest and I have to give much appreciation to Montane for really trying something new and different to a design which is already excellent.

But, for me, it just doesn’t quite work. The design means that to hold the bottles rock solid, then they need to get pulled into your chest hard, which is fine, it just means pushing them in is not easy. I am not keen on the fully closed and therefore non-ventilated front. My final bug is the complete lack of adjustability. When you get one, you really have to get the perfect fitting one otherwise the system will not work. There are 4 sizes and I would guess that this is not enough to cover all chest sizes out there, meaning that I think a lot of people just won’t find one that fits them perfectly. Maybe you will find one that fits you? The lack of adjustability also means adding layers underneath it is probably not going to work either.

As with all my reviews, these are my personal findings and maybe this is the perfect vest for you. I would really love to hear from you if you if this is the case. I really do hope that Montane continue with this design and further improve it as I believe there is some real potential here. The minimalism alone is magic, so maybe that could be passed along to a more traditional vest design. 

But, if you haven’t already worked it out, the Gecko Ultra V+ is not for me in it’s current iteration. Priced at £100 it is not too badly priced. I am guessing there was more of a development process involved which is costly. Kudo to Montane for putting themselves out there, and I look forward to their next innovations as that, for me is where the magic happens. Just not every time!

My sample was too small as the lower zip needed to be open. It should have fitted according to the size chart.

If you would like to purchase the Gecko Ultra V+ from Montane, then please consider using the following affiliate link. The URC would get a small commision costing you nothing more. Thanks.

Buy your Montane Gecko Ultra V+ here

Just over three years ago, I reviewed the first vest from Montane under the name, Gecko. It was a simple clean and well thought out vest. One thing I never wrote in the review as I only really realised after returning to it a while after, was that it was long. I now think too long. The brilliant thing about the vest design is that it stops at around the bottom of the ribcage and therefore doesn’t slip around below that at the base of your back and cause raw chaffing marks. The original Gecko went a bit below my ribcage, unlike any other vest I have tried.

Fast forward three years and a new batch of Gecko vests are released by Montane. This time I can see before I even get my hands on one, that they are all shorter. Phew! Tick that box.

I was sent two vests to review, the slightly radical Gecko Ultra V+ and the more standard Gecko VP+

The Ultra V+ is a mega stripped down, ultralight vest for shorter days. It is basically a tight vest with pockets and no straps at the front. I will review this vest in a separate review.

As I have already said, the Gecko vp+ is more a standard race vest, like how most vests on the market are these days. But of course, no two vests are the same.

At 180 grammes, the vest is light but not super light. As soon as you get your hands on it, you can feel why. It is a little thicker and therefore more robust than the lightest on the market. It also feels a little more padded and hopefully comfortable than the ultra light packs out there. It feels like it has been made to endure, and will be good to go for a long time. I like this. As much as the lightest stuff on the market certainly has its place, I think that the items where durability is on the priority list, are the real work horses that will get the most use.

It comes with two soft flasks made by the biggest soft flask makers, Hydrapak. These can be fitted with a short straw or longer straw (neither are supplied) and inserted in the lower zip pocket, or simply slid into the top front pockets (my favourite). I think you could hang a small bladder in the rear but there doesn’t appear to be an internal route to get the tube to the front.

For pockets there are many. As already mentioned, there are the two higher bottle slide-in pockets on the front. Below these are the two zip-up bottle pockets with a small slit at the top for a straw should you want it.  These lower pockets are quite spacious so you could squeeze a fair bit in here and it can be secure.

Just above the upper pockets are two, one each side, small slide in stash pockets. Ideal for a buff, litter etc.

At the bottom at the front are two slide-in pockets. These are of a medium size and stretchy so could push a buff or some munchies in here as they are very easy access.

On each side, you have a single large slide in pocket. Ideal for a headtorch or more food.

Finally on the back you have a large slide in pocket. Ideal for those larger soft items, such as jacket, hat and thermal top etc. A nice touch here is that you have a small sliding catch her to make it a little more secure. So, if you have just removed your jacket and struggled to stuff it all into your pack, you can now secure it, instead of constantly worrying that it will work its way out as you run. It gives you peace of mind. The rear pocket doesn’t go all the way to the bottom which I would like to understand the thinking behind. The pocket could have been a fair bit deeper, but Montane chose to stop it before the bottom.

The large rear pocket that has been oddly cut short from reaching the bottom.

The final pocket is within the large rear pocket, and is a small, non-zipping pocket for keys, cash etc. I think a small zip would have made sense here. There is a small clip in here for keys also.

The simple but brilliant little clip that closes the back pocket

Back round at the front we have the fastening system. This consists of nine small loops running from the top to the bottom of each side. There are three thin elastic straps which you can clip into any of the nine loops. On one end of the straps is a catch that is designed to stay on, but still be adjustable, while at the other end is a small clip which is simple to do up and release. I find that I have to count down the loops before attaching the clips, to ensure I have got them in the same loops as on the other side, otherwise there is a chance I will get them crooked which is a little annoying.

The final feature to mention, is the pole carrying system. Mine came with four quick release small elastic straps which you can attack to the numerous little webbing loops on the vest. I have two set up on the front upper and two on the front lower which means you can attach poles vertically under your arms which works well. You can also move two of the elastic straps to the rear so you can carry your poles horizontally along the base of your back if you prefer.

I found when running with the race vest, it was both secure and comfortable. With both bottles full, I found there was an expected amount of bounce on a steep downhill, and that there was some minor rubbing going on at the neck seam. It didn’t cause any issues, but maybe it would over a long day? 

The upper bottle holders were a bit fiddly to squeeze the bottle into when full, but were secure when in. They were a bit low for my liking. I like to be able to bend my neck down and take a drink without removing the bottle. I could do this, but it was a fair way down and was a bit much for my level of flexibility. If the bottles were mounted just a little higher they would have been an ideal height for me.

The front strap system is the same as on the original Gecko vest, which I would have to keep tightening as it would work itself loose when running. Thankfully the system on the Gecko VP+ didn’t need tightening once during my use. Brilliant! 

A close up of one of the front straps.

Overall, this is a really nice vest that has a few quirks, but for me is far superior to the original Gecko, so Montane have clearly learnt and refined the vest. The pockets are plentiful and well laid out so as to be fairly reachable. I like the small catch on the rear pocket to prevent kit shaking out. It has the capacity for some long days and possibly a 100 miler depending on how extreme your obligatory kit is! 

Priced at £90, the Gecko VP+ seems very reasonably priced compared to what else is on the market. The price alone nudges it higher in its overall rating. Very impressive!

If you are after a solid, dependable vest that has been well thought out, is comfortable and has a very attractive price,  then the Gecko VP+ could be your vest. 

If you feel like the capacity is a little small, then Montane also offer the VP 5+, VP 12+ and the VP 20+ packs which are similar looking but with larger capacity (5 litre, 12 litre and 20 litre), though you pay for the extra capacity. The 5l is £100, the 12l is £110 and the 20l is £120.

Montane have produced a great pack here, and I feel confident that they will improve further with each new release.

To purchase the Montane Gecko VP+, please consider using the following link. The URC will make a commision at no cost to you. Thanks

Buy the Montane Gecko VP+ here

My first vest was a Salomon and I believe one of the first running vest style packs on the market. This was around a decade ago, and since then things have moved on a great deal. Every company that makes running packs, makes vests and they are all fairly similar, but certainly not the same. Like shoes, what is perfect for one, will cause chafing for another, so some trial and error is needed to find your perfect vest. 

What makes an ideal vest for you? Well, it needs to be comfortable and not move around when running. They are mostly quite stretchy which takes care of that as long as the pack fits you well which like shoes is key to comfort! Then you need it to carry enough for your needs. Think the obligatory kit lists of your next big race. Just as importantly, all the pockets need to be arranged and positioned so you don’t need to be a contortionist to remove your jacket when it rains. Then the usual details need to be prioritised in the right order for you, such as, price, durability, weight etc.

With all that in mind, let me introduce the Sense Pro 5 vest from Salomon. With a 5ltr capacity, this vest can carry most obligatory race kit lists, though you need some well thought out and potentially expensive small items to make it work. Some people would certainly be happier with the 10ltr vest. 

My sample weighs in at a svelte 117 grammes minus the bottlesand feels really nicely built. The stretchy mesh material that covers all of the inner surfaces that rest on the body feels, soft, relatively durable and well ventilated.

A close up of one of the quick-release clips at the front

Around the front, the fasteners that stretch across your chest are thin and elastic. The clips that hold this elastic to the vest are adjustable verticly which I know from in the past, have really helped me get the fit just perfect. The quick release points to remove the vest, are simply small plastic hooks that you wrap the elastic around. It can be a little fiddly, but overall, it is a good system. Certainly, very minimal! 

A close up showing the anchor point that once adjusted you can leave, and above, the adjustable clip to adjust when you put the vest on.

The pack comes with two 500ml soft flasks. These are made by Hydrapak who seem to produce everyones soft flasks. The great thing about Hydrapak, is their replacement guarantee if they leak. One difference to most other soft flasks is that these have the harder bottom section to aid sliding them into the pockets. This undoubtedly works, but I had heard of people having issues with the hard sections hurting their chest on long runs. I’ll have to wait to see if this affected me. I did notice that there is some light padding at the top of the bottle pocket, and at the bottom, which could improve this situation.

One of the soft flasks supplied with the wide mouth and the harder bottom

As a race vest is basically a load of pockets, let’s discuss what the Sense Pro 5 has. Just below the opening of the bottle pockets on both sides are two other pocket openings. These pockets go all the way to the bottom of the vest and also have an extra opening at the top, rear edge. These are a decent size so could hold a fair amount. On the left of these pockets, there is another piece of stretchy material the same shape and size to create the same pocket but with an opening at the front, though this time secured with a zip. Every vest needs a secure pocket to store valuable items, such as phone, keys, money etc, so this is a welcome and necessary addition.

Front view of the Salomon Sense Pro 5 vest

Above the bottle pockets, there are two more features. On the right side there is another small stretchy zip pocket. Then on the left there is a little ‘hood’ of material which hides below it a tiny emergency whistle so you are always covered for most races kit checks. There is also a small stuff pocket which I find great for gel wrappers and other rubbish. Being under the flap of material is good as it prevents the whistle from flapping around when running.

Now moving to the rear of the vest, there are two openings, one either side, that enter one big pocket which is an ideal stuff pocket for items you’ll need on the go, such as waterproof jackets or trousers. It is a bit of an awkward reach for me as my shoulders are not that flexible, so others will find it the same or more difficult, I guess. Then you have the large rear pocket that has a single opening at the top. This is the big stash pocket for stuff you may not need while on the move. You may be able to use it while the vest is on, but most people will have to remove the vest to access this pocket. So that is all the pockets.

Even me with my not too flexible shoulders, I can aceess the rear pockets fairly easily

The first thing I noticed about this vest when putting it on is that it was a bit more difficult for me. Not an issue, but I guess the shape or the arm holes have changed since my last Salomon vest. Over the years they have slowly removed anything at all stiff, and that is clearly felt as it just feels like a well fitted item of clothing to me. Soft and stretchy!

Fastening the straps across the chest is brilliant. A lot of the vests on the market at the moment are very similar, but for one part, and that is the chest fastening system. It needs to be comfortable, secure, simple, light and in my opinion, stretchy. Quite a difficult design brief, but I feel Salomon have done an excellent job. It is a little fiddly to adjust the attachment points, but once set up for you, there is no need to move it. If I had to pick anything potentially negative, it would be that the hooks you connect the elastic to, are very small. This could well cause problems if you get cold fingers, or are seriously tired. They haven’t been an issue for me up to this point though.

The bottles have wide openings which are perfect for adding drinks powder and ice cubes. The hardened bottom of the flasks really does help make sliding them in to the pockets a doddle! While testing this vest, I am also testing the Gecko VP+ vest from Montane , and a key difference between them both is the height the flasks are mounted at. The Montane flasks are fairly high, making it very easy to drink without removing the flask, whereas the Sense Pro 5 flasks were quite a bit lower making it a bit more of a stretch for me. I would prefer them a little higher.

The reasonably spacious zipped pockets at the front

The comfort of this vest is excellent! It sticks to you and bounce is almost nothing when fully laden and descending. When I wear a vest, I find it best to wear a top that has a neck that isn’t too low so that the vest doesn’t rub the neck as this is where most movement is for me. This was still the case with the Sense Pro. The material is relatively breathable to minimise sweating. Of course, when you have it loaded up, breathability is massively compromised as with any vest. 

Pocket access is great really. The two pockets in front of the bottles are simple yet effective with the two openings. The top opening is good for dropping things in, and the bigger rear opening is good for dipping your hand in to retrieve things.

The large reach-through pocket on the back is excellent, being able to carry quite a bit. The main rear pocket is also a bit of a tardis as it is so stretchy, so can fit a surprisingly large volume of gear in if well organised. The top of the pocket has no fastening, so is not secure, and being out of sight can be a little concerning, though it does have rubber grippers at the edge to help hold on to any kit that might be trying to escape.

The Sense Pro 5 vest from Salomon is a serious piece of kit, that is good for just carrying water for shorter runs, all the way up to managing to carry the obligatory kit for most 100 milers. It is super light, incredibly comfortable and bounce free. It fits so nicely that it feels like it has been tailored for me personally! I would prefer the bottle to be mounted a little higher but other than that I am struggling to think of anything else that could be seen as negative. 

Each time Salomon make further refinements to their vest, I struggle to see how they will improve things in the future, but they always do! Great work from their R&D team and well done for obviously listening to their athletes. 

For the latest, most tested and popular vest, you would struggle to do better than trying on a Salomon Sense Pro 5 vest. It obviously isn’t going to fit everybody as well as it does me, but if it does, then this is the vest for you! If you want something with more capacity, then Salomon have an extensive line of packs for every occasion which are all worth a look. 

Priced at £120, it is at the upper end of the market, so that will turn some away, but this really is a premium item. Durability maybe a concern to some as it is so light and soft, but from my experiences, and from many other reports, it seems to hold up well to general running. Certainly not a cheap vest, but certainly worth it if it’s within reach for you.

I look forward to see how they evolve over the next few years!

To purchase the Salomon Sense Pro 5 vest, if you use the following link, you will get a great price and you will also help the URC with running costs as we are affiliated with them. This comes at no cost to you. Thanks for reading.

As mentioned previously in other reviews, I have been a Salomon vest user, and have been happy enough to not be concerned with looking elsewhere. I recently reviewed the Montane Gecko vest and was really happy with it, which made me want to try some other non-Salomon vests. The inov-8 range of vests looked really well thought out, but the Race Ultra Pro 2 in 1 in particular stood out as something really adaptable and innovative. Fortunately for me, inov-8 offered one for me to review.

What I like about this vest in particular, is the fact it seems to be the vest with it all. It can be a stripped down to a small race vest, or it can have the 10 litre pocket clipped to the rear section to make the volume larger and so better suited for days where you need to carry more. This is a great idea, and if it works well, will be a great way of having one vest for all occasions.

Secondly, there are the bottles and the way they can be reconfigured to whatever you prefer. There are ‘traditional’ bottle pockets fairly high up on the front, which I prefer, probably as I am so used to my Salomon. But, in case you prefer a straw on your bottle then there are also pockets below the 'traditional’ ones to place the bottles with the straws easily fitted, leaving the ends rights next to your mouth making sure you don’t forget to drink. The vest is sold with these two flasks (produced by Hydrapak) with the straws which you can just remove if you want. Unusually, you also get a HydrapakSpeedcup which is a brilliant piece of kit that folds up into nothing and is often obligatory kit in many races these days.

Here it is set up with the straws on the flasks, stowed in the lower pockets.

On top of these features, there are a wide variety of seemingly well thought out, useful pockets, pole carriers (which enable front or rear stowage!). A weather/sweat proof pocket on the back and quite a few of the pockets being zipped which is nice for all those valuable items we carry these days.

So, on paper, and indeed, when I had one in my hands, it felt like a great piece of kit with huge potential. But would this carry through, once I’d used it a few times?

I first carried it on a 2hr run. Around 1000 metres up and then back down, which would certainly give me a good chance to see how well it fares with being shaken around lots. A vest is of no use to me if it rubs, so this is a test that any vest I use needs to pass. On the first run, it was great. It hugged me firmly at all times, even on the steep and technical terrain I was hurtling (Think Kamikaze, not Kilian!) down. I am not the smoothest of descenders, so vests are well tested! My collar bones, stick out a fair bit, and this is often the point of irritation on me, but there was nothing. The pockets seemed all accessible even with my not very flexible arms. Everything seemed to stay secure too meaning there was no continuous tightening of straps as things shook loose (An issue I had with the Montane Gecko). I was happy! My next big run I had planned was the OCC race (56km), and I felt confident enough to take the inov-8 vest out for its second outing here.

...and here with the flasks, strawless, stowed in the upper pockets

Well, the race really didn’t go too well for me (understatement), but the vest was really impressive. If I had to pick out a negative, it feels petty, but this is the point of a review I guess, when I removed the bottles at checkpoints to refill, on trying to slide them back in, it wasn’t too easy. I think this was due to the larger pockets below putting pressure on it. Other than this, it was superb. Over 9 hours of running / walking and it was as comfortable at the end as on the start line. Often at the end of races, it is a joy to remove my vest, but this time it didn’t cross my mind. A sure sign of comfort!

I have since used it many times, and it has now become my main pack. It also seems relatively durable considering the light weight (255g at stripped weight minus bottles. 345g with extra pocket minus bottles) . I am always happy with gear being a little more durable for a few extra grammes.

Here in its stripped down (10 litre pocket removed) lightweight mode.

In summary, the inov-8 Race Ultra Pro 2in1 really does deliver. I have really tried to think of anything negative about the vest so this doesn’t turn into a ‘I’d better not say anything bad about this freebie’ sort of review, but other than the bottles not sliding in easily, I really couldn’t think of anything. It only comes in the black and green colours as shown which I guess could be a negative for some. It fits me perfectly, but of course we are all different shapes and sizes, so I assume not everyone will have the same experience as me. Let me know what you thought of it if you have tried one on at some point. I am always interested to hear what the general consensus is.

If you are in the market for a new or indeed, first vest, then I would advise trying on the inov8, and if it fits you as well as me, then I am fairly sure that you will be buying one! Price wise, it sits fairly high, I initially thought, at £150 (on the inov8 site), but when you take into account the fact that you can add the extra volume, and it comes with two flasks with straws and a collapsible cup (which total £54 worth if bought separately!), it is actually well priced. 

My Salomon vest may well be gathering dust in the cupboard for a long time now...

For more details, Check it out on the inov-8 site here

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