REI Co-op  Swiftland 5 Hydration Vest - Women's

I think this vest works great. The XS/S stays in place well given the side and front adjustment straps (my shoulder span = 17", bust = 36", waist = 31"). The two hooks on the front straps keep the hose firmly secured, too. I made two modifications that made this vest better, I sewed a simple cuff over the zipper end since my long hair kept getting caught on it, and threading a cord through the loops lets me attach an extra outer layer in addition to the stretchy mesh pocket on the back of the pack.

I bought the XS/S. Have worn it for 3 long runs now (9 miles plus) and it’s been great! Love the pockets in the front. I live in Florida so it gets humid, sweat and wet but doesn’t feel heavy. Only chaffed once but that was a user error- I didn’t cinch the front straps like at all.

I was looking for a new running vest and landed on this one. I don’t run but I prefer using a vest for shorter hikes when I don’t need to carry as much and love having access to things in the vest pockets. I am usually a women’s size xs-s in tops and tried on both the XS/S and M/L. Ultimately I ended up returning this because the vest was very short in the front and would ride up when lifting my arms, leaving me to constantly adjust and pull it down. I decided to try the men’s version because otherwise this vest was perfect for me and I loved all the features. I ended up purchasing the men’s S/M and am very happy! The front of the vest comes down a bit longer and feels a lot more comfortable on my chest.

I tried out this bag for 3 months of training + half marathon (in SoCal). I chaffed very badly on my back after every single run that exceeded 6 miles, even after adjusting the straps. Bought a xs/s. Wish I could return these because the chaffing burns a lot during post-run showers so much so that I doubt I will wear this bag again.

Tried in store over a tank top and was very much NOT impressed. I immediately noticed the webbing under the arms rubbing. Not sure how I would ever get past that and be able to run/walk comfortably. Soft mesh on the sides is the way to go, in my opinion! I have a feeling there would be additional chafing areas if worn over just a sports bra or thinner tank. Re: water- Personally, I would prefer soft flasks over a reservoir being included. Otherwise, I think more could be done to secure/route the hose. A magnet to attach the bite valve to the chest clip area would make it easier to stow quickly.

As always, REI quality is really good. I like the capacity of this pack, and the pockets, esp. the front pockets. The BIG drawback and reason I'm returning, is there is no bungee cord, elastic loop to put a light jacket through. When I take off my light jacket, I want to be able to loop it through an outside bungee or elastic cord. The Osprey has the elastic bands on the outside as well as stuff pockets on the sides (REI has just the straps which don't hold a jacket or anything else).

I've ran a few longer runs with this now (longest a technical 25k) and feel like I can confidently rate it! Pros: I love how easy it is to adjust as I'm running. No sloshing, no chaffing (even with just a sports bra), nothing irritating - I literally forget I have it on. I'm about 5'2" and between 105-115 lbs with a very small chest and shoulders. The XS/S fits wonderful almost all the way tight, so I imagine if you were significantly smaller, this vest might be a big. Love the hydration bladder in the back. I didn't think I liked the pockets initially in the store, but once I actually hit the trail with it, I really liked the setup and configuration of the pockets. Cons: If you have hair that goes past your shoulders, it will get caught in the zipper, as others have mentioned. I put some stretchy athletic tape (like coban) around the area and my hair hasn't gotten caught in it since. It also doesn't come with an emergency whistle or the exterior bungee for poles/bulky items. You can buy packmod straps to go with it to fix this problem, but it seems like they should just come with it and be included in the price of the vest. None of these issues were enough to keep me from buying and loving this vest with small modifications/additional purchases, so I'll still give it 5 stars, just wanted to note these issues so other purchasers can also be informed.

I bought this when it was 30% off ($69) and it was totally worth it. I'm 5'3" and about 120 pounds. The XS/S fits me quite well, though I do have to tighten the straps nearly all the way. Now that I'm used to carrying a little extra weight and some minor bouncing, I hardly notice it when running. It makes running in the high heat/humidity so much more bearable; and it's super convenient not having to fiddle with water bottles. It also works great for day hikes. There's only a small amount of storage space, but I find it's enough for my uses (taking keys, phone, a gel or snack). I do wish the main storage space on the back could tighten down, like the Nathan models do, but that's a minor complaint.

Great vest for long cycling or hikes. Pockets can be hard to reach into mid cycle. The front pocket I use for a phone holder. While in a mid cycle the string to zip it up and down fell off. I have yet to find anything that can work to replace it that doesn't fall off while riding or while I am unzipping it. Is there a way to get a new string sent?