Arc'teryx  Norvan 7 Hydration Vest - Women's

I've used this vest for quite some time now and love it! I've used it for two 50km races, local trail runs (1-5hrs), and medium size alpine adventures (2-8hrs). The 7L is roomy for even my bigger days. It fits snacks, hydration (I usually carry 1L and bring a filter), layers (including a cerium puff), plus my safety kit (inreach mini, space blanket, etc). The pockets are all easily accessible and the pole storage (putting them in or taking them out) can be used while running. One of the best parts is the water bottles are actually easy to get in and out! This saves so much frustration, especially when racing. There is also a special pocket for garbage (front right) and a zipped one for your key (front left). I like to put all my warm layers and/or anything I want to stay dry in a dry bag and in the big pocket at the pack and this has worked well for me. Lastly, I can wear this with just a sports bra when moving at a slow to a moderate pace and have minimal chafing. The material is comfortable and you can adjust the fit so that the vest says snug. Faster downhills I usually will add a layer just in case.

I bought the Norvan vest at the beginning of the summer and it might be one of my favourite purchases! At first, I was a bit concerned it might be too small for big days, but the stretchy material allows you to fit seemingly endless items in it (for day trips of course). On a recent run I was able to pack two bottles, snacks and a sandwich, Squamish Hoody and a long sleeve base layer, headlamp, InReach, and a small first-aid kit. The material is nice and stretchy, so it doesn't feel constricting when you have it fully loaded. Theres also plenty of pockets for snacks, phone, keys, etc. I have also worn it mountain biking and it works great.

This vest is really light, breathable, and comfortable. It's minimalist to a good extent, with just a couple of downsides: the biggest problem is there is no way to close the main mesh pouch on the back--the one you'd actually store things in like extra layers or snacks. Last week I had an expensive jacket go bouncing right out of the mesh pocket on a rocky run, never to be seen again. I'll be sewing a velcro strip on to the mesh pocket now to prevent that happening again. The only other downside is that there's only one zippered pocket for keys/cards, and it's difficult to access the zip pocket when there's a water bottle resting in the bottle sleeve in front of it. Other than those two points, I'm happy with the vest and feel like it doesn't weigh me down or shift around at all while I run.

The Norvan 7 has been a game changer for me in so many ways. TBH, this is my first running vest, I was either running with out supplies on short runs or doing more of a hike with run sections approach and having the vest with room for water, bear spray, a layer, a snack and a few other bits and bobs while feeling super secure on my torso has enabled me to explore more and go further with faster. Big fan of the fit, feel and design.

I love my green Norvan Vest 7 for long trail runs! It’s super lightweight, adjustable, breathable, and reflective. It comes with 2 Arcteryx water flasks that each hold 500ml of liquid. I love all the side pockets to store fuel, gloves, headlamp, or extra layers. This is my go to running vests for trail races! I highly recommend if you are looking for a sleek and lightweight vest.

I got this vest in August and it has become a new staple. I have been using it instead of my backpack more often because of the weight distribution and fit.

Looks great! Pockets are all very practical and it’s well designed. So, it’s a shame it doesn’t come in a smaller size. I got the smallest and I still need to pull it fully taut in order to get a snug fit. I don’t view myself as particularly small either. If you’re considering ordering then maybe understand that the vest runs a little large. I’m going to keep it because I like the style but I’m a little worried about it getting more loose long term.

When I got the Norvan running vest, I already had a Salomon 12 vest I loved but it was getting a bit raggedy after years of hiking and trail running in it, so I figured I needed another vest to at least swap out. I was surprised at how much I liked it. It feels very lightweight and breathability, and while it might not hold as much (I used the Salomon to carry extra layers during winter trail runs), the Norvan 7 hydration vest held all the fuel and water I needed for a 50K (with aid stations). I was worried about fit since I wore it for the race without testing it on a practice run, but it didn't cause any irritation from rubbing.

This pack feels like a shirt - I barely notice it's there! Even when there are bottles in the front pouches, they stay close to my body, out of my face and don't bounce. I love how the material is not as stretchy as other packs I've worn - it adds to the shirt and weightless feel and ensures no bounce. The pouch in the back is the perfect size and it fits all of my outdoor first aid gear, my Squamish hoodie, my gloves, a hat and snacks. Very impressive.

I love this vest and wear it multiple times per week for my marathon training runs. I can easily fit all the gels/snacks I need in the pockets, along with two drinks bottles, my keys and phone (although a dedicated phone pouch would be great). However, even with the cords pulled as tight as possible I do find it slightly too big, meaning that it bounces around a bit. I have to make sure I wear a T-shirt underneath to stop the movement irritating my skin, which isn't ideal in really hot weather when a vest or crop would be much cooler. I'm a UK size 8, so expected the S to be a good fit, but I'd say it's more of a 10-12. There needs to be an XS for those of us who are size 6-8.