Black Diamond  Distance 6 Hydration Vest

I chose this vest over others because it actually had a sensible pocket layout, specifically with a zippered pocket that could hold a phone close to the body without it jumping around. The materials seem good, it's generally comfortable, and it doesn't move much when running. However, I have a couple of gripes. First, the vertical part of the vest on the chest sits very wide - almost in your armpit. I would much rather they full closer to the center of the chest, from both a comfort (potential armpit chafing) and load carrying perspective. Second, the elastic straps used to secure the vest on the front are very long, which wouldn't be a problem except there's no inherent strap management for the tails. They just flop around. I may have to cut them down to size a bit, but it would have been simple for BD to just add an elastic loop for retention. Third, the zipper is metal and makes a constant "tink click tink click tink click" as you run and it moves around. I'm also hesitant about metal zippers on running vests because I've seen on previous vests that sweat will corrode them over time. I've been using various running vests for years and I have yet to find one that is really makes sense for the "average joe" runner. I'm not out here running ultra's, I just need something for my water, phone, keys, and some calories. I need something that fits well, uses smart components and materials, and isn't black (can we please stop doing black gear for outdoor activities were temperature management is a real problem??). I’m also taking some issue with the hydration systems, both the included bottles and integration with a bladder style reservoir. The bottles themselves are fine, but the bite valves are terrible. It takes a ton of force and an awkward bite on the valve to get water out of them. Using a water bottle shouldn’t come with a learning curve. And there is a huge missed opportunity on the vest with a lack of integrated hose routing over the shoulder when using a reservoir in the back of the vest. The hose must be run externally. It may not seem like such a big deal, but integrated routing is a convenient feature and there’s no reason not to include it. The more I use this vest, the more problems I find with it and the less satisfied I am. Black Diamond, if you see this, hit me up - I'd love to design a new vest with you!