Patagonia Slope Runner Vest Overview – iRunFar

The Patagonia Slope Runner Vest ($170) is a light-weight, minimalist working vest with practical storage in an everything-you-need-and-nothing-you-don’t bundle. Whereas Patagonia’s involvement within the path working world has fluctuated over time, this vest, when first launched in 2019, confirmed an enormous step ahead within the model’s dedication to the game. You possibly can learn extra about that first vest in our Patagonia Slope Runner 8L evaluate. This latest iteration of the vest affords helpful pockets for hydration and sufficient storage for jackets and snacks to final you for a number of hours out on the path, all in a modern design that stays placed on the torso.

This working vest grew to become my go-to possibility for runs huge and small via the canyons of Utah and the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. I beloved that it was equally as snug when comparatively empty because it was when packed full, and I typically stretched the bounds of the sheer quantity of stuff that I might put into its pockets.

Weighing 7 ounces (199 grams), this pack is kind of gentle for the quantity of storage it gives. It has a comfortable match and sits excessive on the again. I by no means felt like this pack, or something in it, jostled or bounced round whereas in movement. Patagonia continues to make use of the identical bungee clip system on the entrance of the pack because it did in prior variations, and whereas I’m positive most individuals can get the cling of clipping and unclipping the plastic clips, their fiddly nature is the largest disadvantage of this pack for me.

The pack is offered in 4 sizes, from further small to giant, which is nice as a result of it has minimal adjustability. Two bungees can tighten down over the shoulders, and the entrance chest straps are adjustable, however that’s all there may be. For the reason that pack solely has the slightest quantity of stretch, it’s essential to get the appropriate dimension.

As a result of it breathes properly, this grew to become my favourite working vest for decent summer time runs and mountain romps of as much as three or 4 hours that didn’t require greater than a primary assist package, jacket, and Garmin inReach so far as gear was involved.

Its easy design, long-term sturdiness, and performance landed this hydration pack in our Finest Operating Vests information.

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Patagonia Slope Runner Vest Development and Match

The Patagonia Slope Runner Vest options 100% recycled ripstop material with a durable-water repellent (DWR) coating to guard it from gentle precipitation. The within next-to-skin layer of the vest is a comparatively coarse mesh. It’s not a delicate material, however it’s hydrophobic, so it received’t get soaked in sweat, and is kind of breathable. Whereas I by no means wore the pack and not using a shirt, I think about there might be potential for irritation from the coarseness of the fabric. That stated, it by no means felt something however snug over a shirt.

The mesh, and thus the precise physique of the pack, has minimal stretch, and two bungee cords regulate the tightness over the shoulders. Sadly, when tightened, the mesh on the shoulders folds and creases, growing the prospect of irritation. I by no means felt the necessity to regulate these bungees and by no means skilled any chafing, even after lengthy days out in damp circumstances.

The pack is available in font sizes, further small to giant, and I examined a small. For perspective, I usually put on ladies’s medium clothes and located that the pack match completely.

Over prime of the bottom mesh on the entrance of the pack are two pockets on all sides, and the again has an area for a bladder between the mesh and the rear pockets. A clip can maintain a bladder in place and maintain it from falling down the again of the pack.

The entrance of the pack is closed with a pair of doubled-over items of static twine with plastic hooks on the tip. It’s simple to maneuver the cords up and down the sternum on the daisy chain of attachment factors for consolation, and whereas they’re initially tough to hook, the clip-on factors that you simply use usually do find yourself getting a bit larger and simpler to make use of.

When tightened down, this pack gives a comfortable match. The back and front pockets are stretchy with out permitting objects inside to bounce, and the entire vest feels fairly modern, even when full. I actually appreciated that I might comfortably put on this vest when all I wanted was a single bottle or once I was carrying 2.5 liters of water, a jacket, snacks for a number of hours, and my cellphone. The arm holes are a lot huge whereas nonetheless retaining the vest sitting excessive on the again, and no a part of the vest interferes with swinging arms.

Patagonia Slope Runner Vest Hydration and Storage

The Patagonia Slope Runner Vest has​​ lots of space for storing for its dimension. It’s not unimaginable to hold three liters of water, a day’s value of snacks, and a jacket — although that’s undoubtedly not the quantity of drugs that Patagonia theoretically designed this pack for.

The entrance of the vest has two pockets on all sides, considered one of which has a design for a delicate flask, and the opposite that overlays a design for snacks. The vest comes with two HydraPak 500-milliliter flasks, and you may match practically any equally sized flask within the stretchy pocket. The primary draw back of those hydration flask pockets is that they go all the best way right down to the underside of the entrance of the vest, and partially stuffed bottles can begin to migrate down and be tough to retrieve. There’s no adjustable bungee on the highest of those pockets to carry bottles in place, however because of the general comfortable match of this vest, I didn’t discover this to be that a lot of an issue. The underside overlay pockets are huge. Bars, gels, and small sandwiches all match simply and securely. Made from a mesh materials, the pockets are stretchy sufficient to accommodate extra stuff than I initially thought they may.

The again of the vest has two pockets — three in case you take into account the area between the internal mesh and the again pockets a further storage space. This further space holds as much as a two-liter bladder, although it appears designed for a 1.5-liter one. The highest pocket on the again is comparatively small and has a zipper to maintain every thing safe. I can match a windbreaker in right here, and it’s excellent for gloves and a hat, however it could be small for all however the smallest rain jackets. It additionally has a key clip. I typically saved anti-chafe cream, sunscreen, and different free objects right here.

The underside of the again has a mesh pass-through pocket. I incessantly used this pocket for a jacket that I used to be taking over and off incessantly as climate circumstances modified. It’s simply accessible whereas nonetheless carrying the pack — even for these of us who battle with shoulder mobility — and I by no means fearful about bulkier objects falling out, even once I had the pack on the bottom. Even when full, the pack is sufficiently small to suit beneath my rain jacket or windbreaker.

There are two alternative ways to retailer trekking poles on this vest. Two bungee cords on the entrance of every shoulder strap can maintain single poles, although at iRunFar, we discourage storing poles on the entrance of packs because of the elevated probability of damage in case of a fall. Fortunately, this pack additionally has two bungee cords on the underside of the rear pocket that securely maintain a pair of poles. These bungees aren’t adjustable, however I haven’t had any points shedding poles off this pack, even when pushing my approach via an overgrown path.

Patagonia Slope Runner Vest Total Impressions

The Patagonia Slope Runner Vest nails the superb line between a minimalist pack that matches snugly and doesn’t bounce round and one which has sufficient storage for a considerable run. It doesn’t really feel overbuilt in any approach, and after a 12 months of getting the arguably unlucky place as “Eszter’s favourite working vest,” it’s held up remarkably properly to scootching up, down, and alongside sandstone ledges within the desert, being scraped in opposition to sharp rocks whereas scrambling, and general being worn arduous and put away moist. The fabric on the very backside of the vest has began to develop some holes, however on condition that I typically take into account “working” a full-contact sport with my setting, nothing lasts eternally when endowed with the Favourite label in my closet.

Whereas I nonetheless can’t fairly determine how one can use the entrance clips effectively, this vest’s different options are practical and intuitive. It’s an ideal possibility when it is advisable to carry extra gear than a working belt would permit, however don’t want a full-sized hydration vest with all of the bells and whistles.

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