CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest Overview – iRunFar

The CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest ($160) is an 11-liter working vest that mixes some fashionable options, together with a detachable pole quiver, with sufficient storage capability to hold every little thing wanted for an all-day run. There’s each a unitsex and a girls’s model of this vest, and I examined the unisex possibility. Alli Miles, one other iRunFar gear tester, wore the ladies’s model and located it match her nicely. After nicely over 100 miles of testing on runs lengthy and quick, my evaluation is that this vest will get many issues proper but in addition has a couple of options the place the main points left some issues missing.

The entrance pockets can maintain the 2 included 17-ounce flasks and snacks. The storage within the again is important, with one essential pocket, a mesh overlay on high of that, a small pass-through pocket, and sufficient area for a two-liter bladder. CamelBak has additionally included their tackle a detachable quiver for carrying poles. The one dimension of this unisex pack has an precise weight of 9.3 ounces (263 grams) with the quiver and seven.8 ounces (221 grams) with out.

Made with light-weight mesh as a base and different breathable supplies, this pack excelled in hotter situations. Not like many different working vests, it minimizes the fabric beneath the arms, permitting it to run a bit cooler. With underarm straps to regulate the tightness of the pack, along with the conventional sternum straps, it’s straightforward to dial within the match. This will increase the flexibility of the pack by making it wearable for individuals of a number of sizes.

With ample storage quantity and choices, I steadily used this vest for lengthy days on foot and on the bike. Its versatility earned it a spot in our Greatest Operating Vests information.

Store the Girls’s CamelBak Zephyr Professional VestStore the Males’s CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest

CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest Match and Building

The general match of the unisex model of the CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest gives loads of respiratory area within the chest space. Two straps on the underside of every of the shoulder straps regulate the tightness of the pack and might compress it on the torso to reduce bounce, a characteristic not seen on many working vests however one that’s pretty common on extra conventional mountain bike packs. These straps present a second level of adjustability along with the chest straps, making it straightforward to alter the pack’s match when including or subtracting clothes layers. Since this pack solely is available in one dimension, this adjustability is essential, making it straightforward to share this vest between two or extra disparately sized individuals.

Sadly, this additionally limits the pack’s usefulness for individuals on both finish of the scale spectrum. I’m 5 toes, six inches tall, with what most working media would name a median construct for a runner, although one who enjoys a superb pastry on the finish of her outings. The pack match nicely with the adjustment straps on the tightened-up finish of the spectrum.

The within layer of this vest is an engineered knit mesh with a sample that has a good bit of lateral compliance and minimal stretch within the vertical course. This permits it to adapt to the physique because it’s tightened across the torso, nevertheless it retains the entire vest from sagging or bouncing beneath a load. This mesh is product of two layers with area in between, a characteristic that permits for elevated airflow. The model claims it makes use of body-mapping expertise to extend breathability in key spots of the again. I’m not sure how efficient that is, however I discovered the vest fairly breathable. The shoulder straps are made solely of this two-layer mesh and really feel mild and ethereal.

The remainder of the vest options a mixture of polyester and nylon. Mesh pockets are stretchy but safe, and the mesh appears to be barely thicker and extra sturdy than that discovered on many comparable working vests. The zipper on the primary again pocket can also be a nod to elevated sturdiness and is a bit larger than these discovered on different vests with out feeling overbearing.

The entrance harness is secured by two straps with clips on the tip. The straps might be moved up and down the daisy chain attachment system on every shoulder strap to dial within the match. The highest strap additionally has a hydration bladder securement clip on one aspect and a small whistle on the opposite.

In recent times, quivers have turn out to be more and more fashionable for carrying poles, and CamelBak features a detachable quiver with this pack. It may be angled over both shoulder or eliminated altogether. There are not any further straps for carrying poles on this pack, which is unlucky for these of us who lack shoulder mobility — or doubtlessly simply coordination — to make use of quivers. The quiver attaches with 4 snaps and is simple to tackle and off.

CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest Hydration and Storage

The CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest will carry numerous water, which is a little bit of a throwback to the times earlier than light-weight water filters had been a part of each mountain runner’s package and we needed to carry all of our water from the beginning of a run. The 2 entrance pockets maintain the 2 CamelBak Fast Stow 17-ounce flasks included with the vest, and the rear compartment can carry as much as a two-liter bladder.

Every of the shoulder straps has three pockets overlaid on one another. The flask pockets sit on the backside of the pile — and attain highest on the shoulder strap — and simply maintain the included flasks. CamelBak makes its personal flasks, not like most different vest firms that use choices made by HydraPak. My solely gripe with the CamelBak ones is that they leak in the event you don’t tighten the lids on with some power. The flask pockets have a small bungee that you could loop across the high of a flask to maintain it from sliding down into the pocket because it empties, however I by no means felt prefer it was needed to make use of them.

On high of the flask pocket is a second pocket that you could tighten down with a bungee. These are sufficiently big to carry a telephone or numerous snacks. A 3rd zipper pocket on all sides is ideal for small requirements — chapstick, sunscreen, anti-chafe cream, automobile keys, and the like. There’s additionally a small pocket on the precise that’s excellent for chapstick.

The again of the vest has three pockets: the primary compartment, a mesh overlay, and a backside pass-through pocket. The primary pocket is sufficiently big to carry every little thing you want for a day trip, and a divider separates a bladder from the remainder of your gear. Hose guides on both aspect make it straightforward to string a bladder hose by means of and over whichever shoulder you favor. There’s additionally a big loop to connect the highest of a bladder to forestall it from slipping down.

The outer mesh pocket is ideal for a jacket or additional snacks and is stretchy sufficient to carry a good bit of quantity. The decrease pass-through pocket feels barely too small to be all that practical. It’s vast on the sides however will get fairly slim within the center, so I discovered it exhausting to shove issues right into a spot the place I may very well be assured they’d keep put. Getting a full jacket scrunched in there’s a little fiddly, however gloves and a hat match high-quality.

This vest works higher if it has some quantity of stuff in it. When empty, it tends to flop round. However that stated, when carrying all of the accouterments wanted for a day within the hills, it runs nicely, and the quiver suits properly over the expanded quantity.

CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest Total Impressions

There are a good variety of medium-volume working vests in the marketplace, and the CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest is one that may maintain numerous liquid and equipment gracefully. The interior mesh materials is smooth and breathable, and the numerous storage choices make it straightforward to hold hydration in flasks and a bladder.

The additional adjustability of the scale of the shoulder straps makes this a flexible pack, particularly if a number of persons are utilizing it, and the detachable quiver makes it a viable possibility each for runs the place you want poles and people once you don’t.

Store the Girls’s CamelBak Zephyr Professional VestStore the Males’s CamelBak Zephyr Professional Vest

Name for Feedback

• Do you might have a historical past with CamelBak merchandise?
• What are the primary options you search for when buying a brand new working vest?

Our Favourite Operating Vests

Take a look at our Greatest Operating Vests information to see a few of our different favourite hydration vest choices.