REVIEW: Ultimate Direction Adventure Vest.
Lightweight Load Lugging

Background

Ultimate Direction describe their Adventure Vest as being for the most adventurous runs. Coming in at 17L capacity, there’s plenty of room for a minimalist sleep set up, full winter kit or maybe something a little less adventurous; a change of clothes and laptop for a run commute. How does it stack up against the claims?

Size: True to fit (size large tested)

First Impression

Ultimate Direction are one of those brands that I’ve seen around for years (apparently they have been on the scene since 1985!) but have never had the opportunity to try out. Before I even tried on the vest it felt remarkably light given its carrying capacity. 300g is pretty featherweight, especially when you consider how feature-packed it is. I counted 14 external pockets/pouches, not including the two soft flask slots on the front of the vest. There is then the large main compartment, which has a separate sleeve for a hydration bladder (not included). 

I typically wear either a medium or large t-shirt and went for the large vest. I’d say I’m probably on the smaller end of the scale for it, but I wanted something with enough flexibility to wear under multiple layers in the winter and still to fit comfortably. I was still able to cinch the two chest straps to create a snug fit without bottoming out the adjustment. I was interested to see how the UD Adventure Vest performed with a full load – the downside to any vest is that your shoulders end up taking all the weight when compared to an old-style rucksack with a hip belt. There are of course lots of advantages to a vest; from easy access storage for fuel and phone to figure hugging stability and no belt to ride up or chafe. 

In direct contradiction to the UD Adventure Vest’s name, my first run was anything but adventurous… I loaded it up with my work clothes, some other bits and bobs and a 13l MacBook Pro and hit the trails for an extended commute home.

Fit, comfort and stability

You can tell that this isn’t UD’s first rodeo. The overall fit and comfort of the vest was excellent. It’s a cliche, but with lighter loads, I barely noticed that it was there. It’s worth noting that there are compression bungees on either side. The end of the cord wasn’t immediately obvious, but once found and my load was cinched down it wasn’t going anywhere. With the addition of a laptop, things were a little bouncier, but it's a single lump of weight so not really a fair test. With a more reasonable bivvy bag, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and warm layer, the load was well distributed and stable. 

Over the course of longer loaded runs, I eventually started to feel my shoulders tire. I don’t think this was particularly down to the vest and more just down to not having done longer loaded runs for a little while prior to testing. It’s something worth noting about any pack that can carry a large capacity though… anything you choose to bring adds extra weight, and extra weight means more load on your shoulders and legs and body. No vest is going to magic that away.

Features

I feel like I could rename this section pockets. So. Many. Pockets. And, I’m going to come out and say it. There might possibly be too many. I love being able to sort and organise nutrition and other race essentials as the next guy, but (and I accept this might say more about my limited brain-power than the vest), there’s organisation and there’s putting somewhere safe and not being able to find it again. I’m not entirely convinced it’s necessary to have one zip pocket layered on top of the other on both sides of the front of the vest for example. Minor quibble apart, all the pockets were readily accessible while running and provided ample space for as much food as I could ever imagine wanting to carry. I also love the quick-access stretch pouch at the rear. It was ideal for shoving a rain jacket in, meaning the main compartment could stay closed on changeable days. The zip pockets were also amply large for my iPhone (in case) and I reckon would swallow a larger model with ease.
 

Beyond the pockets, the UD Adventure Vest comes with two 500l UD-branded Hydrapak flasks. These are as simple as they come, but work really well. I personally really like to have a lock on the valve of my soft flasks, to help prevent accidental leakage, but again, that’s a minor point. Other than that, a small whistle means one less thing to worry about at race ‘essential kit checks’ and a key clip is always a nice touch. I didn’t get the opportunity to use the supplied pole holders, but they are there should you need them.

Usage

Not everyone needs a vest this large. Even for the majority of ultra races, something smaller will have ample space for even bad weather scenarios. For the small minority who love longer, self-supported runs, or are taking on races like the Spine, then the Ultimate Direction Adventure Vest is perfect.

Final Thoughts

A specialist piece of kit, but one that is remarkably well thought out and designed. Neatly balancing minimalist weight and feature-packed performance, the Ultimate Direction Adventure Vest is a strong contender in the small list of high-capacity performance vests. 

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