REVIEW: Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest

Disclaimer: I received a Amphipod PureRun™ Minimalist Hydration Vest to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!

When the opportunity came up to have a chance to test the Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest, I jumped at it. As I prepare to run my first ever marathon (NYC Marathon) in November, I knew a hydration vest was a must have for training. Looking at the Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest online, it checked off all of the boxes for what I was looking for in my first vest.

I’ll admit, the one thing that worried me was would it fit properly. I have wide and broad chest, shoulders, and upper body. I measured and it looked like I was just under the maximum for what they recommend for the size 2. Needless to say, until it showed up, I kept worrying it wouldn’t fit and I wouldn’t be able to test it out. Well, finally when the vest arrive, I couldn’t wait to see if it fit. To my surprise not only did it fit, it wasn’t tight at all, and I had to adjust the straps to make it smaller. I was so pumped and happy.

Then when I took it out for the first run I was expecting some discomfort or getting used to it. That didn’t happen. The vest fit so well that I barely noticed it was even on. The vest is ultra-light and truly minimalist like its name states. The lateral stabilization system provides bounce-free stability and a customized fit.

The cooling free-flow Air Mesh construction helps so much when running on a hot, humid day. I was able to feel this firsthand last week as we had a few very hot and humid days. The vest did the trick.

The vest comes with two 12 oz ergonomic bottles. One is stored on the right side of the vest and the other is stored on the left side. They are very easy to pull out while running and use. It’s nice knowing that you have a minimum of 24 oz to drink just by only using these two bottles while out on a run.

The versatile storage pockets provide easy-access to whatever you need on your runs. Whether it’s hydration, nutrition, or other essentials that you need to take with you while you run, this vest has you covered. There is also a rear upper zip-pocket for extras with cord pass-through and lower zip pocket for essentials.

The one thing I’m looking forward to the most though, is the Amphipod PureRun Minimalist Hydration Vest bladder compatible roomy storage pack. It can fit a 2L bladder. I don’t have a bladder for it yet but have been looking and planning on picking one up very soon. This is essential for any vest in my opinion and I love it that this vest can be used with or without the bladder. There is a hydration tube clip on the front of the vest’s right side. This will be a key piece of gear for me on my long marathon training sessions over the summer and into the fall.

I’ve really enjoyed using this vest on my runs and plan on getting a ton of use out of it. The vest retails for $100 on Amphipod.com. I think you get great value for this and definitely recommend it to others.