UltrAspire Astral Women's Running Race Vest Hydration Pack - 9L Fluid Capacity with 2 Liter Reservoir Included

As a plus-size run/walker of 5ks and 10ks, I am now training for a half marathon, I need a vest to keep water, nutrition, electrolytes, and phone while walking at cardio/race pace for 2-4 hours at a time. No vest currently on the market is adequate in sizing for my body, but this one came closer than any others I tried. It has universal sizing that claims to accommodate up to 50" chests, and it does work on mine which is not quite 50". It's not an ideal fit, but it's the only one I've found that can actually function on me as it's designed. (I still wish they would offer 2 sizes instead of just one. I think an xxs-m size and a l-xxxl size would be great choices.) As it is, this universal design is on the right track because the closure bungees go above and below a woman's anatomy instead of right across the front, and the bungee closures on the sides are not restricting, but rather move when you breathe, and are adjustable to a very wide range of sizes. I love the magnet that allows the bite valve from the bladder to "snap-to" the vest for ease of use during the run! I love that there's almost enough room to house everything I need to carry, although one improvement would be to add just a TINY bit more room in the bottom pockets so they could accommodate a phone on rainy days. On sunny days, though, there's enough space for my phone at the top left, energy chews in the bottom zipper pocket, a small nathan flask in the bottom non-zippered pocket, and 2 other small little items in the angled pockets like gel or electrolyte powder. I like that it came with the 2 Liter bladder, and there's generous space in the backpack area for hikers who may need to carry items of clothing as well as nutrition for a day. Because the pockets have to sit so far to the side on my body, I was worried they might rub my arms, but they don't at all, and the vest was locked down perfectly for no chafing, rubbing, or movement while I did my 2 hour walk at race pace the other day. The bladder worked great, although there was a little added warmth to that part of my back, so I think I'm going to freeze the water next time and see if that helps decrease the temp. There was zero sloshing or rubbing or moving of the backpack and water in the bladder. The bite valve was easy to use and the hose snapped in perfectly to the bladder on the first try. The vest is SUPER light, and didn't feel like it added any weight beyond the weight of the items it allowed me to carry, and I love that those items were carried on my core so I don't have to expend extra energy at the extremities to carry water or anything else, allowing me to maintain much better form throughout the run/walk, even as I get fatigued. I wore it with a racerback tank, and there was no discomfort where the vest was next to my skin (which was my entire shoulder blades).As an aging, plus-size woman who has been run/walking for a few years after finding the joy of these activities later in life, I will never have a small enough body to fit into "regular sized" running gear, but I still benefit from the boost in performance and comfort that the newest gear/technology provides. It is perpetually frustrating (and a little shame-inducing) to be marginalized by never being able to find gear that fits and functions like it should because these items are still being designed only for those with ideal athletic body types (and often primarily for men). I know I am in the minority, but women and plus-size runners EXIST and we need gear that FITS US, just as much as those with more ideal body types (if not more so!). This is an untapped market and I wish there were more options, but until then, I appreciate that Ultraspire is at least heading in the right direction with this more woman-friendly, plus-size-accomodating design. Still, there's a long way to go for the industry, and I hope this progress continues.Posting in the hopes this helps a woman runner out there, and in the hope it helps increase awareness that plus-size women runners/walker/outdoor enthusiasts EXIST and need high quality gear just like those with more conventional body types. Also hoping designers/manufacturers of this equipment will start to make more inclusive products.

Love the material and fit but the small oblique middle pockets on each side have no closure to them and bc of they way they are made, nothing stays in them. I have lost some wrappers, nutrition and a speaker. Very disappointed to have so much wasted space when could use this space for pockets where things dont just fall out. Very disappointed in this. As a result I think I will need to get a new vest for my next ultra unless ultraspire has some kind of fix or remediation retroactively to fix this issue. Super disappointed for the price.

Ordered pack last min. For a 37 mile trail race. Did the run pack was great lots of pockets and didn’t rub anywhere.But I found a tear in net reached out to the seller 3 x and never heard back. Wasn’t cheep, very disappointed that they didn’t follow up. Would buy but would order from Ultraspire 😢

I purchased the 5.0 Astral vest directly from Ultraspire in order to have the warranty and return if needed. I had high hopes for it but it didn’t work on my body type. I’m 5’11” 145 lbs and a 32 chest, so I’m not very wide. Because of that, the vest rubbed badly on both sides of my neck (see picture) even just trying it on. It would be a chafing disaster if I would have worn it to run. It has nice pocket features and came with water bladder. I’m not able to speak to leakage of the the bladder since I returned it due to the chafing. It was light weight and looked nice, minus the large “HerFit Harness” printed on the front. If you have a larger shoulder frame where you could keep it off your neck and if you can get past the “Harness” printing, it would be probably be nice to race in. I have another Ultraspire vest that is smaller that I will stick with for now.