by Krissy Moehl
I keep my hydration quiver relatively small these days. The Ultra Vesta, the Adventure Vesta and 2 Fast Draw handhelds. Having these options and being able to mix and match is really all I need to choose from on my training runs from the Fishbowl (my condo in Fairhaven). I run out the door to the Interurban trail and within 2 miles I’m on single track accessing Chuckanut Mountain and beyond, depending on which hydration system I chose that morning.
All smiles during race time!
When packing for trips I prefer to not check a bag on the airlines. This means finding key items that serve multiple functions, and hopefully serve those functions well. Every time I pack I choose the Adventure Vesta. I’ve included my reasoning below in a bulleted list:
- If I don’t know how far I might want to run, I know the Adventure Vesta will accommodate even my longest mileage.
- My first aid travel kit fits in the lower outer pocket.
- If I’m only doing a couple of miles, but still need to carry my phone and a few calories I can cinch the back down and it wears like a second piece of clothing.
- I had my entire quiver on hand, just in case, at Cascade Crest. This was my choice vesta mainly for its comfort for my final 40 miles after switching things up most of the morning.
- Squeezing in an Olympic Peninsula run before the snow flew in October I wanted to be prepared for all weather conditions and also needed to carry some special birthday presents for the celebratory run. The Adventure Vesta allowed plenty of space for Houdini pants, insulation, a waterproof layer, calories, presents, maps, phone, water bladder, trucker hat, beanie… the list goes on.
- For my overseas end of year adventure last fall I had to carry a list of mandatory equipment in Lesotho. No problem with the Adventure Vesta capacity.
Playtime up high in the snow!
With lots of adjustability across the chest and in the velcro’ed waist adjustments, this vest wears like a second piece of clothing when loaded lightly. Key adjustment being to clip the bungees to the extra hooks along the back side (I am always making this adjustment on fellow runners to stabilize their packs).
Plenty of storage allows a heavier load that still carries super well and the up front pockets help balance the weight and give access to those calories, chapstick, phone and other insta-needs without having to take off the pack.
At the start of the Lesotho Trail Race.
My 2016 version is still going strong after multiple wearings, washings, travels and even a dog incident. I love this pack and will be wearing it in the morning for Friday Girls Run!
Krissy Moehl