Getting to know the Apidura Hydration Vest

The first thing that struck me was the lightness of the pack and what was my surprise when I found out that it’s weight included a two liter hydration bag (empty of course). It weighs 415 grams in size L/XL and if you are smaller, it weighs 385 grams in size S/M. And yes, including the bag. The vest really comes in two sizes. The smaller one is designed for people with a chest circumference of 60 to 95 centimeters and its total volume is 5.5 liters. For the L/XL size, the recommended chest circumference is 96-125 centimeters, and for this size the volume is 7 liters. The water bag is the same in both cases, two litres.

The base material is 70D with a waterproof layer, the sides and side panels are made of lycra. On the back of the vest there are reflective logos and a strap for a flashlight. There are also two zippered pockets that safely hold plenty of stuff like spare parts, tools, sticks and I even got an iPad mini in the larger pocket. On the front, you’ll find additional storage spots. There’s a zippered pocket on the right that can fit a cell phone and an even smaller stretch pocket with a drawstring. On the left side is one large stretch pocket with a drawstring. On the chest there are two height-adjustable straps with buckles. There is, of course, a water bag pouch in the back. The bag pocket closes with three Velcro fasteners and the bag is simply inserted into the pocket and secured with Velcro. The bag itself is equipped with a plastic zipper closure, which is further secured by a roll-up, finished with Velcro. Here I must say that the closure is absolutely reliable and nothing leaks anywhere. Filling the bag can be done directly in the vest (it’s easier and faster) or you can simply pop the hose out, take the bag out and refill. I have one recommendation here. If you decide to fill the bag outside the pack, I recommend you blow into the hose before doing so to get water into the bag. The very first time I did this little thing, I didn’t do it and the leftover water from the hose flowed into my pack. Another recommendation is to squeeze the excess air out of the bag before closing it, otherwise you’re carrying a balloon on your back and you don’t want that. The hose itself is routed through the inside of the shoulder strap and terminates on the right side with a magnetic attachment that is on the lower chest strap. The magnet on the hose is again adjustable. The attachment is sufficiently reliable and holds firmly. Drinking is easy, you just have to get used to the valve lift, then you just clench your teeth and chug and chug. I personally leave the valve up all the time.

What I’m saving for now is the vest tightening, which I’m absolutely thrilled about. To secure the correct position on your back, there are thin elastic cords that you pull after the vest is on your back, move down to secure it and you’re done. Sound strange? Yes, but it is, when you pull the drawstrings downwards they lock into small recesses that are surprisingly reliable and hold. In all my time of use, I have never once had a single case of spontaneous release and I must admit that I really enjoy this download. It’s simple, intuitive and reliable. And the release is just the same, you drive to your destination, pull up on the lanyard and everything is free again. High praise.

And now something about subjective feelings. I have already mentioned that I dislike backpacks. I explained why at the beginning. I don’t like sweaty backs. So my first impression after putting it on was quite distorted by my aversion to backpacks. And really, at first I thought, ugh…I don’t want that on my back, what have I decided to do again. But what was my surprise when, after a few meters, I forgot about the vest on my back and was completely unaware of it. I always had to remind myself after a few moments: You feel bad, there’s something on your back. Seriously. I got the vest in winter, if you can even call this winter that, and I carried it under my jacket. I really did forget about it regularly, and even the sweaty back wasn’t as bad as I thought (we’ll see in the spring and summer). What I gratefully welcomed was the warm water to drink. Finally, the water didn’t freeze, or wasn’t so cold that the fillings fell out of my teeth.

I’m sure you’ll want to know how the rain resistance is. I primarily carried, because of the cold, a vest under my jacket. Still, I didn’t give up and took a chance on one ride. I wrapped the iPad in a t-shirt and rolled it into the vest and put the vest on top of the jacket. It wasn’t a pronounced downpour that day, but it wasn’t too wet. And holy wonder, the iPad was completely dry and the other pockets withstood the rain. I’m not saying the vest is waterproof, but its waterproofness is perfectly adequate.

Oh, and one other thing changed for me. When I ride with the vest on, I find that I drink more. I guess it’s because the hose is always handy and using it doesn’t distract me from riding as much.

I’m not saying that the Apidura Hydration Vest will become a regular piece of gear on my travels, probably not, but I can imagine that it would be an impeccable piece of gear for some and maybe even worth considering for runners. Apidura has once again shown that it doesn’t rest on its laurels and that it primarily targets ultralight racers and the price of 4.099,- CZK (the same price for both sizes) seems to me, for such an honestly crafted piece of equipment, to be adequate.

Please don’t take this article as a review, rather just as a kind of introduction and first impressions.