Wasted $120 on a fancy hydration vest I barely used for running

I bought this $120 hydration vest thinking it'd make me look like a real triathlete on training runs, but it just bounced around and chafed my shoulders raw after two miles. Ended up just carrying a water bottle in my hand like before, and the vest is sitting in my closet gathering dust. Anybody else blow money on gear they thought would help but just didn't work out for them?

2 comments

2 Comments

ruby_foster931d ago

Youre not trying hard enough with the vest. I used my $100 one for a 50k and it was amazing once I figured out the straps. The bounce means you overfilled it or didn't tighten it right. Chafing is a sign you need a different shirt under it, not that the vest is bad. Those hand bottles kill your arm swing and mess up your form over distance. Give it another shot with a thin technical shirt and pack it light.

juliagonzalez1d ago

You mentioned "it was amazing once I figured out the straps," but that kind of hints that the vest needs a lot of trial and error to work right. Not everyone has the time or patience for that learning curve, especially if they just want a simple setup for shorter runs. Hand bottles might mess up your arm swing, but some people actually prefer keeping their hands free and don't mind the tradeoff.