With the wide selection of substances and layers required for the every day run, it’s arduous to beat packs with ample storage choices in that small-but-not-tiny vary that collapse near the physique when not carrying a lot and preserve a full load comfortable at operating speeds. The Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest ($160) is correct in that candy spot of capability, and when you pack it proper, it holds greater than appears doable given the claimed dimension. Are you doing a 50-kilometer or 50-mile race with three to 4 hours between support stations? It’s not an issue with this hydration pack … until the required gear checklist is intensive.
The six-liter pack weighs solely eight ounces (240 grams) with out tender flasks in a unisex dimension medium or 11 ounces (320 grams) with the 2 included Hydrapak 500-milliliter tender flasks. The pack simply holds as much as a two-liter hydration bladder (offered individually) when you want extra fluid capability.
This unisex vest is available in three torso sizes: small (34 to 37 inches), medium (37 to 40 inches), and huge (40 to 44 inches). This can be a surprisingly slim vary, particularly on the smaller finish.
Rab, initially a scrappy mountaineering and alpine journey gear firm with roots in Sheffield, England, has continued to evolve and now creates gear designed for gentle and quick mountain exploits that attraction to ultrarunners and mountain adventurers alike. Rab created this vest with a streamlined, environmentally aware, and elements-tested perspective. It’s thoughtfully designed with a precedence on performance in order that your focus may be on the journey.
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The Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest. All images: iRunFar/Kristin Zosel
Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest Building and Match
I’d like to handle the unisex match of the Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest proper from the start. I put on a 34A bra dimension and a girls’s medium shirt and I’ve a tough time getting the vest to suit with no bounce if I’m solely sporting one skinny shirt, significantly if all I’m carrying is 2 bottles, a pair hundred energy, a telephone, and keys. Regardless of the sleek brushed materials edging the perimeter of the higher-riding pack, I are inclined to develop a chafed spot close to my neck on one or each side. With extra gear or a skinny fleece layer added in cooler climate, the match is safe and I don’t expertise any chafing.
Extending the dimensions vary to the smaller finish can be superb for the various of us with extra compact higher our bodies, and my guess is these past the higher finish of this dimension vary would additionally recognize choices in that route. This apart, it’s a very well-designed pack.
An in depth entrance view of the Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest.
The Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest is constructed with what the model calls a Mono Mesh Chassis. It’s a cloth that’s easy, sturdy, and densely constructed, but virtually see-through, with extra stretch on the diagonal than the vertical or horizontal planes. This serves to cut back the bounce with the vertical translation of operating, particularly with heavier masses whereas staying comfy because it contours to the physique.
Facet panels fabricated from barely extra stretchy fine-pore mesh enhance the snugness of the match and add breathability. Very similar to some sports activities bras, I do discover I have to strategy donning this pack with a little bit of care to forestall an inadvertent shoulder tweak. What the Mono Mesh Chassis lacks in flexibility and stretchiness, it makes up for in sturdiness and performance as soon as I begin operating.
I do discover it tends to entice some warmth and sweat in opposition to the torso after an hour or two, significantly as soon as the temperatures are above 70 levels Fahrenheit. The fabric doesn’t take up the sweat, which retains contents dry, but it surely leaves moisture to your base layer to dissipate. Whereas it’s not the most popular operating pack I’ve worn, it does trigger me to succeed in for lighter-feeling, extra breathable packs on hot-weather days. On cooler days, and even in winter, it’s not a problem and maybe is even welcome.
The customizable sternum match is one among my favorites available on the market. It consists of a sequence of loops down the left aspect of the sternum and two sliding bungee loops with two adjustable hooks offering the attachments. The very best a part of this method, moreover the adjustability, is that the hooks face outward. All corporations have to pay attention to this as a result of it’s infinitely simpler to snag the loop with gloves on or within the low-dexterity state later in a future or race if the hooks face out quite than in towards the chest. It’s an excellent element I recognize each time.
An in depth again view of the Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest.
Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest Storage and Hydration
Storage capability is the place the Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest actually excels and all praises may be sung. Any pocket and little characteristic I’ve ever wished for is included on this little pack, and they’re functionally accessible even for sturdy fingers. The again panel sleeve closest to the physique can maintain as much as a two-liter hydration bladder with a Velcro suspension tab on the high to maintain the bladder from slipping. The pocket is totally unobtrusive or useable for different gear if no bladder is used. No routing tunnels information the hose, so you possibly can ship it in both route and ultimately by means of a loop that may maintain the hose in place simply above the bottle pockets on the entrance aspect of the pack.
Overlying this again sleeve is a second full-length stretchy mesh pocket massive sufficient for an outer layer, a filter bottle, many energy, a headlamp, and so many different issues. A small wallet- or headlamp-sized zip pocket is suspended atop this sleeve to maintain necessary issues protected and safe. A 3rd stretchy, fine-mesh, horizontal pass-through pocket can be connected on the base of the pack that’s massive sufficient for a wind layer or skinny insulation layer. I really like this pocket as a result of it doesn’t require gymnast-level shoulder mobility to make the most of whereas the pack is on. I can retrieve or stuff an additional layer whereas shifting down the path with out eradicating my pack, and nothing has ever fallen out.
A rear view of the Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest.
The entrance of the pack has the identical pocket arrange on each side, which retains issues easy — a key idea when the mind will get hyper-focused on the path or alternately, fortunately dissociated. Either side has a tender flask pocket that simply accommodates the 500-milliliter cylindrical or tapered tender flasks. Overlying the complete size of these pockets and all the entrance of the pack on either side are massive stuff pockets accessed from simply exterior the bottle pouch. These are just like the magician’s magic hat — in a position to maintain my gloves, meals, beanie, and possibly even a magic rabbit.
If that isn’t sufficient storage, hid full-length zippered stretch mesh pockets lay flat over high of the entire setup and might maintain massive telephones or any mixture of energy and necessary stuff you need to preserve safe. These pockets are significantly designed to maintain awkward issues, like these 300- to 500-calorie pouches with twisty lids, safe and never digging into the chest.
Adjustable bungees on both aspect of the bottles can stow collapsed poles. They’re simple to handle within the chilly. Take be aware, iRunFar doesn’t suggest stowing poles vertically on the entrance of the physique because of the threat of great harm in a fall.
The final pockets on the entrance aspect of the pack sit over the collarbones simply above the bottles. These are extra helpful than on different packs because the stretch mesh materials folds like a pouch so as to add extra stability to the gel or buff you may stash. I’d put low-priority issues right here with one exception — keys. Amazingly, Rab included a key attachment and security whistle on one aspect, so something with just a little loop, like a key or a mini GPS security system, may be secured.
Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest General Impressions
In my expertise, the design of the hydration and storage choices on this svelte Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest ranks as one of many highest. There’s maybe a little bit of a studying curve to steadiness the load entrance to again to maximise the steadiness whereas operating. Although I’ve tweaks I’d make to the match and temperature regulation as mentioned, you merely can not beat the dimensions, location, and performance of all of the pockets and pouches included on this pack.
When you solely need to have one pack, and you slot in the dimensions vary provided, that is an distinctive choice that may outperform your expectations of what adventures a small-capacity hydration pack can facilitate.
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Name for Feedback
- Have you ever used the Rab Veil 6L Light-weight Operating Vest or one among Rab’s different Veil packs? What did you consider it?
- What options do you rank as most necessary in smaller hydration vests?
