The team at Ultrarunner magazine were super excited to get their hands on a vest that not only caters for short distances but for those long runs too. Ultrarunning can be an expensive sport at times but being able to buy a vest that covers a range of distances is going to help save some pennies. The 2in1 vest by inov-8 certainly does and the vest didn’t disappoint.
At first look, this looks like your standard running vest but do not be fooled it has an amazing feature not seen on many vests on the market. More on this later in the review. The first worry I had was this vest is designed to be unisex. Some of you may have had the same thoughts as me instantly, it won’t fit my frame but I needed not worry it did.
I went for the large size as I’m a size 14 top with broad shoulders and this was the perfect fit for me. There are plenty of adjustable straps allowing the vest to be adjusted to suit your needs and I found that the vest sat well on my chest without any discomfort.
The soft flask design with long neck nozzles is probably the best design feature as I’m not a fan favourite of the standard soft flask that usually sits on the bust area- ladies you will know what I mean!
Overall the fit is nice and snug with no bouncing so eliminates the risks of chaffing that I usually experience with other brands.
Now for the best bit, the 2in1 design allows you to clip off the 10litre pack for shorter distances, leaving you with the super light-weight race vest with plenty of pockets for your keys, phone etc plus the all-important soft flask for your hydration. The 10litre pack is more than big enough to accommodate an ultra-distance race kit list which can all be accessed via a zip located on the top of the pack.
Overall this item gets a whopping 5 stars from me for design, comfort and most importantly the practicality of transitioning from short to long distances. Like the whole inov-8 range, it feels durable and has been designed with every runner in mind.
A Brucie bonus is that the vest comes with a speed cup which stores easily in the ample pockets this vest has. I even managed to store my phone without forcing it into a pocket (I used an iPhone 13 pro max).
Super happy with the vest and you will be too!! Great work inov-8. For further details click here
Test and review by ultrarunner Loveness Scott