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Super Speedy Summary Review

This ‘mini fastpack‘ is the only race vest you will ever need. I don’t say this lightly. This vest is so well thought out for the toughest FKT multi day conditions that as a result Peter Bakwin has helped created a vest that is just as good for short runs for fun, ultras and when you go on to nail that FKT on an epic trail.

You cannot make a small 7L capacity vest larger, but this whopping 18L vest can easily be made smaller . Its waterproof, tough, covered in useful and secure pockets with a wealth of storage space. It comes with a body contoured bottle that is comfortable to wear against your chest and has a series of chest and side straps that can be adjusted to fit your body and what is wearing. Ultimate Direction trounce the competition with their high quality race vests and bags and now this design may well be the best thing they’ve ever made.

purchase $129.95

Full Review

Im going to come out and make a very bold statement very early on.

This vest heralds the end of the ‘Jurekian’ design dominance at UD

Fastest Known Times are dirty and hard and horrible, many go over long distances with little or no support, bad weather and a high level of self sufficiency.

I know this as I hold 4 FKT records . More recently I set a 365 Mile FKT using this actual vest on the Old Leatherman Loop.

Bakwin threw his experience into this vest and it shows. This is a worst case scenario vest designed to survive and help you through every possible running obstacle for the longest FKT and in doing so it makes it bomb proof for every possible running scenario you’ll encounter.

Waterproof Material

I took the time to speak to Peter Bakwin and he explained that the material in the vest is more durable than the signature series vests and waterproof. When you are out on the trails all day (and through the nights for FKTs) you are likely to get wet , rained on and dew form on your pack so being waterproof is really important.

The bag still comes in at around 12oz so it remains very lightweight. I suspect that there will be a payoff with this in the summer when its hot and the bag is against your back….but I’d still opt for waterproof over breathable every time in running packs because breathable material wicks sweat INTO the dry clothes etc you have inside the pack making them clammy and wet.

Everything I need within reach

I don’t like having to take a race vest or backpack off when I’m out on the trails. I want places for my gloves, hat, snacks, mobile phone, sunglasses, sunblock all in little places where I can reach them without taking the pack off. This vest has lots of pockets and pouches to meet these needs. I approach a pack with a two tier mindset, easy quick grab stuff in the pockets and then my main camping gear/ jacket/ sleeping gear in the main pouch that I only need when the pack is off and I’m not running.

On the left shoulder is a small zipped GPS tracker pocket, perfect for those FKTs, but also for anything else you want to store instead. This has a secure zip pocket rather than the velcro on the North Vest which I think gives you more piece of mind.

On the right shoulder is a longer pouch that’s perfect for either sunglasses or a small lightweight waterproof shower jacket, two things you’ll want to get to depending on the season. You could also easily fit a hat or gloves in this if you wanted to. The Ultimate Direction North Vest has these pockets but they are held closed with velcro and not the zips of this FKT vest which leaves you with that niggling constant doubt that you’ve lost your sunglasses.

Comfy Water – The Flexform 600 Bottle

In the last few years I’ve moved away from Ultimate Directions hard bottles because they aren’t comfortable against your chest and moved to flexi hydro pack type bottles as they are more comfortable, but when you are tired or careless these can be easy to spill things and hard to fill. Peter has opted for a new ergonomic bottle that is shaped in such a way that its comfortable against your chest and easy to fill. The bottle comes with the bag in the price which is a superb move.

Beneath the bottle pouch on the chest is a stretchy pocket that has loads of room for snacks or gels that you can get to easily. There is a similar stretchy pouch on both sides of the front chest area.

Everyone loves Burritos

The front of the vest also has a ‘Burrito Pocket’ which is large enough for even my whopping great Sony Smartphone. There is even room in there for a small charger pack too when recharging. I use my phone for music, photos navigation when out on runs so its great to have an easy to store secure zip pocket for it where I can get to it quickly and easily. I’m less of a fan of having a phone in a slip in open pocket, because I get the constant nagging paranoia that its fallen out.

Straps and Clips

The chest straps have clips that work either way round and are bright yellow. Why is this useful ? Because when you are super tired and its the middle of the night you’ll go INSANE trying to figure out which way round the clips go and sometimes even find them. Some of the newer Ultimate Direction Fastpacks have clips that only work one way round and it drives me nuts.

The straps for the chest and sides can be height adjusted to cater for all body shapes by moving a T shaped piece of plastic up or down the various loops available. The top chest clip also has a whistle built in to help meet many Ultra Trail race mandatory kit requirements.

Thicker Pole Bungees

FKTs often involve more distance and put you in ‘cheat stick’ territory. I use Z folding carbon trekking poles so its great to be able to mount them within reach on the front on either side of the chest pockets. I often chuckle at people that stow trekking poles in the rear of their packs where they cant see/ reach or use them.

The bungee on other Ultimate Direction vests and Fastpacks is thinner so its great to see the thickness beefed up on this vest as in the past I tend to wear them out within a year or so of use.

Wallet and Keys

We all live in the real world. We don’t all have a crew in a van following us along and handing us a drink every 6 miles on trails. This pack has a great little side zip on the outside of the main compartment to store your car keys, wallet and charger pack. This pocket is bigger than anything I’ve seen on other vests or Fastpacks from Ultimate Direction.

Showers Drive Me mental but bungee helps

There is a large criss cross of bungee over the back of the bag. I use this on rainy day shower days. You know the weather, one minute its raining , the next its too hot and so you spend hours taking your jacket on and off and on and off. This bungee at the bag allows you to leave wet weather gear out to hang dry after rain showers.

Big Mesh Pocket on the Back

The entire back has a very stretchy huge mesh pouch. I use this for my headtorch, rain jacket, water purifier and spare water bottle , wet wipes and medical toiletries etc. Its for things that you dont mind them getting wet, but want easy access to rather than having to rummage into the main bag compartment.

Waterproof Roll Top

Many of the Ultimate Direction vests are designed to be breathable for the summer. I prefer the reassurance that the bag is waterproof so this vest has been designed like a ‘baby fastpack’ to have a waterproof roll top entry that means there are no leaky zips, a drybag approach and best of all the roll top means you can easily adjust the size of the pack depending on what you have in it. Not got a lot of gear ? roll it right down and tighten the straps at the side and you’ve got a little 5L to 7L race vest ….epic multi day FKT ? leave it full size and gave an 18L pack.

This is the main reason this will be the only vest you’ll ever need. It can be all vests for all runs and you can easily adjust in size.

INside the main drybag

There is a mesh in the middle of the inside of the bag to help you keep thing in order. From the pictures and video you can see I managed to get a thermarest, tarp shelter, sleeping bag, puffy jacket, spare layer , waterproof jacket and trousers in the main compartment which is the basis of my multi day kit list.

I’d even go out on a limb and say that an elite runner could use this for the Marathon des Sables.

I’m not a fan of camelback water systems as you cant tell how much water you have and they are fiddly to refill but there is a hang hook etc to use this if you wish.

The shape also means there is a kind of ‘bag on top of a bag’ space inside at the top so you can have your most likely needed bits of clothing to hand near the top.

Size and Fit

I find Ultimate Direction vests and bags are a little bit ‘all over the place’ in the S/M or M/L debate and inconsistent between vests.

I wore a S/M for this review and I’m a 44 inch chest and it was more than adequate size wise. If you are unsure between the two size options I’d suggest opting for the smaller for this vest.

The chest straps are adjustable in position and width and the side straps are also adjustable in height and length so you have a wide range of options for all sizes and clothing layer options.

Gripes

So is this race vest perfect ? …. Well Nearly. I’d change a couple of minor things. Firstly the T Bar threaded way to adjust the chest strap height is fiddly and cumbersome. The UD vests used to have an easy slide that needed no threading and you could adjust on the fly. This new trend of a T bar is annoying. I find I often want to adjust where the chest straps are depending on what I’m wearing ( thick jackets or thin T shirt Days) .

Secondly I’d want some extra zip pouch pockets on the side hip straps so I’ve got even more storage areas, If I had a signature pack it would probably have about 78 pouches …..so you have to draw the line somewhere.

Although not a deal breaker the current trend of 1980s Princess Diana on the Ski Slopes colors for their range and this bag is a little bit ….er… ‘fabulous‘. I would love to see this pack in stealth black with yellow clips and zips.

Verdict

This vest has a load of pockets for everything you need on a run to be within easy reach. It has a rear compartment that can be rolled down to ultra small for short runs, and rolled up to 18L to create a ‘baby fastpack’. Its waterproof , well thought out , comfortable and adjustable for all body shapes . The flexform 600 bottle is comfortable against your chest too.

Closest Contenders ?

The closest contenders are both also from Ultimate Direction. If slightly more carrying capacity is a possibility then I’ve reviewed the Fastpack 25 and Fastpack 35 on this site.

If you want something much more ‘Jurekian’ then you can look at his FKT Vest here. I’m not ‘anti’ Jurek design I just think his thinking has dominated too many vest options in the UD range and we all benefit from a broader base of running experience.

Want to Buy it ?

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Features summary

• Roll-top closure expands or contracts to secure varying capacities
• Large external stretch mesh pockets for quick access
• Large front storage for water, phone, maps, glasses, or food 
• Unique T-hook fit system to adjust for torso length and width
• T-HOOK Sternum strap system
• Adjustable T-hook waistbelt for optimal sizing
• Articulating personal locator beacon pockets
• Easy access pocket with keyfob
• MonoRip Mesh is very strong, but extremely breathable
• Elastic cording for securing extra gear
• One large stretch pocket for larger items

Specifications

• Volume Capacity: 18 L / 1098 in³
• Weight: 345 g / 12.2 oz
• Materials: MonoRip Mesh, Nylon ACE RIP with STS coating, Durable water resistant 4 way stretch woven mesh
• Ice Ax Loops: Yes
• Whistle: Yes
• Front Phone Pocket: Yes
• Reservoir Compatible: Yes
• Bottle Included: One Flexform 600
• Reservoir Included: No