The Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12. All pictures: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
When you look across the begin line of almost any ultramarathon, particularly these with a major required gear listing, you’re most likely going to see lots of people carrying the Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 ($165), and for good cause. You’ll additionally discover iRunFar’s Editor-in-Chief, Meghan Hicks, becoming all the pieces she wants right into a earlier model of this vest for a three-day fastpack by the Italian Alps that concerned stays at refugios every evening. Along with taking this vest out on lengthy days, I regularly shove two delicate flasks and a windbreaker in and exit for regular on a regular basis coaching runs with it.
It’s a vest that may do all of it.
When Salomon up to date this vest, it wasn’t stunning to see that the adjustments have been principally refinements as a substitute of main overhauls, as a result of why repair what isn’t damaged? This 12-liter vest has been a go-to selection for a lot of as a result of it comfortably carries loads of gear when wanted, nevertheless it wears equally properly with only a set of flasks within the entrance pocket and a windbreaker within the again. In brief, it’s an awesome do-it-all vest for many who don’t desire a pack for each event.
Salomon dialed in most of the main options of this vest within the earlier model, together with a pocket format that gives ample storage, easy accessibility to gear, and group alternatives. For probably the most half, the pockets are unchanged each on the entrance and the again of the brand new model of this vest. Its stretchy materials can nonetheless maintain all the pieces however the kitchen sink, and it looks like its precise capability exceeds 12 liters. You may learn extra concerning the earlier model of this vest in our 2023 Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 assessment. The pack is mild, with an precise weight of 8.7 ounces (246 grams) for a dimension medium with out the 2 included Salomon 500-milliliter delicate flasks.
Whereas the bones of the vest have stayed principally the identical, Salomon has made upgrades in some key areas, together with the supplies, the pole attachment system, and the rear pass-through pocket. They’ve additionally modified a couple of smaller issues, like shifting the important thing clip from the entrance shoulder into the principle pocket, eradicating the little baggie-thing that was within the facet pocket that the iRunFar crew might by no means discover a use for, and making small changes to bungee areas.
This vest is available in each a unisex and ladies’s model, and I examined the unisex for this assessment. Prior to now, many feminine testers at iRunFar have most popular the unisex model, and it looks as if Salomon has modified up the brand new girls’s model to extra intently mirror the unisex by way of pocket placement and format.
The flexibility and performance of this vest have earned it a high spot in our Greatest Operating Vests information.
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Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 Development and Match
A entrance view of the Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12.
The match of the brand new Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 is basically the identical because the earlier model of the vest. The Sensifit development hugs the physique with out feeling overly constrictive.
One of many standout options concerning the match is that it doesn’t really feel like it’s worthwhile to have it overly tight by the chest space to be able to maintain it from bouncing. In actual fact, the small bungees over the sternum are skinny and stretchy sufficient that they will’t bodily be overtightened. The M-shaped entrance bungee system, which is product of a single strand, hooks onto two quick-link clips and adjusts with a single pull-through clip. Of all of the hydration vests I’ve tried, that is probably the most seamless design I’ve used, and it avoids having to fiddle with small clips when fingers are drained and chilly. It’s equally as straightforward to unhook the bungees from the clips as it’s to hook them on.
Salomon upgraded the liner materials of the pack, each on the again of the pack and on the shoulder straps. The mesh materials on the again has a lot larger perforations than earlier than, rising its breathability. It’s additionally a bit softer than the earlier model, which is a plus for the reason that older materials had a status for being a bit scratchy, particularly if worn subsequent to the pores and skin. Salomon additionally removed the nylon internal panel within the bladder sleeve to extend the general breathability of the vest. Which means that when you’re utilizing a bladder with this vest, it can solely have one layer of mesh between it and your pores and skin, so any liquid will warmth up quicker than earlier than. The internal materials mesh of the shoulder straps can be totally different and as soon as once more delicate in opposition to the pores and skin.
The again of the Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12, with poles within the up to date carry system.
The great thing about this vest is that it suits simply as properly when it’s absolutely loaded down with a day’s value of meals and equipment because it does once you’re simply going out for a few hours and have to take some water, diet, and possibly a jacket. Compression bungees on the facet safe a great deal of any dimension and are straightforward to regulate with pull-through clips which are accessible with the pack on.
Different optimistic adjustments Salomon made to this vest embody a key clip that’s now conveniently and safely tucked into the rear pocket as a substitute of on the entrance shoulder, a location that previous iRunFar testers didn’t like.
Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 Storage and Hydration Choices
The Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 entrance pocket configuration, with hydration bottles.
The Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 can carry loads of stuff and is an ideal vest for all-day adventures the place you need to carry further layers, security gear, snacks, and loads of water. Its pocket format additionally makes it good for lengthy races the place you need to have easy accessibility to all the pieces whereas on the transfer. With 12 pockets, this vest has a spot for all the pieces.
The entrance of the vest has the normal format of two flask pockets, particularly sized for the included longer and narrower Salomon 500-milliliter delicate flasks. Two top-loading snack pockets overlay the flask pockets and are product of stretchy materials, to allow them to maintain lots even when the opposite pockets are full. Over high of those are zippered pockets which are sufficiently big to hold a cellphone. I typically use one in every of these pockets as a everlasting house for my chapstick, sunscreen, and anti-chafe cream. Additionally they simply match a Garmin inReach for extra distant backcountry adventures.
Two small pockets sit on the highest of the shoulders, which I suppose might match a gel or one thing comparable. Nevertheless, I don’t discover them sufficiently big or safe sufficient to be helpful for a lot.
The again of the vest is dominated by a big predominant pocket with a vertical zipper. The edges of this pocket have a good bit of stretch, whereas the principle again panel is much less stretchy. This leads to a pocket that may increase to carry loads of gear, nevertheless it doesn’t bulge weirdly with the extra structured again panel. Salomon added a small further pocket inside the principle pocket to assist with group. It’s good for protecting a hat and gloves separate from the remainder of your gear within the pocket. It’s additionally the brand new location of the important thing clip.
The Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 has an ample and safe cellphone pocket.
Behind this predominant pocket sits a bladder sleeve that simply suits a 1.5-liter bladder however will begrudgingly maintain a two-liter bladder as properly. The hose comes out from the highest of the bladder pocket, and there’s a hose information on the fitting shoulder strap to maintain it from bouncing round. One of many small adjustments Salomon made to this vest is altering the clip used to maintain a bladder from slipping down into the pocket. The brand new clip is smaller and simpler to string by the highest of a bladder than the earlier model.
Like earlier than, the vest has a mesh pass-through pocket on the underside. Salomon made the perimeters of the pocket larger for simpler entry, and the center of it’s wider as properly. The result’s a pocket that may maintain extra stuff, and that every one that stuff is less complicated to achieve with the pack nonetheless on. The pocket is sufficiently big to carry a windbreaker, gloves, and a hat, nevertheless it’s additionally safe sufficient to carry onto treasured snack cargo.
Lastly, Salomon additionally refined the pack’s pole-carrying system by altering the angle of the bungees and placing the adjustment level on the backside of the bungees as a substitute of the highest. Which means that you tighten the straps by flattening as a substitute of pulling up, a a lot simpler means of doing issues. You too can connect one in every of Salomon’s quivers to this pack when you desire to hold poles that means. As somebody with out the shoulder mobility to make use of quivers, I recognize how straightforward and easy the built-in pole carrying system is. When you desire to tug on the bungees upward and from the facet, it’s straightforward to change their path as properly.
Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 Total Impressions
Meghan Hicks match all the pieces she wanted for a three-day fastpack (with refugio stays) in a earlier model Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12.
It’s all the time a bit worrisome when a model updates a well-loved product, however the latest Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12 addresses most of the annoyances of the earlier model of the pack with out altering any of its good options. It was an awesome pack earlier than, and it’s solely gotten higher.
The upgraded internal liner supplies repair potential pores and skin irritation points whereas staying breathable and stretchy. Pockets galore carry all the pieces, and the 12-liter capability is sufficiently big for almost any required gear listing for an extremely. Salomon has lengthy set the usual with the pocket format and total high quality of this vest, and so they listened to runner suggestions to make small however beneficial enhancements with this one.
If I have been to personal a single vest that might do all of it, this might be it. It really works for all the pieces from European fastpacks, the place evenings are spent at refugios that present bedding and all you must carry is a sleeping bag liner, to all-day outings with further layers, first-aid equipment, and copious quantities of meals, to ultras the place your load could range relying on the time of day or size of time between assist stations.
There’s a cause this vest has been a mainstay within the extremely world and our Greatest Operating Vests information for a very long time, and this latest replace signifies that it’ll most likely keep there for a very good whereas longer.
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Name for Feedback
- Have you ever run in any model of the Salomon Adv Pores and skin 12? What did you suppose?
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