Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

• Naked running vest

  5

  Posted by Vasanthan on Aug 5th 2021

  Really feels free. No bouncing of objects and holding you back. Am glad me invested on this.

• Simple is Best

  5

  Posted by Jacob Hopkins on Aug 3rd 2021

  Ok, so I’ve been on a quest for the perfect running vest since 2018. I’ve tried and looked at all of your usual suspects. Those budget Amazon finds and the high-end offerings from the big name outdoor retailers. I find them all overly-complicated, in need of constant adjustment during a run, and at times poorly laid out. Enter the Naked vest.
  
  I stumbled across the Naked vest via their belt, which seems to be much more popular. It seemed it was hard to find a lot of first hand experiences online, and I’m often skeptical of reviews on the actual retailers website. However, I pulled the trigger because it sounded like the exact thing I was looking for. I came to ultra running via ultralight backpacking. With that style of backpacking, everything is as simple as you can make it. Your bag is usually just one large pocket with a stretch “kangaroo” pocket on the outside. I love that style and wanted that same simplicity with my running vest. Naked seemed to be nothing but a few stretch “kangaroo” pockets that you wear around your torso. And that’s exactly what it is.
  
  I’ve put a little over 100 miles into the vest so far (with many more to come). The only semblance of wear is the N is coming off the back. It dries incredibly fast and so far it hasn’t held any stink. These are amazing highlights for someone living in the hot, humid South of the US.
  
  There are 5 pockets total. 2 along the breast, 2 small ones on the ribs (one with a mitten clasp for your keys or whatever), and the large compartment along the back. The sides and back brilliantly include easy to grab pull tabs. This makes it so easy to grab on the go to access the pockets without trying to discern where the two pieces of fabric meet. The front two are separated by stitching down the middle. This creates two very large front pouches. The vest comes with specialty 17 ounce soft flask from Hydrapak (the best soft flask in my opinion) that are designed to easily slide down into the pouch. I am a fan, but I do wish they were the wider mouth version. If you don’t like the included ones, the normal Hydrapak soft flask, or any other water bottle for that matter, will fit. As a test, I was able to put two 17 ounce flask in each side with no problem. On a normal long run, I’ll have one flask on each side, my iPhone 11 in one pocket, a GU flask in the other. I can also shove sunglasses in there and have plenty of room for whatever else needs to be accessed quickly.
  
  The side pockets were initially suspect for me. It seemed that they were going to be a bit too on the ribs for comfort. Mix that with arm swing, and I just didn’t think it would work. Somehow it does. These aren’t very large and take a bit more concentration to access, so I use it for items that I’m not going to need often, if at all. Keys, Benadryl (slight allergy to wasp stings), maybe some emergency electrolyte tabs. I’ve put a couple of GU packs and Skratch powder mixes in them as a test, and it worked just fine. Just make sure you’re opening the pocket and not simply pulling the vest away from your body or else you might lose something you would prefer not to lose. Again, the pull tabs are a great feature.
  
  The back pocket is huge! I was worried that it would be a bit lost on me because I have poor shoulder flexibility. However, I’m so happy to report that I’ve practiced stuffing a jacket, arm sleeves, gloves, and a hat back there, and I was able to retrieve them all. With it being hot summer currently, I’ve been shoving extra flask back there. Even if they shift to the very bottom, it’s easy enough to grab the pull tab, pull the vest up a bit, and grab what you need. Such a change from other vest that I own that require you to take off the vest to access anything in some of the back pockets. The back pocket also has a clasp to hang a bladder if you’re into that. The fun little yellow loops on the front are for your hose. I don’t like using a bladder, but I appreciate that the feature is there (just in case) while still maintaining that minimalist design.
  
  Now the few things I could find on this vest all mentioned the fit. EVERYONE commented on how snug it is. Like, almost uncomfortably so when you first put it on. I read that and thought it was a little hyperbolic. Turns out that isn’t the case. I struggled into it the first time with help from my wife, and immediately felt like it was constricting my breathing. It’s that snug by design. Trust the sizing chart. Once you relax into it, and start bellying breathing, it becomes quite comfortable. The first 3 long runs, it took about 2-3 miles before I settled in. Now I barely notice it. But why so snug you might be wondering? Well, even loaded to the gills, there is ZERO bounce. It really is something. And this might make you think that it will press things into your body uncomfortably, but so far that has not been my experience. Sure, when I put a new item in one of the pockets, I notice it at first, but it quickly is forgotten.
  
  My last worry was chafing. It is so snug around the armpits and occasionally sits next to my neck, that I thought it was for sure going to rub me raw. I haven’t used it without a shirt, and I probably never will, but not even a semblance of chafing from the vest. Multiple 2+ hour runs, and I can honestly tell you that it gets more comfortable the longer you wear it.
  
  So what are the cons? If I had to say something negative about this beautiful piece of gear, it’s that it takes some practice getting in and out of it. The first few times required some assistance. I looked like Michael Scott trying to escape the straight jacket my first attempts at removal! Now it is faster than trying to adjust the finicky straps of other vest. I’ve also seen others complain that you need to empty the vest to take it off. While that is definitely the best way to go about that, I’m not really envisioning a scenario where I’m taking it off if I’m not done with a run. Maybe on a long ultra where I’m deciding to change shirts, but I’m not carrying so much that this is a huge detriment. There’s certainly no need for anything under 100 miles.
  
  So that’s a pretty long rant from me raving about this vest. I’m not affiliated with Naked in anyway (though they are free to contact me about that!); I’m just a guy who is very thankful to find a product that is simple and works. If you want something a little flashier, they have the HC, which we bought for my wife, but for me, simple is best. I hope Naked never stops making this model because I will buy another if I ever wear this one out.

• Vest better than the rest

  5

  Posted by Brian Tighe on Apr 1st 2021

  I’ve tried a few different vests throughout the years and nothing comes close to Naked running vest! I truly feel comfort while carrying all the items/nutrition I need. Great work and would love to test out products for you!!