Product Review: ADV Skin 12 Hydration Vest

I have a history of being very skeptical for the need for portable hydration accessories for triathlon training and particularly racing. So I surprised myself with a mostly positive reaction after testing the new ADV Skin 12 hydration vest by Salomon. Previous vests and belts I've tried have not felt secure on the body, jiggling around or just in general not being secure. Having the belt fit high on the chest seems to solve this. I was surprised with both the volume of fluids that could be carried in the flask as well as the seemingly weightlessness of them. The only mild irritation was the bottom most cord felt like it was digging into me a little and if I detached it or loosened it too much it felt like the vest wasn't as secure.

The other revelation for me with this system is there's no need to detach the flasks or any need for a tube to get the fluid to your mouth. You simply bent your head down and bit on the nipple (?) of the flask to get the liquid out. Worked great. I stored a couple of gels in the nearby pockets and found it relatively easy to get my nutrition in without breaking stride.

Perhaps it increased my core temperature, and I'd probably go for lighter color next time, but for a long training run where you're a few miles away from a faucet it's a convenient training accessory that leaves your hands completely free. Retail price $165.

Buy Salomon ADV Skin 12