Kickstarter of the Week: Vessel Athletics Hydroshirt

If you’re a distance runner (maybe even if you aren’t,) you’ve probably found yourself thinking about hydration at least a time or two, especially as the days get hotter and the journey gets longer. There are lots of “hydration on the go” options out there, and lots of brands to choose from. Between handheld water bottles, belts, vests with bottles in them or vests or with water bladders, we’ve pretty much seen it all come across the desk at Run Oregon. But a hydration shirt? Well, that’s something different.

Vessel Athletics was founded in 2019 by Jasmine Sanchez and Jalen Brown and they have put their heart and soul into this new innovative product that merges functional performance wear with hydration. This amazing new product, the Hydroshirt, will deliver to the masses at the end of their Kickstarter campaign in June and it’s going to change the way you feel about hydration gear.

The Hydroshirt is something new and innovative, and the idea came from a runner, Jasmine, who was sick of dealing with the hydration choices out there. Many hydration products were flimsy, and vests were often heavy and cumbersome. This is where the Hydroshirt took off, with the goal of eliminating extra weight and slosh.

The Hydroshirt is made with a polyblend wicking fabric with a spandex section on the back that fits a 1L lumbar-shaped hydration bladder. The bladder, as well as the bite-valve straw, are included when you buy the shirt, and there’s also a removable insulated sleeve for the bladder which will help keep your water cool when you strap it on. The shirt itself has a hidden magnet clip that will help anchor the straw when you’re on the go.

There are even some sleeve pockets that can stash other essentials like gels, keys, or whatever else you want to make your run more successful. If you’re curious about how to insert the bladder into the shirt, you can view the video here.

The material of this shirt is incredibly lightweight. On average, the Hydroshirt came in approximately 1.5 times lighter than the many hydration vests it was tested against. The shirt has perforation holes built into the material, so that helps with breathability, and there are adjustable straps on it so you can customize the fit to your preferences for your next journey. This secure fit will help eliminate the slosh that most vests and their bladders create.

One of the things I appreciate about the Hydroshirt is that it is machine washable. I don’t know when the last time you washed your hydration vest was, but I must shamefully admit I don’t wash mine often. It’s suggested that you wash the Hydroshirt on a delicate cycle in the washing machine and let it air dry, but this sure beats soaking it in the sink or shower after a really sweaty run.

Vessel Athletics has a Kickstarter campaign for the Hydroshirt launching on May 7^th that will be live until June 6^th. As a runner, you should consider joining so that you can get in on this limited batch flagship product. The early bird pricing tier starts at $89 before the shirts retail for $150. I’ll be testing this product soon too, so stay tuned for my review!!