Vessel Athletics Hydroshirt: Wear your water

Summer is nearly here and that means more trail running for this girl. It also means more hydration and I’m usually dusting off the hydration vest options right about now. There’s a new option available though, the Hydroshirt™ by Vessel Athletics.

You might have read my previous post on the Hydroshirt™ and their Kickstarter campaign. After that post went out, Vessel sent me a loaner Hydroshirt™ so I could bring you an actual review on how it feels and looks in person.

Honestly, getting used to the “shirt-vest” was a bit of a leap for me. For one, the wearer is limited to only one style of shirt (a short sleeve) and in only one color option (black.) When I’m planning out what to wear for a long run, it’s generally going to be a tank top when it’s warm or a long-sleeved top when it’s chilly. My guess is that Vessel plans to come up with more options if they find some success with this one.

The other thing I hadn’t thought about before I wore the Hydroshirt™ is that it could be a bit more cumbersome to wear if you’re planning to drive somewhere for your run unless you want to sit in your car with water strapped to your back. Additionally, you’ll be walking around your house with it on or alternately in a bra or shirtless until you’re ready to hit the road/trails, which isn’t ideal if you’re wanting to chill for a bit before taking off on your run.

Lastly, it can be a bit challenging getting the Hydroshirt™ on and even more challenging getting it off, especially if you’re hot and sweaty. Perhaps a quarter-zip or even a full zip option would be something to consider for future design considerations, though I’m not sure how comfortable that would be.

Once you do get the Hydroshirt™ on, it is very comfortable. The “shirt” part of the combo is stretchy and doesn’t ride up, and I have no doubt I’d wear this as just a shirt for lots of workouts if that were an option. Similarly, the vest part of the combo is also comfy and stretchy, as there are no hot spots or any areas that will rub on your skin.

Even with a bladder full of water, the Hydroshirt™ feels light. If you burp the bladder correctly, it’s hardly noticeable once you get moving. As with any vest or bladder, it could potentially get hot and heavy on a hot day, especially if you had a lot of miles to grind out, but that’s honestly the nature of any hydration option out there.

I did have a bit of an issue getting the bladder open the first time, but after it loosened, it worked well. The hose didn’t allow much water to come thru, but you could always attach a different hose if the one that comes with the system doesn’t work for you. I do wish the small hole in the back of the shirt to slide the hose through was offered on both sides and that the magnet clips were also on both sides for the hose to attach to. This would give the wearer more of a choice as to which side they wanted the hose on. Sliding the bladder in and out of the shirt was very easy, and the insulated sleeve that you place the 1L bladder in was great. Overall, the system was well thought out in this regard.

The last design challenge I came across was that there were no pockets on the sides of the vest portion in the front. Pockets in the front would be convenient for a phone, keys, or some nutrition. I sometimes carry some electrolyte drink in a front pocket and there would be no room for this in the Hydroshirt™. You could easily shove extra items in the back with the bladder, but you’d need help to get anything out unless you want to take your shirt off while you’re on your run to reach for something. I did really like the stash pockets in the sleeves though, as those would come in handy for car keys or something small.

Overall, I loved trying the Hydroshirt™ because it was comfortable and light-weight. Though there are a few things that could be improved on, the possibilities are endless and I’m excited to see this new option on the market.