Disclaimer: I received a Phone.Flask.Vest from Orange Mud to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I have a couple of Orange Mud products- the handheld and the Transition towel.  I love them both but I’ve really had my eye of their hyrdation/ gear packs.  Have you seen them?? So pretty!  You know runners love their gear right?  Then I saw the Phone.Flask.Vest and was like- wait, what?

I mean logistically how was that going to work?   Don’t get me wrong, looked awesome but that mannequin looks noticeably flat chested- I may not be Dolly Parton but I’m also not flat chested.   I was confused.  At the time, they weren’t any pictures of the pack on women on the site either (there are now).     I was intrigued enough to want to try it.

It arrived and it was even smaller than I thought it was going to be.  However there were plenty of pockets.  On the front side- there was the flask packet, another pocket directly in front of that, a key pocket, and a pocket on the shoulder.  The entire back was a pocket complete with an extensive shock cord.    The included flask was 450ml.  Which if you’re like me, I had to look that up-15oz.  😛

Getting it on was a little tricky- silly me forgot to loosen any of the straps, ha!    Once I did that it just a matter of finding the right fit.  Which, I am not going to lie- I have to adjust the fit every run.  However, the fault for that lies purely on my abnormal upper half- most of the time I’m a Cish cup, however there are times I’m above a D cup.  Yeah, it’s fun, but I guess you could say I tested the pack in a variety of ways?😛

Ok- now for the running with it part.  As long as I had it tightened properly- I never had any bounce.  It only moved around on one run and I think I was just too tired to get it properly situated.  Either that I was freakishly small that day.   One quirk about the straps is that they tighten towards the back- so to tighten it- you pull it to the back.  It was a little awkward at first but then I adjusted.    It’s super lightweight and I can barely feel it when it’s on.

A full flask fits perfectly in it’s pocket and it worked great but to be honest I didn’t use it much.  There were a few reasons.  I kept forgetting it, I was only running a few miles and didn’t need water or I needed more so I carried a handheld too.   My phone was also problematic.  I have Iphone 7+ and the thing is huge.  It does fit in the front pocket with flask in place but it’s a very snug fit.  I preferred to run without the flask and put my phone in the flask pocket.  Then I kept my pepper spray and chapstick, sometimes and entire body glide in the front pocket.    My inhaler went in the shoulder pocket for easy access.  The only pocket I had issues with was the key pocket.  It’s small- very small.  But then my new car key is huge- I was bemoaning that fact while buying the car.   I didn’t even have the pack yet.  😛   Instead I keep a little hook on my key and attach it to the shock cord and place it in the pocket on the back.

Not only have I run with the pack every run since I got it, it has so far stood up to my treatment of it.  I am hard on gear.  I have a tendency to toss things around and I expect them to be able to handle that.  For example- when I run after work, I am often parked in odd locations.  The only door I open is my driver side door.  I won’t open any other doors or the back of the car.  I don’t want to dump the sweaty pack on the passenger seat post run ( I need another transition towel!) so I slingshot it from my seat to the back of the car.  With all my stuff still in it.  I don’t care how it lands as long as it’s on the very back of the car.  😛  So far, this hasn’t hurt it!

So a few things that could make it better-

2 buckles.  There is only one buckle on the left side.  While I can now get it on and off without taking my hat or glasses off, it would be a lot easier with 2 buckles.  Sometimes it’s like taking off a sweaty sports bra.   I also have a small head, so this would a very snug fit for those with more of average size head.  Hmmm, that sounded odd.

I’ve got a theory (it could be bunnys) While I have plenty of leftover space on the straps, I wonder about the sizing.  I measured multiple times and ordered a S/M because according to the site that’s what I needed.  However I’m kind of wondering if the L/XL would have made the pack itself fit even better due to my ummm, upper half.  It makes me wonder if the sizing for woman should be more like S/M for those who wear A/B and L/XL for C and higher.  But again that’s just a theory and not one that I could test out.

Want to your own or anything at Orange Mud?  Use “BRPPFV” for 10% off.

Want to read more thoughts on the pack?

Angie – Bradley – Casey – James– Heather – Mai

Ever used a pack like this?

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