AONIJIE Running Hydration Vest Backpack for Women and Men Lightweight Trail Running Backpack 5.5L Blue

Product Information

So, let’s actually review the vest. I took it out for my first run which was only about ten miles. I normally wouldn’t bother with a vest for ten miles or less but am always keen to try out new kit. You know what it’s like – you get new kit and you can’t wait to try it. It was comfortable, itdidn’t jiggle around whenI run (you have to fill it with stuff though) andI felt OK running with it.

That gives more than adequate nighttime visual warning to a vehicle user from any direction. Sizing, fit, coloursLARGE OPENING DESIGN: Large opening for easy cleaning & filling,our hydration bladder has one of the largest opening on the market. The big opening makes for easy pouring of water. It is also fairly wide for a hand or bottle brush easily access to the interior hydration bladder.Smoothness of the liner prevents germ and lime from adhesion, which promotes health and easy to clean. The fit on this vest is ideal with straps that give you leverage to tighten and loosen to fit. I am 5ft 4, slim build and small chest. I have to have them on the tighter settings so there is a lot of give.

Weekend Warriors’ Terblanche Fourie says: “We had quite a few ladies of smaller stature note that even the smallest size is too large for them. Aonijie will be bringing out a XS and XXL version in their new production run. The timing will most likely be towards 2019 year end or early 2020.” Right side: one, as the text that shows the model name, weight and volume is also reflective. You’ll glow like an alien, provided the approaching vehicle has its lights on. I have used it for a 30 mile ultra aswell but this was local to me and there were water stations along the route. I didn’t need to carry a lot of kit so I have never used the bladder, but it’s good to have both options. Comfort and Fit Reservoir compartment (for 1.5 litre bladder, not included). This stretches down for around 25cm on the M/L model. I am impressed by the loop design at the top of the entrance, which uses a small plastic clip. You’d hang the top of your hydration bladder to this, to prevent it sagging and dropping into the bag as you drank from it.

Comfort and Fit

In the height of summer when you are running over 20 miles, you will need more water than the 500ml you can carry on the front. In these circumstances, you may choose a bladder instead so worth considering getting both the bottles and the bladder. Moderate Gale 2,5L offers 2.5-litre carry space. Ideal for short trail runs, and road runners. Doesn’t fit a reservoir, but you can easily carry one litre of fluid and a decent amount of nutrition. View offer There are two front clips, which can be adjusted to higher or lower on your chest. This is a great feature for different proportioned bosoms and fit preferences. The adjustment is a bit fiddly – sliding plastic bits under a cord – but it feels secure once in place. I should also give kudos to the fact that this vest has seen me through well over 2,000 miles in 3 years. In this time it has been through the washing machine a number of times! The bottles come apart too so you can easily clean inside them with small brush. The quality of materials and their stitching looks and feels as good as any brand I’ve tested in the past year. The Withwind 5L we tested in 2018 has lasted well, and I think the same will be said by 10 Moderate Gale owners in the coming years. User comments

I covered around 300km of hiking and running wearing the Moderate Gale 10L during the course of this review, starting in August and finishing at the end of September. Let’s get that name out of the way first. Aonijie is pronounced Ayo-knee-jie. It’s a Chinese-designed brand, but the word doesn’t have a meaning in Mandarin, just like Google didn’t mean a thing in English (before it became a verb). I appreciate that the front clips are on solid straps, as opposed to elastic straps. With time, elastic tends to stretch out and get weak. The narrow solid straps feel like they will last. You’re rarely going to love every feature of a product. My gripe with the Moderate Gale is the elasticated chest fastening system. It seems the designers have taken a cue from other brands that shrink the size of the clasps to reduce weight. I found that the plastic clasp’s design required some fidgeting to hook onto the opposing side’s stretchy cord. This isn’t something you want to be fussing over in the dark during an ultra or even in training. After a few uses, the cord did start forming a loop, which made it a bit easier to clip onto, but not much. I feel that the shape of the clasp could be improved, so it hooks the cord more easily.Update – 25/05/23 – I am still using this and it is still going strong – have got more than my money’s worth having completed several long runs and 2 x 50+ mile ultras. It really is good value for money. Why I Chose the Aonijie Hydration Vest The extra length of each strap is rolled up and secured by a tiny loop of elastic, so it doesn’t flop around. No need to cut it off or invent a new knot. Sizing, fit, colours I received the L/XL to test. Despite being 86cm at my chest’s widest, the fit was still excellent by tightening the front straps. I used Aonijie’s 2.5-litre vest for road commute runs and walks, solo trail runs, and even a guided horse ride in the Drakensberg. It’s really small and light, so I can scrunch it up and take it along when I travel, in case of adventure. I took the Moderate Gale 2.5L for a test run this morning. I love it, and will be getting one for a friend soon. It fits perfectly. Tshepiso Thiba

I didn’t do as much mileage in the Aonijie Moderate Gale 5 as I did in its bigger sibling, the Moderate Gale 10. However, I have run in several vest models over the years, and have a good sense of what they offer.

Storage Capacity – 5 Litres