Customer Reviews Arc'teryx Norvan 7 Hydration Vest

I have a few hundred miles on my vest now and it is holding up extremely well. Very comfortable and crucially, very stable on uneven terrain. I think I am still finding new pockets in this this thing! I'm currently on about 11. Incidentally, I have used it with a couple of Salomon HydraPak soft bottles, and they work perfectly in the shoulder strap pockets. No leaks or plasticy taste from the bladder, which has a very smooth and reliable bite valve. Frankly, I don't have any direct comparison with other vest brands, but as usual great design and construction from an Arc'teryx product.

This pack has a lot of features for such a compact product, providing plenty of storage for longer runs without any unnecessary features. This is not an item to wear shirtless, for the materials aren't exactly soft to the touch, but are very light and durable. The performance outweighs this minor drawback, since most will wear a shirt on longer runs anyway. Would recommend for anyone who likes to keep light and agile while they cover ground.

I've run with the Norvan 7 Hydration Vest 4 times now and cannot say enough great things! It has just the right number of adjustments to make it fit snugly with out lots of straps let to flap or one size fits all snugness that often leads to chaffing, nope this thing fits like a glove. The built in hydration sleeve is simple and easy to use, so far I'm a big fan!

Fits like a shirt, performs like it should. The many small yet effective feathers makes this hydration vest my go to. Just one thing... The hydration tube seems a bit short just by an inch (2.5cm). Whenever needing a drink, im having to look down and stretch my neck to reach the valve with my mouth. Feels like a taco neck but without the tilt motion. A bit annoying having to slow down or at times stop to hydrate. Being 6 ft tall could be a height thing. Regardless its easily fixable and still my go to vest. Cheers!

This is a great pack! Gone on 5 long runs with it now and I can very much recommend it. I was worried that the stiff material wouldn't breathe well and it doesn't. This pack gets me way more sweaty vs other brands. The water bladder that it comes with is super awkward and I recommend swapping it for a smaller HydraPak bladder which I think fits way better. I think my favourite feature on this pack is the front stash pockets that you can slide over your phone to keep it extra secure during scrambling.

This is a great pack! Gone on 5 long runs with it now and I can very much recommend it. I was worried that the stiff material wouldn't breathe well and it doesn't. This pack gets me way more sweaty vs other brands. The water bladder that it comes with is super awkward and I recommend swapping it for a smaller HydraPak bladder which I think fits way better. I think my favourite feature on this pack is the front stash pockets that you can slide over your phone to keep it extra secure during scrambling.

I just want to say for Arcteryx' first running pack they did an outstanding job with it, but there are only a few points that I felt it fell short on running in Vancouver in the winter. This has been my opinion so far, but having spring just around the corner and summer I hope to take it out for some longer runs. If you are coming from any of Salomon's running packs, you will notice that the face fabric might be a bit stiffer compared to other running packs initially, but after a while it will soften and get more comfortable. The two front bottle spots are great, but if you have the Salomon soft flasks 500 ml with the narrow mouth you will need to make sure that the elastics that hold them in place are done quite snugly so the tops don't flop around. I only ran with the soft flasks and no bladder. The spots below were perfect for nutrition and for the garbage. The two front sternum straps worked great, good adjustability, as well they stayed in place perfectly. It was glued to my body once I got the fit dialled, no shifting or chafing at all. The organization on the back was awesome I was able to get at while the pack was on but I am 6'2 with long arms, so if you had shorter arms you might have a bit of a trouble getting at everything. The extra water resistant pocket was great for valuables and your car keys and to grab a headlamp quickly, the cavernous main pocket is awsome to grab layers. But all in all the pack is awesome and should be considered in your next pack choice.

The vest is not good for hot & humid condition as the material is not breathable. The tube that come with the water bladder is too short. I have to pull the tube or lift the vest whether I want a drink. The 2 front pockets are too small for standard 500mL soft bottle. The opening should be bigger.

The vest is not good for hot & humid condition as the material is not breathable. The tube that come with the water bladder is too short. I have to pull the tube or lift the vest whether I want a drink. The 2 front pockets are too small for standard 500mL soft bottle. The opening should be bigger.

The pack overall is fantastic to use with the integrated Bladder. Very well made, exceptional quality, really a level up compared to other brands. However, UNFORUNATELY, other than described, it Does not really fit 2x500 ml Soft Flasks. Well, they fit, but it is not usable. It might work with 2x250 ml. So, if you plan to use this pack with Soft Flask, unfortunately I can not recommend it. Same is true for NORVAN 14.

The pack overall is fantastic to use with the integrated Bladder. Very well made, exceptional quality, really a level up compared to other brands. However, UNFORUNATELY, other than described, it Does not really fit 2x500 ml Soft Flasks. Well, they fit, but it is not usable. It might work with 2x250 ml. So, if you plan to use this pack with Soft Flask, unfortunately I can not recommend it. Same is true for NORVAN 14.