Header image courtesy of Restrap
If you’re heading out for a quick ride then it’s easy enough to grab a wattle bottle, fill it with the beverage of your choice and head out the door. But what if you’re going to be out all day, or for multiple days, or you want to carry more things than you can cram in your jersey pocket? A hydration vest might be the answer, so we’ve put together an overview of three of the best. Read on to find out more.
Image courtesy of Canyon
Back in the 1990s, American company Camelbak came up with an advertising slogan “Lose the bottle” to try and persuade ‘outdoor enthusiasts’ to buy one of their rucksack-like bags, rather than using a traditional drinks bottle. In the decades in between, the fashion for using a hydration pack has waxed and waned. Typically mountain bikers tended to favour a pack, whereas road riders generally used bottles. In the last few years though, as gravel racing and bikepacking/ultradistance events have grown in popularity, so there has been a noticeable increase in the use of gravel riders wearing hydration vests to carry additional liquid. Even Camelbak have got in on the act with their recently released Apex Pro Run Vest.
We’re going to give a quick overview of three of the latest and greatest hydration vests to arrive on the gravel riding scene – GRVL’s 2L Hydration Pack, the Millet X Canyon Hydration Vest and finally Restrap’s Race Hydration Vest. Each of the vests has plenty in common – a 2 litre liquid carrying capacity, a system of straps to keep the vest close and securely fitted to the wearer’s back, additional storage (of differing levels) and reflective elements. But there’s also plenty of variation in the designs too.
Image courtesy of Restrap
GRVL 2L Hydration Pack
Launched in 2025, GRVL’s 2L Hydration Pack is a lightweight and minimally-featured option. Available in either black or white, it’s the best value option of the three, price at £95.
GRVL describe their vest as a “Ultra-lightweight race gravel 2L hydration pack with 4-point adjustable harness for a no bounce ride.” Their vest is made from “X-PAC® fabric, chosen specifically for its rugged durability with Recycled Polyester X-PLY® ripstop.” The GRVL vest comes in one size only, but is adjustable to fit chest sizes from 36” to 44” (91 cm to 11cm). You can find more details at GRVL’s website.
Millet X Canyon Hydration Vest
The newest of the bunch, the Millet X Canyon Hydration Vest is also the most expensive, at £169.95. Canyon say that their vest was “developed for gravel, XC and racing.” The vest is available in two sizes – S/M for body heights of between 150-170cm and L/XL for body heights of between 170-200cm. The Millet x Canyon vest comes with a magnetic closure which “allows quick access to the 2-litre hydration bladder (included), while a loop keeps it securely in place. The hydration tube can be routed on both sides and the height-adjustable clips at the front allow you to customise the carrying system to your height and shape.” The vest includes stretch mesh pockets at the front which “provide quick access to essential items such as snacks or gels during the ride.” There is also a zip compartment on the back which “offers storage space for minitools, CO2 cartridges or your smartphone” and a zipped storage pocket on the front. You can find more details on Canyon’s website.
Restrap Race Hydration Vest
Restrap were ahead of the curve with their Race Hydration Vest which they launched back in April 2024. Restrap’s vest, which costs £144.99, is available in two sizes – Small/Medium and Large/XL. It’s fully featured with “X21 waterproof fabrics, reflective detailing, YKK aquaguard™ zip, 2l bladder included, fully adjustable fit, airmesh back panel, mesh pockets for external storage and a safety whistle attachment.”
Here at Gravel Union, we’ve used one of Restrap’s vests for the past 15 months and have put it through its paces everywhere from a hot/humid Sri Lanka to high mountain passes in the Dolomites to night rides with a local MTB club. The vest is a complete tardis and manages to swallow a mix of energy bars/first aid kit/spare clothing and (obviously) liquid with ease. It’s been particularly useful on photoshoots where the zipped front pocket allows rapid access to a smart phone and one of the stretch front pockets has been perfect for carrying an Insta360 camera. The vest is remarkably stable and even on the gnarliest of trails, it holds its position on your back perfectly. The only slight issue we’ve encountered is that the opening to access the bladder is quite tight if you’ve enthusiastically used the rear storage section – you might need to empty out all of your clobber before you can remove the bladder for a mid-ride refill. The solution of course would just be to carry a bit less stuff….
You can find out more details about Restrap’s Race Hydration Vest on their website.
