Montane Gecko VP 12+ hydration vest review: in it for the really long runs

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Montane Gecko VP 12+: first impressions

The Montane Gecko VP 12+ hydration pack is made for major missions: ultramarathon running , adventure racing and big training sessions where you need to carry not just plenty of water, but also a range of kit to keep you safe and sated out on the trails. It achieves this while being simultaneously tight-fitting and capacious.

I started using the Montane Gecko 12+ hydration pack while training for the Lakeland 50 ultramarathon in Cumbria. This event was the longest competitive race I’d ever taken on, so I needed to find a hydration pack I could have complete faith in before I wore it for the run itself. Would it shape up? Read on to find out.

Montane Gecko VP 12+: design and materials

The vest comes with two top-quality 500ml / 17 fl oz soft flasks, which are housed in a pair of pouches – one on each side of your chest. There’s also a compartment complete with a velcro hook where you can house a large hydration bladder , if you prefer to carry water in that way. If you opt to stick just with the bottles, you can use this space to increase the carry capacity, but there are so many storage options on this pack, most people won’t need it.

• List price: $190 (US) / £140 (UK)
• Weight (empty): 265g / 9.5oz
• Materials: Nylon (88%), elastane (12%)
• Colors: Narwhal Blue / Acer Red / Black
• Storage capacity: 12L
• Liquid capacity: 1L / 34 fl oz (2 x 500ml / 17 fl oz flasks)
• Fit: Unisex
• Sizes: S / M / L
• Compatibility: Ultramarathons, long trail runs and adventure races

The main storage compartment zips securely shut and can easily swallow the sort of stuff specified in the compulsory kit lists of most ultras and long-distance events, such as emergency base layers , waterproof jackets and rain pants , plus some food, spare socks , a hat and gloves , a reliable running headtorch and plenty more besides.

Whistles often feature in these kit lists, and the Gecko 12+ comes with one, attached to a cord in one of the zip pockets. There are also reflective flourishes on the back, to keep you safe when running on lanes and roads with vehicles.

Beneath each of the flask pockets there are two deep pockets with zips, where you can stash a phone, map and compass , and snacks such as trail mix . And then there are multiple easy-to-access pouches for energy gels and bars . On the back there are bungee straps, offering yet more options. Finally, trekking poles can be secured to the front of the pack with cords and toggles designed specifically for this purpose.

Made from polygiene-treated , synthetic materials with plenty of stretch and some mesh elements for airflow, the pack secures tightly around the runner’s torso via a velcro belt and two elasticated sternum straps, which feature hooks that attach to corresponding hoops. This is a unisex design, and these straps can easily be moved up and down to achieve a comfortable fit for almost any bodyshape (at least, I think so – obviously I can’t speak for everyone, but during the Lakeland event I saw men and women wearing this pack and it seemed to be working for all of them).

Montane Gecko VP 12+: on the trails

Over the last couple of months I’ve used the Montane Gecko 12+ hydration pack on training runs as I prepared to take on my first ultra marathon for many years. The Lakeland 50 & 100 was originally conceived as a UK version of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc , and it’s infamously tough, so I really needed rock-solid kit that I could rely on – especially a pack that could hold everything I needed to take with me during an event that could potentially see me out in the unforgiving fells for up to 24 hours (which is the official cut-off for the 50 – the event I was taking on).

From a race base by the shores of Coniston Water in the heart of the Lake District, the 100 sends participants up and down the fells of Cumbria on a brutal course that includes 6,300m of ascent and takes place mostly on technical singletrack trails. The Lakeland 50 begins halfway around this loop, and while it’s ‘only’ 50 miles (80km), you still have to contend with 3,100m of ascent and the trails are every bit as rough and rugged.

The first thing to say is that the Gecko 12+ easily swallowed all my compulsory kit, including the extra layers mentioned above, plus a rigid camping cup (for soups, stews and other hot sustenance provided at checkpoints on the way round) and a first aid kit and space blanket . And thanks to the multitude of pockets and pouches, I was able to distribute the weight of all this stuff nice and evenly.

Over the course of a long race, any small niggles with your pack can evolve into massive problems. Any degree of discomfort can become excruciating, and even relatively minor irritations mess with your head after a few hours. Happily, just as I’d experienced no such issues whatsoever with the Gecko 12+ during my training runs, it continued to be super comfortable during the race too.

I was able to access my bottles while running nice and easily, and they were easy to remove and refill at checkpoints. Having used hydration bladders for most of my adventure life, I’m a new convert to soft flasks, but I really appreciated them during this event. The fact that they’re right there in front of you as you run really reminds you to take on water regularly, and the size of the flasks was just right – almost invariably I arrived at the next checkpoint having just drained the last of the water from my bottles.

Conditions on the day were very humid, and I did some Olympic-level sweating, but I found that the mesh construction of this pack allowed my back to breathe and the moisture to evaporate to some extent.

The best thing you can ever say about a pack is that you forget you’ve got it on at all, and there were times when no longer felt like I was running in a hydration vest (although, to be fair, my mind did drift all over the place towards the end of the event). When I did finally get to the finish line, after a tough 14 hours on the trails (much of which was sensational, even sublime), I didn’t immediately take it off – I think I was on my second beer before I realized I still had it on – and that speaks volumes. I’m certainly thinking of wearing it next year, for the 100… but that’s another story.

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