Which Salomon Running Vest Should You Choose?
Which Salomon Running Vest Should You Choose?
Once your runs get longer, carrying everything in your shorts starts to get old pretty quickly. Water bouncing in one pocket, gels stuffed into another, phone somewhere you hope is secure. A good running vest gets all of that off your mind and lets you get back to the run.
The harder part is working out how much vest you actually need. Salomon running vests range from compact 4-litre options for shorter runs and trails through to 12-litre race vests built for ultra-distance days. We've picked out the Salomon Active Skin 4, ADV Skin 5, Gravel Skin 4 and S/LAB Ultra 12 to make that choice a little easier.
Best Salomon Running Vests Compared
| Salomon Running Vest | Capacity | Best For | Our Take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salomon Active Skin 4 | 4L | Shorter runs, trails and first running vests | Keep it simple |
| Salomon ADV Skin 5 | 5L | Long runs, trail running, training and racing | Best all-rounder |
| Salomon Gravel Skin 4 | 4L | Road-to-trail and mixed-surface running | Best for exploring |
| Salomon S/LAB Ultra 12 | 12L | Ultras and long mountain races | Maximum race-day capacity |
Salomon Active Skin 4: Best Running Vest for Beginners
Best for: shorter runs, trail running and your first running vest.
If you're buying your first running vest and do not need to carry half the house with you, the Salomon Active Skin 4 is an easy place to start.
Its 4-litre capacity gives you room for the useful stuff without adding unnecessary bulk. Salomon positions it towards shorter trail distances of up to 20km, although the real test is your route, weather and how self-sufficient you need to be. A remote 15K can ask for more kit than an easy 20K with plenty of places to refill.
Two 500ml soft flasks sit at the front for easy hydration, with additional pockets for smaller essentials. The elastic bungee gives you somewhere to stash a lightweight jacket or poles, and it is compatible with a 1.5-litre reservoir if the front flasks are not enough.
Choose the Active Skin 4 if: you want a straightforward Salomon hydration vest for shorter runs and trails without carrying more pack than you need.
Salomon ADV Skin 5: Best All-Round Salomon Running Vest
Best for: daily training, long runs, trail running and racing.
If we had to recommend one Salomon running vest to the widest range of runners, the ADV Skin 5 would be our pick.
Five litres does not sound dramatically bigger than four, but the extra room and the way the storage is distributed make it much easier to stretch into longer days. Gels and nutrition can stay within reach, while more secure pockets handle your phone, keys and valuables. Two 500ml soft flasks are included up front, and the latest model is compatible with a 2-litre reservoir.
We also like the fastening system. It is quick to adjust and helps pull the vest securely around the body without turning getting ready for a run into another job. That matters once pockets are loaded and you want the vest to stay put rather than bouncing its way through every descent.
Salomon positions the ADV Skin 5 towards demanding endurance running and marathon-distance trail racing. We think its real strength is how easily it moves between normal training, long weekend runs and race day.
Choose the ADV Skin 5 if: you only want to buy one running vest and need something versatile enough to cover most of your running.
Salomon Gravel Skin 4: Best for Road-to-Trail Running
Best for: gravel, road-to-trail and mixed-surface runs.
Some routes refuse to decide what they are. Tarmac out of town, a bridleway through the middle, gravel for a few kilometres, grass after that, then road again before home. The Salomon Gravel Skin 4 is built around exactly that sort of running.
It is another 4-litre vest, but its setup differs from the Active Skin. Salomon designed it around transitions between road, grass, dirt and gravel, combining accessible storage with an X-shaped construction intended to keep the fit stable as the surface changes.
The trade-offs matter. The Gravel Skin 4 is not hydration reservoir compatible, and it does not have the bungee system or Custom Quiver compatibility of other Salomon trail options. If poles and extra hydration are regular parts of your kit, the Active Skin or ADV Skin may make more sense.
If your weekends normally involve finding the interesting way home, pair it with a set of trail running shoes or road-to-trail footwear that can handle the same mix of surfaces.
Choose the Gravel Skin 4 if: your routes move freely between road and light trail and you value a stable, compact setup over maximum carrying options.
Salomon S/LAB Ultra 12: Best Running Vest for Ultras
Best for: ultra running, mountain races and long days carrying mandatory kit.
The Salomon S/LAB Ultra 12 has a very different job. This is not simply the ADV Skin with a few extra pockets stitched on. It is a race-focused 12-litre vest developed with Salomon's ultra-trail athletes for significantly longer distances, with Salomon recommending it for ultras beyond 80km.
That extra space gives you room for nutrition, spare layers, mandatory race kit and the other bits that start appearing on an ultra checklist. Storage includes a rear tunnel pocket, front compartments and space for the two included 500ml soft flasks, plus a removable water-resistant phone bag.
The impressive bit is how little vest comes with all that storage. Salomon lists the vest itself at approximately 205g before the included accessories, despite offering more than twice the capacity of the ADV Skin 5.
For a normal 10K, 12 litres is obviously unnecessary. Once you're heading into an ultra where the weather can change, aid stations are further apart and the mandatory kit list starts growing, that space suddenly stops looking excessive.
Choose the S/LAB Ultra 12 if: you're preparing for ultras or mountain races where carrying more kit is essential, but you still want a lightweight, race-focused vest.
What Size Running Vest Do You Need? 4L vs 5L vs 12L
More storage is not automatically better. The goal is enough room for what the run requires without spending hours carrying empty fabric around the hills.
A 4-litre running vest can be plenty when you mainly need water, gels, your phone and a lightweight layer. That makes the Active Skin 4 and Gravel Skin 4 good fits for shorter adventures, although they approach those runs differently.
A 5-litre running vest gives you a little more flexibility for longer runs without jumping into ultra-pack territory. That middle ground is why we rate the ADV Skin 5 so highly. There is enough space for a useful amount of hydration, nutrition and spare kit while the vest remains practical for everyday training.
A 12-litre running vest starts making sense when distance, weather or race regulations require considerably more equipment. If the mandatory kit list includes extra layers, nutrition and other safety gear, the added capacity of the S/LAB Ultra 12 earns its place.
Pack for the run you are actually doing. If everything fits comfortably into 4 litres, carrying 12 will not make the trail any better.
Which Salomon Running Vest Should You Buy?
For shorter trails or your first running vest, start with the Active Skin 4. For road-to-trail routes and mixed surfaces, the Gravel Skin 4 gives you a more specialised compact setup. If an ultra or long mountain race is on the calendar, the S/LAB Ultra 12 has the capacity those bigger days demand.
For most runners, though, we'd choose the ADV Skin 5. Five litres sits in a useful middle ground, with enough storage to make a genuine difference as the miles build without turning every normal long run into a full expedition. Add the accessible hydration, flexible fit and storage around the body and it is the one here we'd be happiest owning if we could only pick one.
Explore the full Salomon running vest range at Pro:Direct Running and choose the capacity around what you actually carry, where you run and how long you plan to be out.
