Linda Tekeliová: Kilpi HARDROCK-U running vest test
15. 01. 2021
Kilpi Racing TEAM Ambassador Linda Tekeli has tested the Kilpi HARDROCK-U running vest for you.
Kilpi HARDROCK-U running vest test
I have been devoting sports nearly all my life but for the last 7 years I have been focusing especially on ultra trail running. My favourite routes are over 100 kilometers. When running these long trails you need to be well equipped ranging from the shoes on your feet to the headlamp on your head. Of course the necessary equipment also includes a high-quality running backpack or running vest. It has to "fit" perfectly on your body, it has to be light, it must have a lot of different pockets for all the equipment you carry and many other tweaks that will make it a lot easier.
The Kilpi HARDROCK-U vest is perfectly light and has a lot of pockets for all the equipment, food and accessories that you carry with you. What is absolutely amazing it has one of the pockets equipped with water protection inside. So even if it's raining, you have your things in this pocket dry, which is especially suitable for a dry T-shirt, a cell phone or other things that “do not need much water“. Of course you can put such things in a waterproof bag but why to bear another thing when every gram counts in such long runs.
Before the race I put in the vest all the mandatory equipment and a lot of other things that I consider important for myself. Of course, this differs for each of us according to our needs. During the race I assume that I will not have to take off my vest even once during the race. I always have everything I need at hand.
The vest can hold a really large volume in terms of space for things. During the race I need to have everything "at hand" and I have to be able to reach at everything I need such as bars nad gels. The backpack itself is perfectly designed for drinking mode as well. The KILPI brand has lightweight silicone bottles of various volumes made precisely fitted for the backpack and perfectly fit into the shoulder straps. You have them right at your mouth so you can refill fluids right when running. If this method does not suit someone then you can choose a water tank in the vest itself and place it on the back.
I have tried a large number of running backpacks and vests through the years I have been doing ultra trail. It is really crucial how the vest is cut and how it "fits" on the body. If the vest bounces and it does not stick firmly to your body it will definitely cause abrasions. And anyone who has experienced abrasions as a long-distance runner knows what an obstacle it actually is.
However, the Kilpi HARDROCK-U vest leens to your body as if it were your second skin. Despite the fact that you fill it with the mandatory equipment and other necessary stuff it tightly encircles your chest and does not push, cut or cause you any problems while running. Of course and I note this it is necessary to choose the right size when buying. Keep in mind that if you try out a backpack empty in the store, you will fill it with a lot of things during training or a race.
So what do I usually wear in the vest? It varies according to the type of race, season but also according to the weather itself. That's why the vest usually contains: a quality jacket, sometimes the waterproof pants, gloves, a neckerchief, 2 × 500 ml silicone water bottles, fruit purees, gummy candies, some bars, magnesium, BCAA, a mobile phone and of course headlamps, etc. So some 3 to 4 kg I am really wearing. If something bothers me uphill (for example a headlamp starts to push me somewhere), I accept it and it is not a tragedy. However, during the run down, which I really love, nothing may interfere with me or jump so as I can be fully concentrated on every step. Thanks to this vest I keep enjoying every single stone and I don't know at all that I have something on my back!
With the HARDROCK-U vest I have run races such as the 100 Miles of Istria, the Scenic Trail, the K24 Trail, the LH24, the Beskydy Seven and more. As for me I can say this vest is really of very high quality – not only by processing, but also by the materials used, lots of pockets and last but not least by its variability in terms of the number of things that the vest can hold. Add to that the price at which the vest can be purchased compared to other brands, the Kilpi HARDROCK-U vest is at the forefront of this segment and it can be said that it has no competition.