REI Co-op Swiftland 5 Hydration Vest - Men's Review

I started looking into hydration vests and found the REI Swiftland brand to be a relatively low cost, yet well liked, option. To test the waters I bought the Swiftland Hydro Vest at a discount - $65 - in March of 2022, and upgraded to the Swiftland 5 by the end of the year for $99.95. 

There is so much storage space in the Swiftland 5. The back of the vest has a stretch mesh pocket. It's great for ease of access. I often use when the weather is going to be a bit unpredictable - for storing a jacket, beanie, gloves, or an pair of socks. There is also a lash point system with strap management in case you want to attach any extra gear, but I have not needed those.

The front of the vest has 4 mesh pockets - two on each side. Each pocket has quite a bit of stretch, so it's easy to pack in multiple gels, chews, or even solid snacks. I'm able to fit 3-4 gels in the lower pockets, and I carry a 250ml Salomon soft flask with an electrolyte drink in the upper pocket. There is an drawstring on the upper pocket, which helps keep the flask in place. I have tried a 500ml flask, and it's just a little to tall for the pocket in my opinion.

The main pocket is zippered and stores the 1.5 liter bladder. Like the rest of the vest, there's plenty of additional storage space here including a full pocket (separate from the bladder pocket), a wallet sized mesh pocket, and a key holder.

I love that the vest has multiple adjustment points. We're all shaped differently, so it's nice to be able to get a comfortable fit by pulling a few straps. One of my favorite adjustments is the chest strap. Most vests allow you to adjust how loose or tight they are, but the Swiftland 5 allows you to adjust the location of the straps as they can slide up and down a guide rail. 

I was concerned that the straps my slide up and down when running, but they stay in place very well, as do the side and shoulder straps. Which leads to one of the issues I have with the vest. It's difficult to adjust on the run. If you've used an adjustable vest before, you know that you will most likely need to tighten it up a bit as you go through your water. 

For me, the straps on this vest stay in place too well. I've often found myself just dealing with a loose vest further into my runs so that I don't have to deal with trying to make adjustments.

That being said, it's still an extremely comfortable vest for the most part, and all of the mesh along the back, straps, and pockets makes it very breathable.

The vest comes with a HydraPak 1.5-liter Elite bladder. It has a high-flow bite valve that self-seals after each drink. You can also twist the valve to on or off positions. This super easy adjustment is very helpful with preventing accidental leaks. The bladder is pretty easy to clean and refill, and the simple slide and seal closure has never leaked on me.

Unfortunately, I have had an issue with the bladder tether. This strap slides through the top of the bladder to hold it in place while in use. It still works fine, but it has slowly started to pull away from the stitching. I'll probably self repair vs. swapping it out at REI (side note - their one year return policy is phenomenal). This isn't a deal breaker as I have logged hundreds and hundreds of miles with this vest. I just wish it had held up a little better.

Overall, I'm very happy with this vest. I think it's a great low-cost option for anyone looking for an easy way to increase hydration and nutrition carrying capacity.