The 7 Best Hydration Packs in 2025 - Running Backpacks

Thirst isn't an issue when you've got multiple—and easily accessible—compartments for storing all your water.

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You don’t have to be a professional athlete to understand that proper hydration is essential to your health and running performance. Wearing a hydration pack–usually a vest or small backpack with holsters for water bottles, a large reservoir, or both–ensures you stay hydrated on long runs and lets you sip without losing your stride.

It's especially helpful for ultramarathons and trail runs, where you won’t likely have easy access to water along the way. The best hydration packs are great for short runs too, though: There’s no need to lose momentum if you can drink and run at the same time. Some also have storage for carrying your phone, keys, fuel, and other essentials, eliminating the scourge of bouncing short pockets. To help determine which is right for your needs, here are our picks for the best hydration packs across a variety of categories.

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Bottles And Reservoirs

Expert recommendations vary widely when it comes to exactly how much water you should drink while running, but when all is said and done, it typically comes down to drinking when you’re thirsty. Most hydration packs come with or can accommodate a pair of water bottles, usually around 17 ounces apiece, which should keep most people hydrated for at least a couple of hours.

Larger packs often include a sleeve for a large, soft-bodied water pouch called a reservoir or bladder, which has a hose that runs out of the pack and connects at your shoulder, where there’s a nozzle for easy on-the-go sipping. A standard 3 liter (101 oz) reservoir will give you another four to five hours, though long-distance runners may try to stretch that out over a much longer period.

Storage Vs. Weight

Hydration packs, generally speaking, fall into two categories. There are lighter “minimalist” hydration vests designed to be as light as possible, holding no more than a pair of water bottles and a small pocket’s worth of storage at most. These are perfect if you’re going to wear a pack on a short run or to a race.

For non-competitive long-distance runs and trail running, there are also larger hydration packs that offer a fair amount of physical storage. In addition to room for water, they often have pockets and hoops for extra clothing, trekking poles, and any other gear you might want to carry along the way. In either case, you can usually count on having small pockets on the shoulder straps for gels, a phone, and other small necessities.

Keep in mind that water and gear are heavy, and the more you carry, the harder you must work when running. That’s probably worth it in the long run, as you can’t perform if you aren’t hydrated and properly equipped. But if you only plan on going for short to medium runs, you likely don’t need the added weight of excessive cargo or a reservoir and can get by with water bottles just fine.

Comfort

Most hydration packs offer highly adjustable back and cross-body straps that, along with other fitting elements, help you tailor a snug but comfortable fit that hugs your body without bouncing or shifting. They also typically feature vented panels and lightweight fabrics that wick away moisture and dry quickly. Some are minimalist while others have significantly more backpack-like coverage, which may be more or less comfortable depending on the individual.

Most hydration packs are unisex garments, though some manufacturers make hydration packs specifically for women, which can feature cross-body straps tailored to fit around a wider range of chest sizes.

As a lifelong trail running enthusiast with a penchant for water, I’ve been using hydration vests and packs for decades. This firsthand experience was bolstered by testing a slew of the latest releases from all the top brands, and by input and testing from the Runner’s World editorial team, which evaluated and put these hydration packs through their paces.

In addition to running them through a variety of street and trail routes, we researched the latest features and hydration science and surveyed user reviews on Amazon and other retailers to find the packs that the distance running community loves. Only the models with the best value, technical features, comfort, looks, and ability to haul all your stuff without bouncing made the cut.

Recently, we updated our recommendations by replacing items that were out of stock, released in a new version, or surpassed by another product. This involved testing new packs from top brands like Nathan, deuter, Camelbak, Osprey, and more. While I considered vests for all running occasions, with summer just around the corner I was particularly interested in those with warm-weather and trail-friendly features like higher water capacity, breathability, and ample storage. With that in mind, here are our latest picks for the best hydration packs.

The Salomon Adv Skin 5 does pretty much everything right. It fits well on both men and women, with front and side compression bungees to reduce bouncing and soft padding that minimizes chafing. It comes with a pair of 17-ounce strap flasks, which allow you to carry enough water for a moderate-length run lasting under two hours. There’s an internal reservoir sleeve as well, so you can add an extra 34-102 ounces (1-3 liters) across all three vessels.

It also features eight exterior pockets and a cavernous 12 liter main compartment, giving you plenty of room to stash valuables, a running jacket, and any other small accessories you might want to bring along on a run. While it could use a smidge better ventilation, for our money this is the best hydration pack out there.

The Nathan TrailMix is a surprisingly high quality pack considering its modest price. It can carry both water bottles and a 2-liter reservoir, and while you have to supply your own bottles, the bladder is included. There is a fairly large, zipping storage pocket to the rear plus a smaller one at the bottom of the right shoulder strap, and several carabiner clip points along the spine.

While it has a fair amount of coverage, the material is breathable and lightweight, clocking in at just 7 ounces without the reservoir. I wore one through a number of high temperature trail runs and never once felt like it was too hot or heavy. The fit is snug and comfortable, generally speaking, though the chest straps do have a tendency to work loose as you run.

All told, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a vest that offers so much at such a reasonable price.

Small and sleek, the Nathan Quickstart 2.0 is made for intense short-to-medium distance runs. Its comfortable and lightweight design features, outstanding ventilation, and reliable moisture-wicking will help to keep you cool and dry. It comes with a 50-ounce reservoir, and has strap pockets that allow you to add a pair of extra 22-ounce water bottles.

While it offers five pockets of various sizes for fuel, keys, and other small items, its non-liquid storage capacity feels limited compared to our other picks. Since you probably don’t want to carry much during a race, we think that makes it a perfect fit for competition.

There are plenty of ultralight hydration vests out there, but what I really appreciate about the deuter Traick 9 LS is how it manages to be both minimalist and yet well-appointed. While its 5.9 ounce weight is just about as light as it gets, it still offers impressive padding and storage.

The vest secures nicely around the upper torso and adjusts via bungee straps to provide a bounceless fit. The piping and padding smooths over edges to eliminate chafing. And a total of five pockets results in surprisingly ample cargo room.

I thought the underarm loop setup carries poles at a somewhat awkward angle, but that’s my only nitpick. It’s a generally well-considered hydration pack, especially if you’re looking for one that is lightweight yet still highly functional.

The Osprey Duro 6 is a solid hydration pack all around, but I think it’s particularly well suited to trail running for several reasons. First, it has plenty of storage options, many of which provide easy access without needing to stop to remove the vest. Moreover, it’s balanced near your torso to help maintain your center of gravity while careening around trail corners or over technical obstacles. The chest straps also provide a secure, bounce-free lockdown.

What I think really makes it perfect for the trail is its outstanding durability. Unlike many vests, the Duro 6 feels like a rugged piece of gear that can handle some rough trail use. I tend to be pretty hard on my gear, so I always prefer something that won’t fall apart from getting tossed around a campsite or snagging on random tree branches along narrow trails.

I can say with full certainty that the Duro held up admirably against all such abuse. While I highly recommend this for trail runners, just keep in mind that its water capacity might not be sufficient for longer trails.

The deuter Ascender 13 delivers the two things I care about most when it comes to long-distance running: cargo space and comfort. In terms of the latter, its highly adjustable, ergonomic fit maintains its position without slipping as the miles go by. The platform is well-padded and breathable, and its smooth seams prevent chafing.

But the Ascender really leans into cargo storage. Its backpack-style, 13-liter main compartment is spacious enough to hold a lot of supplies, and well-organized to keep it all in place. I’m a fan of the holster pocket in particular, which provides a place to carry and reach your essentials easily without stopping. If you’re going the distance, the Ascender will keep you comfortable and equipped—I just wish it had an exterior pocket for a jacket.

If you’re like me, you want things to be as breezy as possible when running on a hot day. The Arc’teryx Norvan 7 delivers thanks to its lower skin coverage and highly breathable back platform, which I’ve found is excellent at not only keeping things cool, but wicking moisture and drying fast. It also has a surprising amount of cargo room for such a trimmed-down design, and the bungee closures at the front are comfortably stretchy but still excellent at reducing bounce.

It only holds a pair of bottles and has no space for a reservoir, so you probably won’t be wearing it for especially long routes. But for short to mid-distance runs on hot days, it’s great for keeping the temperature down.

How should a hydration pack fit?

When adjusting your hydration pack before a run, you want to make sure it’s tight enough to fit snugly against your torso so that it won’t bounce, without tightening to the point where it pinches or chafes.

Do I need to wear a shirt if I’m wearing a hydration pack?

Not necessarily. Most hydration packs will fit nicely with or without a shirt, so it’s entirely up to you. A tight-fitting shirt can minimize chafing, though some people find that the added layer adds unwanted rubbing. If you aren’t sure what you prefer, try both and see what works for you.

It’s worth keeping in mind that many hydration packs offer enough storage that you can stop and take off your shirt mid-run if you start to feel uncomfortable.

How much cargo should you carry on a long run?

The longer and more difficult your route, the more important it is to carry water, fuel, poles, emergency supplies, and other gear. That said, you should generally try to stay as light as possible on a long run.

It’s going to take some trial and error before you dial in your perfect cargo load. Do not skimp on supplies if you’re pushing yourself on a longer run. Lightweight is great, but you don’t want to find yourself dangerously unprepared.

Nick Hilden is a writer, globetrotter, and jack-of-many-talents who has written gear reviews for the likes of Runner’s World, Popular Science, Men’s Health, Thrillist, the Daily Beast, the Los Angeles Times, Greatist, and the Manual, and his lifestyle, culture, and tech writing has also appeared in Scientific American, Afar, Salon, Vice, Healthline, and many others. Before entering journalism some 15 years ago, he worked as a bartender, brewery manager, sound engineer, recording and touring musician, cook, teacher, and in a variety of other trades. These days, he lives all over the world, performs music sporadically, and spends a lot of time thinking how to best improve his Honda Element conversion.

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