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Writer Jenna Blumenfeld wearing the Ultimate Direction Signature Series 4 Ultra Vesta
Writer Jenna Blumenfeld wearing the Ultimate Direction Signature Series 4 Ultra Vesta (Photo: Mike Thurk)

The Best Running Vests and Packs for Women with D-Cups

These favorites fit larger-busted women without squishing or bunching up

Published: 
Writer Jenna Blumenfeld wearing the Ultimate Direction Signature Series 4 Ultra Vesta
(Photo: Mike Thurk)

New perk: Easily find new routes and hidden gems, upcoming running events, and more near you. Your weekly Local Running Newsletter has everything you need to lace up! .

High-impact sports bras for women with large breasts (we鈥檙e talking D and up) have experienced serious design innovation to manage the complex, three-dimensional movement of boobs in motion. Makers of Nike鈥檚 Fe/Nom Flyknit Bra used 600 hours鈥 worth听of biometric testing data to inform their seamless design; features Ultralu, a futuristic fabric invented by the company to support breasts .听Yet such high-tech stabilizing garments don鈥檛 mean jack on a trail run if you鈥檙e wearing a backpack or hydration vest that chafes, squishes or, as one (not featured!) pack did to me on a recent run, somehow nuzzle up to your jugular vein.

It鈥檚 a common misconception that most female long-distance runners have small breasts. While this may be generally true for elite or professional runners鈥攁 published in the European Journal of Sport Science found that smaller-breasted runners generally had faster marathon finishing times than women with larger breasts鈥攁ccording to Nancy Hobbs, executive director of the American Trail Running Association, women of all shapes are entering the sport at a rapid pace. The association鈥檚 found that 48 percent of trail runners in 2018 are women, up six percent from .听

Smart brands are designing vests that fit women with different body shapes and sizes, and that often means accommodating breast size. 鈥淲e feel really passionate about creating products that can fit everyone,鈥 says Katie Voigt, product designer and developer for running gear company Nathan Sports. 鈥淚 think there are more women runners who are willing to take a chance with adventure sports and who are pushing themselves in the running community. More are saying after their marathon听that they want to try that challenging ultra.鈥

For larger-breasted women, Voigt says it鈥檚 best to find a vest with vertically adjustable sternum straps that can be positioned above and below your bust鈥攏ot directly over it, a position that听can grow increasingly uncomfortable with each mile. Additionally, she recommends finding a vest that feels like it鈥檚 hugging you rather than sitting on top of you. The goal is to forget about your vest or pack听while running.

A D-cup myself, I tested as many women-specific packs and vestsas I could get my hands on over the past few months while training for a trail marathon, and I clocked at least 25 miles per item. These are my top picks.

Nathan VaporMag 2.5L ($125)

(Courtesy Nathan)

Best for: Short training runs

At first I didn鈥檛 think I was going to like wearing , which is named after champion ultrarunner Maggie Guterl. Two sternum straps are the only way you can adjust the circumference of the pack, and its flexible 12-ounce water bottles sat directly on top of my breasts, which added even more听weight to the front of my body. Yet throughout my training regimen, I kept reaching for this pack again and again. The inner layer is entirely mesh, which makes it breathable, and its dearth of complicated straps makes it a cinch to throw on before heading out the door. The water-bottle position didn鈥檛 end up bothering me because the bottle鈥檚 snug pockets abated bounce. Plus, the easy-to-access extended straws let me conveniently听sip water without removing a bottle.

Be warned: this vest is pretty small, making it tough to carry any warm clothing with you besides a pair of gloves and maybe a light beanie. Choose a different one听if you anticipate big weather fluctuations on your run.


Ultimate Direction Signature Series 4 Ultra Vesta ($135)

(Courtesy Ultimate Direction)

Best for: Any run or hike

quickly became my favorite thanks to its innovative Comfort Cinch fit system, which听wrapped around my lower ribs without squeezing them and prevented听the vest from bouncing at all. The Ultra Vesta seemed to disappear on my body. The soft water bottles snuggled comfortably against the sides of my torso, and unlike Ultimate Direction鈥檚 men鈥檚 version of the pack, the Ultra Vesta is reservoir-compatible, giving me the option to carry water on my back. I appreciated the included mini-whistle, as it lessened听the sketch factor while running solo through the woods. Also cool: the Ultra Vesta comes in blue if pink isn鈥檛听your thing.


Patagonia 奥辞尘别苍鈥檚 Nine Trails Pack 18L听($129)

(Courtesy Patagonia)

Best for: Long, unsupported days in the mountains

Patagonia engineered this burly, tough-as-nails,听 with shorter, narrower straps to better hug a woman鈥檚 body. Large enough to carry an extra fleece, rainjacket, food, and twoliters of water, this pack works for all-day solo runs or hikes through the mountains. I tested it while running (and some walking when it got too steep) a Colorado fourteener, and I was happy to have an extra layer when a cold front rolled in near the summit. This pack earns bonus points for adjustable sternum straps and stretchy, easy-to-reach听zippered hip pockets for your phone and snacks. While it feels听a little too bulky and big for casual training runs, the Nine Trails is nearly perfect for fastpacking ascents and bombing down scree fields to the trailhead.


RaidLight Responsiv 10L Race Vest ($170)

(Courtesy RaidLight)

Best for: Racing or tempo-training runs

This 听is听ideal for swift training runs or race day. Notably, the vest features snazzy Freelock adjustment dials on the sides that allowed me to find the optimal fit without missing a stride. I loved being able to position the water bottles more toward my听sides听rather than directly on my chest, and I liked how the stretchy sternum straps kept the vest in place without feeling like a boa constrictor听wrapped around my body. One flaw: this is likely due to my long torso, but the Responsiv听rubbed against the back of my neck in an unpleasant way during testing. Also, the sternum straps are sewn in place, and听I would have liked to slide the top one higher to avoid placing pressure on听my breasts.


Gregory Maya 5L ($69)

(Courtesy Gregory)

Best for:听A minimalist who wants a single pack for trail running and mountain biking

听is roomy enough to pack a two-liter hydration bladder and a light jacket, perfect for shattering your peak-bagging PR. I loved how the Maya 5L鈥檚 long sternum-strap rails let me听position the top strap comfortably below my clavicle听and far away from my breasts. Gregory鈥檚 Biosync Suspension Technology鈥攅ssentially flexible, stretchy tendons that connect the bag to the shoulder straps鈥攔educes bounce. It was a great choice to take on a weekend that included both running and mountain biking. I likely wouldn鈥檛 run more than ten miles in this one since more streamlined and lighter options exist, but it鈥檚 a good choice if you鈥檙e working with a tight听budget or limited packing听space and want a single bag听for biking and running.

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