Norvan 7 Vest Men's

I’ve not got much use out of this product yet but wanted to post an early review to help others who were considering it. What I like: It’s really comfortable, stretchy and well made. Up the front there are two flask pockets and the 500ml hydraflask bottles slide in really easily even when full. There are stretchy loops to prevent the bottles sinking into the pockets and stabilise when on the move. Also on the front are stash pockets on both sides, each will fit a large mobile phone and/or gels, snacks, bars…I can fit 6 energy bars plus other snacks or a hat and gloves etc no problem. On the left there’s a small zipped pocket for keys, valuables or other small items (this pocket isn’t big enough for most modern phones) on the right there’s a small pocket which is perfect for gels, I can fit 3 sis style gels easy and a fourth which is a bit of a squeeze. On the back there’s a top stash pocket, perfect for a wind layer or a waterproof, it’s easily accessible while worn and it’s very stretchy, you can fit a lot into this pocket, although it starts to look a bit odd when packed really full. Under this pouch is a very large and open mesh area, it runs from armpit to armpit. I was a bit confused at first as I was sure storing items in this space would mean they would fall out or move while running. If you pack the bag while it’s not on your back, the items will move around a touch but once it’s on your back the fabric tightens up and your items are staying put. I was really impressed with this but it’s taking time to get used to how I’ll use this space, size wise in this area I can fit a first aid kit, foil blanket/shelter bag, torch, gps, hat, gloves, map, spare jacket (I put a Gamma SL in) plus a few other small items….it’s very stretchy. What I’m not sure about: You can carry an ice axe….my axe would rip this fabric to bits so unless you have a cover for the sharp teeth on your ice tool I’m not sure this would be viable for me. I miss having a large zipped back compartment like on my Salomon Sense Pro 10…I think this would be a good option if they do a norvan 10 in the future…plus you could stash a hydration bladder in there, a feature which is missing from this vest, in fact carrying more than 1ltr of water is a bit of a challenge unless you stuff a bottle round the back. Overall is very well made, looks good as long as you don’t overpack it, it’s very comfortable and hardly moves while running. I do miss a large secure zipped pouch on the back but perhaps if they do a 10 litre version (fingers crossed) that might be a consideration. I’m pretty sure I could head out in the hills all day with this pack, especially if I over stuffed it….if using it for what it was probably designed for I.e 3 or 4 hours on the trail it would be an excellent choice in my opinion.