Let's Talk about Hydration Vests & Wimbledon Fits
Featuring Brand Chat Vol. 9 with Alice Rose Bugeja of mileoff
At some point in the last two years, I started seeing a lot more hydration vests on my runs through Boston. I’d noticed on a trip to London in 2022 that they were more popular there, and slowly but surely, I’ve spotted a host of Nathans and Salomons on my jaunts around Jamaica Pond. Once reserved for trail and ultra distances, hydration vests have become a staple accessory for amateurs. The choice isn’t without controversy. Women’s Health UK published a story this spring called “Inside the running vest culture war no one saw coming” examining the rise of social media “running vest police” who comment disparagingly on videos of runners wearing vests for shorter distances.
This is dumb. I don’t feel like wading into the waters of why policing people’s gear is silly, but the story helps underscore the shift in the market. Once worn by only the most serious runners, the hydration vest is becoming about as common as carbon-plated shoes. And as more people begin wearing vests, more challenges emerge. Here’s a note I received from a reader, Rachel Brown, that prompted this discussion.
“As we get into hotter weather and marathon training season, I would love to see a post about why women’s hydration vests are so bad. I know multiple women (myself included) who have gotten scars from the vests chafing onto bare skin where a sports bra leaves skin exposed and the front bottle holders feel really poorly designed for people with breasts.”
I was excited to hear from Rachel because I’ve been sitting on an interview with Alice Rose Bugeja, founder of boutique women’s running brand mileoff, waiting for the right opportunity to share it. Notably, mileoff’s best-seller is their take on the run hydration vest, which is specifically designed to solve some of the problems Rachel called out. We’ll get into that below, but this question seemed like the perfect lead-in to the interview and an area worth exploring as high summer sends us scrambling for our water bottles.
As a non-hydration-vest wearer (I like a handheld), I asked Rachel to elaborate and she shared the following complaints:
1) Chafing. Multiple people said they have scars from their vests. I suspect this is a general problem for men and women but may be exacerbated by women wearing more scoop-necked shirts so the clasps of the vest chafe them on their chest or having sports bras with holes in the back where there is also chafing.
2) The bottle straws hitting them in the face because the bottles are designed for taller men.
3) The front bottles over boobs always feel extra jostly and like udders.
The obvious reason for these complaints is that the majority of running hydration vests on the market are “unisex,” which generally means they’re designed with a male frame (often a size M) as the baseline and graded up and down based on that fit. Defaulting to a male body inevitably leads to a number of sub-optimal outcomes for women. Alas, the shrink it and pink it model persists.
That being said, many brands are building women’s specific vests including Lululemon, Salomon, Nathan, Osprey, and Camelbak. Of note, Conscious Gear was the first to develop a size-inclusive hydration vest, offering up to 6-8x when most other women’s hydration vests are limited to sizes XS-XXL.
Given the space in the market, I wanted to learn a little more about what considerations go into making a hydration vest for women, so I reached out to Katja Takala, the founder of British pack brand Stolt Running to get her take on what works.
We've done a lot of research into hydration vests over the years, and as a runner with a bigger chest myself (plus two kids – which definitely changes things!), I really understand how hard it can be to find a vest that fits well.
The biggest thing is fit. Getting the right size is crucial – the vest should basically hug your body. Keep in mind that the fit changes depending on how much you're carrying and whether the front pockets are empty or holding soft flasks, for example.
When designing for different body types – especially for those of us with larger chests – we pay a lot of attention to the front closure system. Straps that go over the breasts can often be uncomfortable, so we try to create designs where the straps or cords go above and below women's breasts instead. Cord systems work slightly differently, but the goal is always to allow enough adjustability at the front to get a snug, secure fit.
So, fit and comfort (materials!) are the top priorities. After that, it's about stability (based on what you're carrying) and overall capacity – things like litres and pocket layout.
That said, I do think there’s growing demand for more distinct feminine aesthetics. We've seen “heritage” brands bring in things like "flattering princess seams" (borrowed from blouses and lingerie), and there are also great new brands offering more feminine styles (colourways, pocketing etc.). So it’s an exciting space.
In short: choose the right size for your frame (and think about what you plan to carry), go for soft, high-quality materials, and pay close attention to how the straps or cords adjust across your chest, especially if you have bigger breasts.
A 2023 Research and Markets report projected that the global running hydration pack market will grow to an estimated $61.6 billion by 2028, fueled by a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 5%. With women driving the current running boom, perfecting the hydration vest should be on every running brand’s playbook.
So let’s talk to someone doing just that…
Brand Chat Vol. 9: mileoff
Chatting with founder, Alice Rose Bugeja
I started following mileoff this spring thanks to a tip from
. I was immediately intrigued by Alice’s “building in public” marketing strategy. In a time when a lot of brands struggle to grow and engage an audience on social media, this founder-first approach can pay dividends, especially when said founder is as transparent and charismatic as Alice. Her content makes it clear that she knows her audience – GenZ and younger Millennial female runners – inside and out. And that’s because she is one! The best brands are rooted in a strong POV and Alice’s shines through. The building in public approach may be a necessity for a one-woman-show like mileoff, but it’s resonating with their audience. The brand’s last three launches sold through in minutes. If that’s not proof that this audience is desperate for good gear intentionally built for them, I don’t know what is!
How did you get your start in sports and running? Do you remember what you wore?
I first started running when I got selected to participate in a triathlon at school in year 8. I didn't own a bike, couldn't swim, and couldn't really run, but because I am competitive I did well in the beep test, which led me to being nominated! I had to start running around my neighbourhood to practice. I gradually built up from 10 minutes of running to 15, to 20, and so on. I distinctly remember being the only girl wearing a bikini for the swim because I didn't own a swimming costume/triathlon suit! I would say I really started running at University when my friend suggested we sign up for the Edinburgh Half Marathon. At the time I was wearing Nike clothing, pieces I had found in the outlet stores (living on a student budget!). I remember lots of cotton t-shirts not sweat-wicking or really fit for purpose, and leggings that constantly slid down!
Was there an "aha" moment that inspired you to launch mileoff? How did you decide to take the leap into entrepreneurship?
I have always wanted my own business but was waiting for the right idea. When I really started to think about how I couldn't find various running pieces such as shorts with pockets in or a run vest actually made for women in soft, non-scratchy material, I realised this was it. My love for running, brand, marketing, and bringing a vision to life all came together perfectly and after doing a lot of research into fashion articles, consumer trends, and conversations with other female runners, I felt that there was a huge demand for a running brand for women where performance came first, functionality was at its core AND aesthetics were equally considered.
I fell in love with building the brand while still working a full-time job at Dyson, which funded my start-up costs, but soon realised if I was going to make this a success I needed to go all in. So I put in place a plan to leave my job just before officially launching mileoff. It was the scariest leap I have ever taken in my life, but here we are, I am so proud of myself for going for it and haven't looked back since!
You've documented the process on your Instagram to great success, what made you decide to be so transparent about how you're building the brand?
I am deeply passionate about women in business, especially female founders, and felt that there was a need for more women to show what is possible to inspire others. When I looked at my social media feed there were a lot of males building brands, but significantly less female. I wanted everyone to know that they can do something if they work hard for it. I also wanted to demonstrate that you don't have to have a large social media following to start. I had 0 followers when I first had the idea of mileoff. It's all about consistency. Finally, I hope I can share valuable information that will help others who want to build something. I have learnt a lot from YouTube and watching what others are doing so I want other women to have that from me.
Your debut collection focused on a few key essentials – including a hydration vest which I think is interesting in a launch collection. Can you talk about how you chose what you wanted your runner to wear?
The most important element of our launch collection was functionality, I wanted to launch with technical products to prove that we were a brand invested in making items that solved runners’ problems, not just releasing a range of clothing with our logo on it. We spent months designing, sampling, and testing our run vests and shorts to ensure they would perform.
The run vest became the real hero item as there really is nothing like it on the market. I also find a running vest a really interesting garment as there is quite a lot of stigma around wearing one for anything less than an ultra marathon. However, people should be able to wear whatever they want to run in. Nowadays with the rise of run clubs, women need to carry more things when running even just for a 5k to 21k.
What was the biggest problem you wanted to solve for women runners?
It initially started as running shorts with pockets. It baffles me that to this day the legacy sports brands, Nike, Lululemon etc. still haven't nailed the perfect run short for a marathon that looks good, doesn't ride up, doesn't chafe AND has enough pockets to put your phone, keys, gels etc. I started the brand based on this problem and quickly discovered another fundamental gap with run vests in that they largely are unisex, not made for our bodies, come in black or dark colours, and are made out of scratchy mesh fabrics. I tackled all of these problems head-on trying to come up with the ultimate running vest for shorter distances.
What if any challenges have you faced building the brand and bringing it to market?
There hasn't been one single challenge, it's more a series of small problems that pop up every day that you solve one and then 10 more appear. To begin with, my main barrier was finding a manufacturer. But then once I had this (I have now been to China to visit the factory and the fabric markets, which is really cool) it is now growing the business as a solo founder and juggling everything from finance to product, to social media and customer service. There is no road map of what is next so I am figuring it out as I go along.
You live in Dubai but are British. Can you talk about the differences in run culture in each country? If any?
I believe deep down the running community is the same no matter which country you are in. You will meet some of the most welcoming, supportive, inspiring people wherever you go around the world. I certainly found this when moving to Dubai alone. I didn't know anyone and joined a local run club to make friends. This is where I have met the best group of people who have supported me through the journey of launching my business. All the girl runners you see in our campaigns I met through the local run club. Amy our stylist, who helped with all the shoots, I met at run club and the photographer. So, overall there is no real difference in culture, just temperature!! Dubai running is hot!
Quick Thoughts
Things That Caught My Eye or Ire…
New Balance and Coco Gauff keep taking big swings. This time with a white lacey confection that screamed Wimbledon yet felt modern thanks to details like the slide buckle belt and open back. Also – sports lace is trending, watch this space. Sadly, a first-round loss means we won’t get to see more of the ‘fit. But – as was the case in Berlin – she was yanking at the top during the match, so it might have been a case of better on the hanger than in practice.
One more Coco detail, her hoops were from Missoma London’s new Tennis Collection.
I love little touches like this. Filipina player Alex Eala made history at Wimbledon and wore a Nike-made white sampaguita, the national flower of the Philippines in her hair. “A reminder of where I come from – and everything that brought me here.”
It’s hard not to dip into nostalgia for Wimbledon, but this Adidas Originals Collection does it well. Worn by their athletes AND available online, the collection takes cues from the 1972 tournament, reviving ‘70s cuts made famous by Stan Smith. The hint of green is effective and I especially like the look of this boxy polo, as worn by Sonay Kartal.
However, I cannot endorse this corresponding pre-match look Adidas made for Jessica Pegula.
Wilson’s sophisticated look for Marta Kostyuk continues the brand’s hot streak. I love the micro-pleats and the back. Too bad Marta, like Coco and Jessica, lost early.
Priscilla Hon wore The Upside’s Renshaw Beth Pleated Dress to win the Wimbledon qualifiers.
This Admiral x Spice Girls Spice World soccer jersey is so good! And so good that it’s sold out.
At the Pre-Classic, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone debuted a blue colorway in her signature one-armed New Balance crop top. Chic!
Also at Pre, Faith Kipyegon ran a 3:48 world record 1500, showing that she was in fine form for the Breaking4 attempt. She wasn’t wearing the Nike speed suit for the effort, which has me wondering – was she wearing the 3D-printed bra? Not the greatest look if she wasn’t…
Business of Fashion covers golf’s rise among GenZ. A new slate of women-focused offerings is transforming how the sport is being presented. Women – desperate for good golf options – are eating it up.
Speaking of golf, who knew ‘90s LPGA outfits went so hard?
Wow I loooove this deep dive into the hydration vest.
The vest chafing is what led to the Raide belt. The dude likes to run long distance with his shirt off, so he fixed that for himself.