The Camelbak Chase Race 4 Hydration Vest is designed for race-focused cyclists who need a lightweight and efficient way to carry essentials during long distances and bikepacking trips. The lightweight vest is a compact package that is hard to fault – except for the strong plastic-like bladder taste and the one-size-only fit.
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Camelbak Chase Race 4 hydration vest - Technical details
The Camelbak Chase Race 4 Hydration Vest is a lightweight and efficient way to carry essentials. The lightweight bag, which weighs only 255g (real) can take 2.5L of cargo in total, including 1.5 litres of water in the bladder that weighs 215g.
Most of the bag is made with 40D recyclable ripstop nylon, meaning it's pretty robust against scratches and scuffs but also soft and breathable against the back. Aiding that is the 3D Vent Mesh on the back panel and harness.
Camelback calls the system 'Command Center Harness', designed to provide a snug yet comfortable fit that stays in place, even during bumpier activities. There are dual adjustable sternum straps, of which the lower is stretchy. That said, the bag only comes in one size, though a women-specific model is available, similar to the previous iteration Chase model, which we've also tested in both men's and women's fit. It's not very clear what makes that women-specific from Camelbak's website though, so I asked about it and a Camelbak rep said:
"The Women’s version of the Chase Race vest utilises body mapping technology, for a tailored fit and enhanced cooling. The s-curved shoulder harness is contoured to fit a woman’s body for added comfort and stability. The Vest shape is thoughtfully designed with a woman’s torso in mind."
The dimensions of both seem to be the same, so I tested the unisex/men's version of the vest and the overall fit was fine but I did have to pull the shoulder straps as tight as they go. If the women's fit perhaps allows for more room in the chest area and shorter straps, then great, but from the specs alone it doesn't seem to be dramatically different.
Being a cycling hydration vest, this one is designed to sit above jersey pockets, so you can still use those for storing extra things, at the same time, the higher position should aid aerodynamics, too. I'll touch on how this works in practice later.
The 2.5L capacity is ideal for carrying essential tools, snacks, and other small items in the pockets placed all around the bag. At the front of the bag, there's a mid-sized compartment with an integrated tool organiser and, at the top, there is an overflow pocket on top of the bag for quick-access items such as a rain jacket. At the front, there are the two zipped pockets to store a phone or more snacks, and in front of those two stretchy pockets.
The water bladder sits closest to the back in its own, zipped compartment. Camelbak says the 1.5L Crux Reservoir should deliver 20% more water per sip compared with previous models. It comes with a 'Quicklink system' at the top, attaching it to the loop inside the vest. The reservoir is BPA/BPS/BPF-free and has a large screw-lid opening that makes cleaning and filling easier. You could fit a 2L reservoir in the pocket instead.
Camelbak Chase Race 4 hydration vest - Performance
Having tested this vest alongside the Restrap Race Vest, the first thing to note about the Chase Race 4 is its light weight. It's impressively feathery when you pick it up and, though it weighs more when fully loaded, it's a very supple and soft-feeling bag that will appease those who care about not carrying too many grams around when racing.
It's a rather straightforward bag to throw on – essentially you pull the vest on, then adjust the length on the shoulders by the two straps, and you're good to go. For me, though, the straps had to be pretty much tightened as much as they could go, which left pretty long straps flapping about on my sides, until I realised that Camelbak has thought about it and added stretchy loops that you can use to secure the excess strap.
The hydration bladder is easy to remove as it has one hook at the top attaching it to the top of the bag so it won't slide down. The hose then loops out over your right shoulder and hooks onto the right side of the chest. While some hydration vests allow you to alter the side of the hose, this bag doesn't. It's the right side and that's it.
Once the bladder is in, you can definitely feel it against your back. I do think this affects the temperature of the water – I mean, when you get really hot you probably do warm up your liquid in the bag, too. This didn't really bother me, and on the other hand, you could use the bladder to also cool your back if you placed some ice in it at the beginning of the ride.
I very much liked the very generous opening of the bladder which makes filling and cleaning it very easy. Though, the quite bulky screw on-lid arguably adds weight to the system – it even has a kind of handle that makes holding it so much easier than a simple water-filled bag that doesn't really have much to grab.
The hooks are easy enough to use and, after a couple of tries, it became easy to take sips without looking at where I'm placing the hose. But the hose also brings me to the only niggle I had with the overall vest. The bladder, despite rinsing it multiple times and even trying a baking soda/lemon mix, continues to have quite a distinct plastic taste to it. Carb mixes and flavoured hydration tabs somewhat masked that, but on the first couple of rides I consciously avoided taking sips because of the taste that transferred to the water.
Other than that, the flow of the tube was quite impressive and at my home tests I measured I got about 20ml of liquid out on a single sip. Basically, I was trying to figure out how many sips I need to take to get enough liquids in on my rides without stopping to check the reservoir mid-ride – but it does work as a comparison tool, too! The head of the hose is also very nice to hold, it's soft but not overly so.
In terms of fit, the vest does sit above most jerseys' back pockets so you don't lose access to those when wearing the vest. This depends on the jersey, though – the Maap one (pictured here) has quite high pockets and also the vest sits differently when you're standing up. When I was on the bike I could position it on my upper back. But overall, I would say that because there is only one size available, if you're shorter you might not get as good pocket access as taller people with longer backs will do.
Regardless of that, I found that for my needs the 2.5L cargo and 1.5L bladder capacity was plenty and I didn't really feel the need to use my jersey pockets. Apart from testing purposes, I did stuff things into them to see if I could get them in and out and most of the time it did work.
The two main cargo compartments can take quite a bit; I usually had tools and a couple of snacks in the front zip pocket with the neat organiser, and my rain jacket in the middle 'quick-access' compartment. I didn't use the front pockets as much though. I stored my keys in one of them and occasionally a gel in the other. I found the stretchy top ones too cumbersome for snacks. The fold at the top is great for keeping things in but means getting something out was more faff than necessary.
Camelbak Chase Race 4 hydration vest - Verdict
Priced at £100, the Chase Race 4 Hydration Vest represents an investment but given Camelbak's solid reputation – the product will go the distance. You get hydration efficiency, storage, and a light weight vest that does what it says on the tin.
The Apidura Racing Hydration Vest goes for £143 and the Restrap Race Hydration Vest retails for even more at £140. All three bags have a race-oriented design but the Camelback is the lightest of the lot. The Restrap and Apidura vests offer more storage capacity, though the water bladder size is limited to 2L.
If you overlook the plastic taste of the bladder, I think it makes an excellent, race-oriented hydration vest for any gravel rider or racer. It stores your essentials and plenty of fluids, stays in place and doesn't break the bank.
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