Ultimate Direction have launched the Signature Series. A series of three running vests that have been designed by three of the most successful, most well-known ultra runners in the world - Anton Krupicka, Scott Jurek and Peter Bakwin. This is quite an unusual idea, often athletes are paid sponsors and wear or promote products but it’s rare that you hear of companies actually employing athletes to design their products
The Signature Series vests use power mesh for zero bounce and state-of-the art cuben fiber for its unsurpassed strength to weight ratio, the Signature Series vests integrate load carrying, performance, and comfort into one unified system. With water bottle pockets in the front of the vest for quick and easy access, the Signature Series represents the next generation of ultra running hydration packs for runners.
In the above video Ultimate Direction’s Brand Manager Buzz Burrell explains what makes the Signature series different from other vests.
The Ultimate Direction Race Vest weighs just 6oz, or 11.5 with empty bottles. It has a capacity of 4.5L for food and other essentials. This vest is all about bringing minimalism to the world of hydration. It is designed by Anton Krupicka an American Ultra Runner whose achievements include winning the Leadville 100 twice, the Miwok 100K, the Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler, the Collegiate Peaks 50 Miler, the White River 50 Miler twice (Set 2010 CR 6:25:29), the High Mountain 50k and the Estes Park Marathon. In this video Anton explains his involvement in the design process and how he uses the Ultimate Direction Race Vest.
The Ultra Vest is the middle of the range vest, this vest was designed in collaboration with Scott Jurek one of the worlds most dominant ultra runners. His victories include Hardrock Hundred (2007), the Badwater Ultramarathon (2005, 2006), the Spartathlon (2006, 2007, 2008), and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (1999-2005). In 2010, at the 24-Hour World Championships in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, Jurek won a silver medal and set a new US record for distance run in 24 hours with 165.7 miles.
The SJ Ultra Vest weighs in at 7.5 ounces (13 oz with bottles) and offering 9.2 L of storage space, the SJ has the best weight-to-capacity ratio of any hydration pack on the market. Here’s a video of Scott talking about his use of Ultimate direction products, how he has modified them and come to design his own Ultra Vest with Ultimate Direction.
Finally in the Signature Series the Adventure Vest. This is the largest of the range with a 12 Litre storage capacity to hold all your activity essentials. All this with a weight of just 12 oz (or 17.5 with bottles).
The Adventure Vest is designed by Pete Bakwin an ultra marathon runner and mountain climber who has never found the right pack until now, when Ultimate Direction gave him the opportunity to design his perfect pack. Watch the video to hear why this is the perfect pack for him.
