Fifty euros, one hundred and ninety grams, and no bladder at all. On paper, the Kiprun 900 Race 5L looks like a risky bet from Decathlon against the specialists of minimalist vests. Out on the trail, the bet pays off handsomely, with one caveat worth stating right from the start: this vest does not replace a versatile training pack. It is built for one job only, fast racing with frequent aid stations.
© Kiprun, official photo used for editorial purposes
The Kiprun 900 Race 5L is the lightest race vest in the Kiprun range, designed with the Kiprun Women Team for 10 to 50 km trail races with regular aid stations. At 190 g and 50 euros, it matches vests two to three times more expensive on stability, but its complete lack of a bladder limits it strictly to marked courses. An excellent race-day vest, not an all-round training pack.
Decathlon has overhauled its running line-up in depth over the past few years. Evadict, long the group's trail brand, has disappeared in favour of Kiprun, now Decathlon's single running label for both road and trail. In that shake-up, one segment was still poorly covered at an affordable price: the ultralight race vest, with no bladder, designed purely for race day. Salomon rules it with the S-Lab Pulsar, while Ultimate Direction and NNormal hold the top end with their own Race Vest and the Race Vest signed by Kilian Jornet. The Kiprun 900 Race 5L steps straight onto that turf with an unbeatable argument: half the price of those benchmarks.
RunMorph's advice: if you already own a Kiprun 900 10L for training, the Race 5L only makes sense if you regularly race short formats with aid stations. Otherwise, keep your 10L: it will do the job just as well on a 30 km race.
| Brand | Kiprun (Decathlon) |
| Model | 900 Race 5L |
| Volume | 5 litres |
| Claimed weight | 190 g (size M/L) |
| Available sizes | 2XS, XS/S, M/L, XL/2XL |
| Number of pockets | 10 (4 front + 3 back + 1 zipped + 2 flask pockets) |
| Bladder | Not included, and the vest is not designed to take one |
| Flasks | 2 x 500 ml compatible (not supplied), 1.5 L max with a 3rd flask lying flat at the back |
| Adjustment straps | 5 (3 height-adjustable front straps + 2 patented side straps) |
| Main fabric | 74 % polyester, 26 % elastane (technical stretch fabric) |
| Pole holder | Compatible with the Kiprun quiver (sold separately) |
| Safety | Built-in 110 dB whistle |
| Recommended distance | 10 to 50 km with frequent aid stations |
| Official price | €49.99 |
The Race 5L was co-developed and signed off by the Kiprun Women Team, and that collaboration shows in the details rather than in vague marketing talk. The flask pockets sit lower so they do not squeeze the chest, a point every independent test confirms. The side strap, patented by Decathlon, keeps the flasks steady through the stride and limits bounce, even on technical descents. This is not a generic unisex model repainted in another colour: the fit work is real and you feel it from the very first kilometres, whether you are a woman or a slim-built man, both often poorly served by vests sized on standard male frames.
Another notable change from the previous generation: the four small nutrition pockets under the flasks have been replaced by two large stretch pockets. That change comes straight from Decathlon user feedback, a co-design approach rare enough at this price point to deserve a mention.
© Kiprun, official photo used for editorial purposes
Independent tests agree with rare unanimity on the core point of the Kiprun 900 Race 5L: its weight disappears from your mind within the first few kilometres. At 190 g, it sits among the lightest race vests out there, whatever the price. Stability gets the same near-unanimous praise: the five adjustable straps, three height-adjustable at the front and two patented at the sides, allow a surgical fit that holds on technical descents as well as on sustained climbs. An independent log across several runs, including a long trail race, confirms zero bounce even with both flasks full.
What really separates one test from another is how the missing bladder is read. A consensus of testers places the vest strictly in the racing category: with no bladder and only 1.5 L of maximum capacity (two front flasks plus a third lying flat at the back), the Race 5L fits 10 to 50 km formats with an aid station every 1h30 to 2h perfectly, but becomes irrelevant as soon as self-sufficiency goes beyond that. Another, more enthusiastic field review finds no flaw at all for its specific use (10 to 50 km trail), the tester also noting that the women's fit delivers on its promise compared with an older Kiprun 10L model she found too hot and irritating around the neck on long runs. So opinions differ less on the quality of the product than on its scope: a vest built for racing, not an all-round training pack.
On breathability, the consensus is positive too: the mesh and the close cut prevent the sauna effect on sustained climbs, which is all the more notable given how snugly the stretch fabric hugs the body. The Kiprun quiver, sold separately, lets you carry poles at the back without restricting movement, an asset flagged independently for trail races with significant elevation.
© Kiprun, official photo used for editorial purposes
| Model | Volume | Weight | Bladder | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kiprun 900 Race 5L | 5 L | 190 g | No | €50 |
| NNormal Race Vest 5L | 5 L | 174 g | No | around €90 |
| Ultimate Direction Race Vest 6L | 6 L | 175 g | No | around €85 |
On paper, the Kiprun gives away around fifteen grams to the NNormal Race Vest 5L signed by Kilian Jornet and to the Ultimate Direction Race Vest 6L, two benchmarks of the minimalist segment. In practice, you barely notice that gap in a race. The real difference lies elsewhere: at 50 euros, the Kiprun costs almost half as much as its two direct rivals, for a very similar level of stability and organisation. The NNormal keeps the edge on pure lightness and the brand image tied to Kilian Jornet, the Ultimate Direction on the perceived durability of its premium materials. But for a first race vest or occasional use on short formats, the Kiprun's price argument is hard to ignore.
The Kiprun 900 Race 5L targets a precise profile: the runner, woman or man, who races marked trail or road courses with aid stations no more than an hour and a half to two hours apart. In that setting, there is almost nothing to fault. It becomes a poor choice, however, as soon as your water autonomy or mandatory kit goes beyond that scope: no bladder means no buffer if you miss an aid station or hit extreme heat.
To prepare a race in this format with a structured plan, pairing this vest with a clear goal makes all the difference. Whether you are preparing a short trail, a 10K or a half marathon with a RunMorph training plan, the Race 5L will handle your threshold sessions and long runs perfectly without ever making itself felt on your back, as long as you respect its intended use.
© Kiprun, official photo used for editorial purposes
The Kiprun 900 Race 5L pulls off a tough challenge: a serious race vest at half the price of the segment's benchmarks, with no compromise on stability or lightness. At RunMorph, what stands out most is the genuine fit work born from the co-design with the Kiprun Women Team, an argument too often oversold by competitors and tangible here from the very first kilometres. The caveat is clear and deliberate: this vest is not a versatile training pack, it is a race-day tool, built for 10 to 50 km formats with frequent aid stations. Outside that scope, go for a larger volume with a bladder. 8.3/10.