Swedish running brand Silva has come up with a reflective minimalist vest for when weight, visibility and versatility matter.
Much like finding the best running shoes, I have always struggled to find a running vest I get on with. Either they bounce around when loaded, they start to chafe over time or just feel plain uncomfortable. Often the front clasps are so complicated they either flap around under your nose or get tangled up and knotted. Either way, I was keen to see if I would get on better with this new lightweight reflective run vest from Swedish outdoor brand Silva.
Men’s Fitness verdict
Lightweight, uncomplicated and with plenty of reflective detail, the Silva Strive Fly 3L has everything you need for night runs and races.- Uncomplicated minimalist design
- Lightweight and comfortable
- Loads of reflective details
- That minimal design means slim storage options
- No bladder compartment
Silva’s range of run packs includes large 23L mountain packs as well as lightweight 10L and 5L vests – and this minimalist 3L option. I chose this reflective version as I do a lot of urban running at night, as well as group trail runs in the evening. But Silva also does this 3L vest in black, green and rose if the highly reflective design doesn’t float your boat.
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I tested the Silva Strive Fly 3L Reflective Vest (buy now) for a month over regular 10km tempo runs, 5km recovery efforts and longer off-road sessions to see where it excelled. I wouldn’t want to wear a vest for long high-tempo running workouts, but if I had to the Strive Fly 3L would definitely be in the running – it’s the smallest and lightest run vest I have seen. So I threw in some interval running and a couple of races too, just to see how it would cope.
Silva Strive Fly 3L Vest design
At first I thought the Silva Strive Fly 3L just had the two soft flask pouches on the chest. But closer inspection revealed it to be more feature-laden than I’d expected. Both front pockets are dual layered, and are designed to hold either 250ml or 500ml soft flasks, with adjustable straps to hold straws in place. The left one also has a secret zipped pocket with key hook, also ideal for credit cards and the like. Surprisingly when I pushed a Google Pixel 7 phone hopefully in, the pocket swallowed that too.
Round the sides there are two small open pockets that will swallow gloves or gels. And round the back there’s a dual-entry mesh pocket for stashing discarded layers. Add to that a three-point adjustment system, emergency whistle and Quiver connection system, and you’ve got much more than initially meets the eye.
Silva Strive Fly 3L Vest performance
During my month with the Strive Fly 3L, I wore it for numerous day-long adventures, as well as more regulated efforts and a couple of races. And I can safely say that as long as you don’t overload it, the vest has a barely-there feel. So much so, you can forget you’re wearing it for long periods of time. I was using it during the winter so would often be out with a hat, gloves, gilet or lightweight jacket. Longer into runs where you start to peel off layers, I’d often find myself with a gilet in the back mesh, gloves, bars or a hat in the side pockets, keys, credit card and phone in the breast pocket. And one 500ml and one 250ml soft flask with straws up front.
Even with this amount of load in such a microlight vest, I felt no movement or discomfort. The three-point fastening system does a great job of lashing the vest to your frame. Even running down rocky descents or deep into races the vest felt secure and stable. The only time I would feel any instability is with two full 500ml flasks under my nose, which I wasn’t surprised a vest this small would struggle to contain. But after a few sips of each I would find equilibrium would be restored anyway.
During two-hour-plus runs I expected to feel a bit of pinching or the suggestion of chafing to come, but felt nothing. I think choosing the right size here is key, as trying to lash down a vest that’s too big is often fairly futile. Fortunately the Strive Fly 3L comes in four sizes, allowing you to finesse your fit. I’d also recommend wearing a dedicated running top too.
Silva Strive Fly 3L Vest verdict
I didn’t get a chance to try the Quiver pole carrier with this vest so can’t vouch the effectiveness of that combination. But I think if I was heading out into terrain that would require poles I would probably opt for the 10L version, which has straps for running poles anyway. But for the kind of running the Fly 3L is designed for – light and quick blasts over a couple of hours – I would say it excels. Comfort and security is top notch, the visibility on this version is almost blinding and there are more versatile storage options than I would have expected.
You might struggle to get a headlamp battery in here along with everything else, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the reflective design would light a trail up on its own. (In all seriousness, for the length of running it’s designed for, one battery charge should suffice.) And there’s no room for a bladder either, which again speaks of its intended range. But if you’re looking for a vest in which to keep small essentials and that keeps you seen on sub-20km night runs, I think the Silva Strive Fly 3L would be a great choice.
