The following review was written by trail runner Sarah Barber who tested the Salomon Sense Flow Vest. Product was provided for the review by ATRA corporate member Salomon at no charge.
I dislike winter. Well, wait—winter in Baja might be okay, but even just thinking about winter in the northern latitudes gives me goosebumps. However, every time I suggest a three-month sabbatical in Sedona to my husband, he offers this cliched wisdom: “There is no bad weather—only inappropriate clothing.” Thanks, Captain Obvious.
Cold, darkness, moisture
If frigid temperatures are strike one against my experience of winter, the reduced daylight hours are strike two. And strike three? Moisture of all varieties. There’s the kind that comes from the sky, and the kind that comes from my body, sweating underneath all the layers while my fingers and toes are too numb to feel anything.
But, my droll other half has a point. For winter running to be tolerable, proper attire is paramount, and if one garment addresses my three strikes against the season, I call that a home run. In my experience, Salomon knows how to square up the ball and knock it out of the park every time. The new Sense Flow Vest is yet another smart creation from a company who effortlessly breathes winter-proof tech into trail running gear.
Keep core warm
Conventional wisdom holds that maintaining a warm core temp staves off frostbitten fingers, making a vest a logical shield against the wicked chill. The Sense Flow Vest ups the ante with wicking Octa Loft insulation lining the front panels. This provides a cozy wind barrier where it’s needed the most. Meanwhile, the back panels have laser-cut holes for effective ventilation—I literally had steam coming off my back on a twenty-degree morning.
The Salomon Sense Flow Vest has reflective details on the rip-stop fabric.
Be visible
Although the Sense Flow Vest is offered in two colors, the one I tried is called “carbon” (also known as “black as night”). Given that most of my winter running happens before sunrise, I was more than a little concerned about going head-to-head with morning commute traffic. However, Salomon is ten steps ahead of me—the vest has reflective details on the rip-stop fabric to ensure good visibility in the bright wash of headlights from cars or the dim glow of headlamps on the trails. Brilliant!
Repel water
To address my perpetual issue of moisture, the Sense Flow Vest has a water repellant coating that makes rain drops roll off instead of soak in. Combined with wicking properties and intentional ventilation, the winter dampness is my ghost of Christmas past—not a problem today.
Barber on the trails in the Salomon Sense Flow Vest.
Thumbs up
Generally, I hesitate to choose vests because there are no sleeves for the convenient round-the-waist tie in the event that I need to shed a layer. But this vest is so light and compact that it could be squished into a large pocket or stuffed in a sports bra if necessary. A better choice would be to just leave it on! It’s such a sharp-looking piece with such a flattering cut—all I need now is a corsage and a date to the prom.
In all seriousness, Salomon’s R&D department continues to deliver versatile products that do what they’re designed to do and make the wearer look pro instead of bro. I still dislike winter. But thanks to Salomon, the dreadmill can collect dust—I’ll be running out in the elements all winter long.
