Nathan
VaporAir 4.0
8.8Very Good
Current-gen 8L Nathan race vest with twin front flasks — more rear stash than older VaporAirs for trail and road longs, still lighter than bladder-first adventure packs.
From € 150
Comparison
Nathan VaporAir 4.0 vs Salomon ADV Skin 5
Both target lighter race-vest carry. ADV Skin 5 emphasises Salomon Sensifit stability; VaporAir 4 is Nathan’s updated light race vest alternative.
- Expert comparison
- Data driven
- Updated 1 September 2026
- Running Packs & Vests
Salomon
ADV Skin 5
9.0Excellent
5L race vest with twin 500 ml soft flasks — enough for gels, phone and jacket without the ADV Skin 12 bulk; trades rear volume for a lighter bounce-controlled fit on trail, ultra and road longs.
From € 145
Decision guide
When each shoe is the better buy — by training mix and conditions, not overall score alone.
Bottom line
Pick ADV Skin 5 for Salomon race fit and twin-flask layout; pick VaporAir 4 when you prefer Nathan’s lighter race-vest approach.
Nathan
Choose VaporAir 4.0 if…
- You want Nathan’s lighter race vest.
Salomon
Choose ADV Skin 5 if…
- You want Salomon race-vest fit.
Key Differences
Fit system
ADV Skin 5: Salomon Sensifit race harnessVaporAir 4.0: Nathan light race-vest fitFit systems differ by brand — try both if possible.
When each wins
Context winners by session type — use these with the decision guide above, not as a universal ranking.
Long Runs
VaporAir 4.0
Low-bulk long-run vest.
Marathon
VaporAir 4.0
Light race-vest marathon carry.
Trail Running
ADV Skin 5
Stable Salomon trail race fit.
—
Half Marathon
—
—
Ultra
—
VSValue
TIE
Kitletics value scores are too close to call on current catalog pricing.
Specs
| Spec | VaporAir 4.0 | ADV Skin 5 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity (L) | 8 | 5 | — |
| Total Hydration Capacity (ml) | 1000 | 1000 | TIE |
| Weight (g) | 241 | 230 | ADV Skin 5 |
| Fit / Sizing | Unisex | Unisex | TIE |
| Bounce Control | High | High | TIE |
| Race-Required Gear Capacity | Yes | Yes | TIE |
| Race Suitability | Trail, Ultra, Road | Trail, Ultra, Road | TIE |
| Included Flasks | 2 | 2 | TIE |
| Included Flask Volume (ml) | 500 | 500 | TIE |
| Bottle Capacity (ml) | 1000 | 1000 | TIE |
| Flask Pockets | 2 | 2 | TIE |
| Bladder Compatible | No | No | TIE |
| Reservoir Compatible | No | No | TIE |
| Reservoir Included | No | No | TIE |
| Phone Storage | Yes | Yes | TIE |
| Pole Attachment | Yes | Yes | TIE |
| Breathability | High | High | TIE |
| Quiver Compatible | No | No | TIE |
| Sizing | XS–XL (verify current chart) | XXS–XL (verify current chart) | — |
| Size Range | XS–XL | XXS–XL | — |
| Fit System | Adaptive Fit / sternum ladder | Sensifit custom dial / sternum straps | — |
| Storage | Front flasks, side stretch, rear main compartment | Front soft Flask + stretch stash, rear zip compartment | — |
| Front Storage | Soft Flask sleeves and fuel pockets | Twin soft Flask sleeves, gel loops, phone Capable stretch | — |
| Compression Carry | — | — | — |
| Rear Storage | 8L Class main compartment | Main zip compartment for jacket/layer | — |
| Pockets | Front stretch + rear zip/stretch mix | Multiple front stretch + rear main | — |
| Race Bib Features | — | — | — |
| Helmet Carry | — | — | — |
| Water Resistance | Water Resistant | Water Resistant | TIE |
| Reflectivity | Yes | Yes | TIE |
| Whistle | Yes | Yes | TIE |
Current Prices
Regional prices · Netherlands
Prices last checked: 12 Sept 2026. Offer updates do not mean the editorial comparison was re-reviewed.
Top Alternatives
Salomon ADV Skin 12VaporAir 4 is Nathan’s 8L current flask vest — more rear stash than a 5L, still not a bladder pack. ADV Skin 12 is here for stable race fit across long trail days.
Ultimate Direction Race Vest 6.0VaporAir 4 is Nathan’s 8L current flask vest — more rear stash than a 5L, still not a bladder pack. Race Vest 6.0 is here for classic UD front-pocket race layout for gels and flasks.
USWE Pace 8VaporAir 4 is Nathan’s 8L current flask vest — more rear stash than a 5L, still not a bladder pack. Pace 8 is here for nDM harness is purpose-built for low bounce on technical terrain.
UltrAspire Alpha 6.0VaporAir 4 is Nathan’s 8L current flask vest — more rear stash than a 5L, still not a bladder pack. Alpha 6.0 is here for strong value race vest against Salomon/UD pricing.
Black Diamond Distance 8VaporAir 4 is Nathan’s 8L current flask vest — more rear stash than a 5L, still not a bladder pack. Distance 8 is here for mountain-brand build quality for rocky alpine trails.
Ultimate Direction Adventure VestVaporAir 4 is Nathan’s 8L current flask vest — more rear stash than a 5L, still not a bladder pack. Adventure Vest is here for expandable adventure capacity.
Nathan VaporAir 2Shared use-case alternative
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