The 686 Victory Vest was a project I undertook in 2019 as the brand sought to increase its presence in the bag/pack category. I designed a series of both lifestyle and technical backpacks, shoulder bags, and storage vests. Several of these projects involved integrating the Hydrastash hydration system, of which I was one of 2 designers.
The Victory Vest was one of my favorites to design as it blended the techtwear styling we hoped to capture in certain lifestyle collections with a less rugged but still performance driven version of the fit/function we hoped to capture in our backcountry collections.
Having tested the vest on mountain I can say it's a refreshing shake-up from a traditional backpack for resort skiing due to the following attributes focused on when designing and developing this piece.
-Superior weight distribution
-Next to body fit
-Ease of accessing items in storage pockets
-Intuitive organization system
-Superior breathability at the back
-expressive styling
