Trail runners: what do you carry with you?
NorthCascades
Posts: 10,968 Member
I went to a search and rescue fundraiser tonight. One of the topics of discussion was fast and light trail running. Because MFP is a place people come to for knowledge and inspiration, and because running can be a great help in weight loss, I thought maybe I should start a thread.
If anything happens, if you're able to call for help, it will be several hours before it arrives. The next day in all likelihood. It's a good idea to carry enough to make it through an unplanned night out. (You don't have to carry enough to make it a comfortable night.)
If anything happens, if you're able to call for help, it will be several hours before it arrives. The next day in all likelihood. It's a good idea to carry enough to make it through an unplanned night out. (You don't have to carry enough to make it a comfortable night.)
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Replies
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A silver blanket
Energy bars
A heat pad
A compass
A GPS tracker/satellite phone
A beacon buddy tracker and alert.
When I run on road I carry
A GPS tracker/satellite phone
A beacon buddy tracker and alert.
In winter
Silver blanket and heat pad2 -
Glad someone has started a thread like this, I recently started doing a bit of this sort of running and would love to hear tips to keep myself safe, especially because I go alone.1
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I normally carry:
2*500ml bottles of either water or electrolyte fluid
Mobile phone
First aid kit
Energy bar - Spare
Spare base layer top, tights and socks.
In winter; hat and gloves
2-3 buffs
Space blanket
Gels or chews for run fueling
Brufen tablets
My race best has a built in whistle
Rain jacket and trousers1 -
I don't carry anything. I'm not running hours and hours away from civilization, nor am I running distances that most people don't want to drive. Emergency preparedness simply isn't a reasonable concern for me or most typical trail runners in my area. The worst scenario for me if I were to fall and be knocked unconscious during colder weather. Even then I doubt anything *THAT* terrible would happen.6
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When I hiked from Easy Pass to Colonial Creek, I ran into a group of trail runners. They were the only humans I saw until the end of the trip three days later. They had large, full packs.
One thing they said last night was bring your phone. Don't expect it to have reception, but there's a much better chance of finding you quickly if you have it because it will occasionally be able to ping a tower.0 -
Our trails here are very accessible, i only carry the basics. Water, a couple gu, and a weapon. I usually run into people in trucks and off road vehicles on the trail.0
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My trails actually run through the heart of the city. So I will bring water depending on season (I'm not doing super long distances so I dont need it in the winter and it will just freeze anyway). Maybe some gummies. And my cell phone.
This was in the middle of the city. Single track criss-crosses the forest all around the double wide track. Start and end point was Starbucks!8 -
Mostly I just take extra water and something to keep me warm. I’m working on the principle that when I fall down the side of the cliff/gorge, I may have several hours to wait (even in my nearest trail which is barely ten minutes from the city centre) until mountain rescue can find me, so water is a good thing to have.
Lately I’ve been thinking about how I often go off places without telling anyone my route or where I am. Really what I should have as a minimum is:
Water
Emergency blanket/bivvy (probably going to get an emergency bothy if only so when I walk with a friend we have somewhere sheltered for a sandwich stop)
Mobile phone
Head torch
Additional warm layers - top and bottom, should be windproof minimum and preferably waterproof.
A high calorie snack.
Basically I am looking at whatever is mandatory for a fell/mountain race, and will go with that.
Plus leaving some info about where I’m going and how long I’ll be. It’s great to have anonymity, but when no one quite knows where you went for the day, and police find your car, that can lead to many hours of people searching and heartache.3 -
My trails actually run through the heart of the city. So I will bring water depending on season (I'm not doing super long distances so I dont need it in the winter and it will just freeze anyway). Maybe some gummies. And my cell phone.
This was in the middle of the city. Single track criss-crosses the forest all around the double wide track. Start and end point was Starbucks!
Same here. Only thing I might take on the trail is a bear bell. Otherwise I expect to see people and don't fuss with overnight provisions.0 -
Dog poopy bags and the car keys. Imma loser.2
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For a day out and I don't expect to run into many people
1L of water
Gels, food etc.
Space blanket
Phone and external battery
Extra layer
If there's any possibility of nightfall
Another 1L of water
Headlamp
Bear bell
First aid supplies2 -
Y'all might consider carrying a whistle; you don't have to get too far off trail before you're invisible.1
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Where are you guys running that you need to carry space blankets? Are you guys doing ultra training or something? Seriously I"m curious2
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When I am alone, whether it is walking in my neighborhood or a new area, I carry a pocket knife with me. Crazy people are out there!0
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Nomotivationalldiscipline wrote: »Where are you guys running that you need to carry space blankets? Are you guys doing ultra training or something? Seriously I"m curious
Even a mile from my house I go offroad and can be ten miles or so until I hit anonther one. And if you get injured, exposure is a real risk. It's pretty heavily wooded around me.
And I'm a marathon/ ultra runner1 -
I carry a knife, towel, whistle, glow stick, matches, small first aid kit, flashlight, mobile phone, drink, energy bar, space blanket.
I had a compound fracture on a mtn bike trail and had to crawl back 1 mile and climb up a 100 ft. cliff until a ranger found me. Learned that lesson well and let people know where I'm going and for how long. Also keep a kit to help myself and others on the trail. When I'm on the bike I have a compact set of tools on me as well.3 -
NorthCascades wrote: »When I hiked from Easy Pass to Colonial Creek, I ran into a group of trail runners. They were the only humans I saw until the end of the trip three days later. They had large, full packs.
One thing they said last night was bring your phone. Don't expect it to have reception, but there's a much better chance of finding you quickly if you have it because it will occasionally be able to ping a tower.
I invested in a sat phone and have an old reliable CB radio that I take out on longer treks and make sure I check in with the ranger station with my hike plan. Cell service is absolutely not reliable out in the wilderness or at elevation.2 -
Water, Gu, whistle. And I make sure that people know where I'm going and when I should be back (I do that on roads too, now that I think about it) I live in the south, and aren't on remote trails. If I were in the mountains, or more technical trails, I'd 100% bring a space blanket. I do ultras.1
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L1zardQueen wrote: »Dog poopy bags and the car keys. Imma loser.
Are not.1 -
Nomotivationalldiscipline wrote: »Where are you guys running that you need to carry space blankets? Are you guys doing ultra training or something? Seriously I"m curious
I know a woman who is a competitive trail runner and her runs typically take her from trailhead to peaks 10+ miles in, a gain of several thousand feet in elevation, no cell service. Last fall she was coming back down and tripped and jammed her hip so bad it shattered her hip socket. This is a trail that doesn't get much traffic on most days, it was raining and she didn't have much with her. Her saving grace was that the people who found her were doctors, one an orthopedic surgeon. They carried her out as there was no way to call for a helicopter. She is just now getting out of her wheel chair and able to walk a few steps. Living in the mountains I see women all the time doing just this sort of activity, totally unprepared for what may happen and I just cringe. I'd rather carry a little extra weight and be prepared. Plus a heavier pack makes for a harder workout!4 -
The trails I usually run are in a state park. They are well maintained and traveled so I don’t carry much. I do have a small handheld taser because I am a woman alone on the trails often early morning. Other than that I only have what fits on my running belt - car key, chapstick, cell phone, and a bite size candy for when I finish my run.1
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What do you guys carry all this in? Can I see some pics of all this stuff packed in your bag? Like do you run with a book bag on? I need answers.1
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Depends on the length of the run. I mostly train for 5k so I usually just carry a phone and headphones. On my runs that last over an hour I carry water and something for energy, usually a tangerine Gu.1
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Nomotivationalldiscipline wrote: »What do you guys carry all this in? Can I see some pics of all this stuff packed in your bag? Like do you run with a book bag on? I need answers.
I'd like to know also (this is an interesting thread). Do you carry all this in a hydration pack? I'm sure chafing could be an issue on longer runs - plus it would be annoying for a pack to be flopping around. I suppose if a load shifted in some situations it could be dangerous. Anyway - fun thread.1 -
they make trailpack bags that are engineered for minimal chafing. some hydration packs are also trail packs.
my trails are heavily trafficked and i'm usually not more than a 5k away from my car. trails are loops. so i carry food, water, keys, phone, dog bags.
in my car, first aid kit(till it was stolen) and knife (till it was stolen). need to replace those.
if i go to further out trails, i will likely bring a whistle, blanket, maybe hat, gloves, scarf. wipes, water tabs, flint, and led light, and more food. and first aid kit from car
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Nomotivationalldiscipline wrote: »What do you guys carry all this in? Can I see some pics of all this stuff packed in your bag? Like do you run with a book bag on? I need answers.
https://www.inov-8.com/trail-running/equipment/packs-bags/race-elite-vesttm-with-bottles
That's mine. It's designed for ultra running0 -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EWJHS5U/ref=twister_B00H1LAM4A?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 This is what I use on longer runs. It's pretty minimalist, as far as packs go, but it meets my needs.0
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For day hikes I use this:
5.11 RUSH MOAB™ 6 SLING PACK 11L
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Large fanny pack. I make sure to have chemical warmers, ankle wrap, small emergency bivy, change of socks, and extra jacket at the least.
Rescue takes longer than you might think in even optimal conditions. Had a woman break an ankle once...tried to hike pipeline (quickest route to road) to pick her up (didn't know it was actually broken)..when she couldn't go any further with about 800 meters left, had to call the sheriff (we all had sedans/sports/subcompact cars - no SUVs) for help. ..took hours (possibly only 1 hour and just seemed longer while standing there shivering..not sure) and it got quite cold and dark while they mobilized all-the-things (Did I mention their HQ was in the same park).
ETA: + whistle & fruit snacks, as usual.2 -
mine is an older model from this company: https://outdoorproducts.com/collections/waist-packs0
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