Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Taking On The Trails - Fast and Light Style!

So you want to get out in the hills, face the elements, get your legs burning and your lungs bursting?! Well first of all your going to need some good equipment! This is key to making sure you get to do all that without breaking something or setting yourself up for hypothermia. 

 Trail running can be a pretty daunting sport to take up if you don't have the right knowledge, so for those of you looking to burn off that winter weight in a slightly different fashion, here's a comprehensive list of equipment that will get you started at a reasonable price

Base Layers - Top

A lightweight and moisture wicking top such as a "Helly Hansen Dry" is perfect for starting out in the hills as they are low cost (roughly £15 -£20), lightweight and will wick the sweat away from your body to prevent that "chilling" effect you feel when you cool down after sweating. On the down side they're pretty smelly after a good sweaty session!


Base Layers - Bottom

Personally I use running shorts or compression shorts rather than leggings, any that are of decent quality e.g. Ronhill, Montane, Asic will do the job at a reasonable price (roughly £15 - £30). Make sure they have a form of anti-chafe underwear built in (if they don't the consequences are not to be taken lightly....Trust me!)


Windproof Top

A windproof top provides weather resistance and protection from wind chill in the mountains without causing unnecessary overheating and sweating. Montane do an absolutely brilliant windproof top called the "Featherlite Smock", its super lightweight and when packed down is nearly as small as an apple!


Waterproof Jacket

I personally recommend spending some real money on a waterproof jacket as this can sometimes make or break your trail running experience! I personally use the "Haglofs Endo Jacket" but it is pretty pricey (£150 - £200) due to the fact that it uses the new hyper breathable "Gore Tex Active Shell". If you're looking at spending a little less, the "Montane Minimus Jacket" is super breathable and lightweight, packs down to a similar size as the "Featherlite Smock" and is well priced at about £110 - £150.

Waterproof Bottoms
 
Similar story with the bottoms as it is with the jacket! The "Montane Minimus Jacket" comes in a pant version and is priced around £80, if you want to spend a little more then go for the "Haglofs Endo Pant", brilliantly cut and very breathable (around £120 - £150 price range)

The advantage with spending the money on good quality waterproofs is that you can also use them for hill walking, mountain biking (although take caution not to stack it and rip them!) and many other other outdoor activities, so keep an eye out for something that you personally feel you can use for other activities to be more cost effective!

 
Gloves

I'll keep this short and sweet by saying "Rab Powerstretch Gloves" (or any other gloves made from "Polartec Powerstretch". They are light, quick drying, cheap (around £20) and incredibly warm for what they are!



Hat/Bandana

A 'skull cap' style hat made from "Polartec Powerstretch" or similar material is perfect for trail running, the "Mountain Equipment Powerstretch Beanine Hat" is an ideal example of this.



Footwear:

Footwear is by far one of the most important pieces of equipment for trail running, my first ever experience of trail running was a mountain race in the Brecon Beacons in aid of Mountain Rescue, I decided that i didn't need specific trail running shoes and that my Asics road shoes would do just fine... WRONG!! The distance of the race felt twice as long due to the constant battle to get any purchase on the wet and soft ground. The energy I wasted must have been enough to run the race twice! Sooo... here's a few pairs that i've tried and tested on the hills:

Salomon Speedcross

Now these are without doubt a BRILLIANT trail racing shoe, but that is totally dependent on your foot shape as they tend to be extremely narrow in the toe box. I personally have completely the wrong foot shape for them which I found out very quickly! But they are an extremely popular shoe which make a very large appearance at events such as The Original Mountain Marathon. These are perfect if your local trail running involves lost of loose and soft terrain (muddy slopes, wet grass etc.), they are not well suited to hard ground and will wear through quite quick if used on rocky trails

Salomon Crossmax Neutral

Described as a "Door to Trail" shoe, they are ideal for anyone that needs to run along hard surfaces to get to the local trails, fells, woodlands etc. where the terrain will rapidly change to being soft thus requiring sufficient tread. They provide excellent cushioning for comfort over long distance and suit neutral style runners. The guidance version suits runners that have a tendency to pronate and need added support.

I'm currently testing different trail running footwear as well as having a little play with the new "Barefoot Running Style" out on the hills so keep an eye out on this space for more detailed posts and reviews soon!

Recap:

So to recap here's a list of the equipment you'll need aswell as links to websites that are CURRENTLY selling them at the best price:
OK so now you have your kit sorted, you'll need to learn the knowledge so you can go out and use it!

Check out my website: jtexpeditions.co.uk and have a look at the trail running courses, training camps and bespoke guided services that I offer!

See you on the hills!!

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