Running gear 2021

Having written a couple of blogs recently, and looked back over the archive of stuff that I have used and reviewed over the years, I realised there isn't much there from recent times. 

What better time to have a quick delve through what I'm using for running than right now, as I've just been out? I've started unfollowing "professional" runners who just seem to use their insta and social media accounts to advertise/show off their "new season" bling from their sponsors. It kind of annoys me, especially in these days of "reduce/reuse" if you can. 

Everything here has been tried and tested, used, battered, sometimes repaired, and has earned its place in my Every day winter running kit. 

Bag

Salomon 12 litre SLAB running vest. Size M/L. I'm not particularly big in terms of height or chest size and imagined that I'd be a S/M. Apparently not. In SLAB sizes - at least in their running vests, I appear to be medium/large. Bought this last year as a replacement for my previous Salomon 3litre vest that is dying an ugly death. The stretch is going out of the lycra, everything bounces all over the place, but it has been on the go on my back since 2016- and was a demo model in a shop for at least a year before that. (I've just realised that the version I'm running with is actually the 2016 version as well! No idea what the new version is like)

Waterproof

OMM Aether Smock. I love this smock. It is eVent rather than Goretex. In the past decade I've had 3 OMM jackets. A Cypher and 2 Aethers. This replaced my most recent Aether which was 5 years old and falling apart. It has the pocket on the outside (yay) and an EXCELLENT hood. (I have a bit of a bugbear with running jackets with crap hoods- if I need to use the hood, it needs to be fit for purpose, not just a flappy thing that looks like a hood). If you're looking for criteria for a waterproof jacket, I'd say that fit, especially hood fit is absolutely key. The best fabrics are much of a muchness these days, so go for fit). 

Warm Layer

Berghaus vapourlight hypertherm (non hooded). I love this jacket. It's been going since 2015 and it gets shoved in the pack pretty much every time. With one side turned out I can run in it, with the other side out, it is a windproof thermal layer. It fits over everything if necessary- but unfortunately doesn't have any pockets to speak of. I prefer it to other versions of the same kind of jacket (montane fireball verso, inov8 thermoshell etc) because it has a slightly baggy fit which means it is fast to put on and take off when you're in a bit of bother. No struggling with tight fit- just straight on. Love it.As you might be able to tell, you cant get it any more- but it seems you can get the Montane prism jacket, or the fireball, and the patagonia nano-puff is always a fave. 

Base layers

To be honest, I only use Helly Hansen Lifa. I get pretty bad ecsema and have found that the Helly fabric works well for me. In the winter I have the Merino version which has Merino on the outside and helly fabric bonded to the inside. An excellent piece of kit if you can't stand Merino on your skin (which I can't)>

Gloves

Ah- a problem that endures through the ages. I think my hands have got worse through the years in terms of feeling the cold. At this time I've settled on a 2 mitt system. The warm part of the system is the Montane Prism Mitt. Light, warm- packs down to nothing, and the waterproof bit (insofar as anything can be called waterproof) a pair of Extremities Tuffbags. Even lighter, even more packable. Flipping amazing bits of kit. When it gets proper baltic I also use a chemical handwarmer as well. Yes- it is disposable, and very annoying, but I'm trying to find feasible alternatives. As I say, my hands have got worse recently, so an external heat source has in fact saved the day a few times. 

Sunnies

Oakley Splitjackets. 2 types of lenses. No. You can't buy these anymore. I have no idea what I'm going to replace them with when they eventually break

Socks

Rooster socks. That is all. 

I was introduced to these a few years back. Shaped, thin neoprene socks that are made for sailing. I always wear a very thin running sock on the inside, next to skin and Rooster socks over the top. Yes, they can be a bit snug in shoes, but I wouldn't run without them. No, they do not keep you dry- that is not the point, they keep you wet and warm. 

Headwear

I have an old Ronhill hat. No idea where it came from (and no, the link isnt to the one I own.... I suspect it is a very very very old version of it). It packs down to nothing and keeps my head warm when I need it to. It's brilliant. There is also a Salomon race cap, which is for sunny days. The reason for this (slightly more expensive than it really needs to be) hat is because it has a very flexible brim and can pack away very small when you don't need it. A thing to note here though, is that because the brim is pretty thin and flexible, if you're running in medium to high wind, the had stays on your head, but the brim tends to flap around a lot. Very annoying. 

I also have innumerable buffs. There are one or 2 floating around various bits of bog in Britain, but only because I had no idea they had come off. 

... a variety of headwear

Waterproof trousers

Here is a category that I was a bit of a snob about once. Why would I need a decent pair of waterproof trousers? I'm *never* going to wear them. Since doing the Spine, and being out in some pretty fun weather at other times where cheap, crappy waterproof trousers made my life a misery, I am fully down with having a decent pair that I actively want to put on when it all gets a bit crap. The main ones I have are a pair of old Montane eVent trousers. There is a new version now, but essentially, they cost about 100 quid, the zips are bombproof and they get taken out a lot. If I want to go a bit lighter, I use Lynnes Berghaus Goretex Paclite trousers. Just as waterproof, but a lighter weight zip than can be a bit troublesome- however, due to the zip they are a bit more packable than the Montanes, and a tad lighter. If I was to get some now, it would be these. 

When you need them - you NEED them

Headtorch

As someone I know says "it goes dark EVERY day, you shouldn't be surprised when it does" so I pretty much always have a headtorch with me. It's a petzl reactik. It works and has done for a number of years. I don't need a newer, fancier one with more lumens. I don't need to upgrade. It works. I don't think they make it any more- so if I was to get a new one, it would be the Swift. Occasionally I find the need to take a handtorch with me- and when I do, it is an Exposure Joystick Maxx. I've had one of these in  one form or another since 2008. If it goes wrong it gets sent back to Exposure who either fix it, or I get a reduced price on a new version. I haven't had a broken torch to away in a LONG time. More expensive than cheap crap, but better for the environment.

Shoes

Man. Shoes. There are a lot of shoes out there. This winter I managed to get hold of a pair of Arctic Talons for half price. They're studded and grippy and have served me well in all this ice and snow we've had. When it isn't icy, I use a pair of Mudclaw 300's. (NOT the sticky grip version... that rubber is AWFUL). And when it is less of a quagmire, I'm in VJ irocs because I have quite slim feet. (Note- I had a pair of the new x-talon 230's. Nearly killed myself on a wet run in the Lakes as they have NO grip on wet stone. As in- None. Quite simply the worst shoe I have ever worn except the original Salomon fellraisers)

Safety stuff

SOL bag. I use the extra space at the top of the bag- which would be used if you have to re-pack- to hold a few squares of Kendal mint cake. If I'm going to use that emergency bag, I'm almost certainly going to need some sugar!

Compass

I have a Silva thumb compass. It was expensive, but spins to North really fast. It's small, light and goes on the hill everytime I do. I'd love one of these though...

Software

On my phone I have Viewranger with the appropriate map of where I am. This is a back up. If Im out of my local area I'll always have a paper map as well. 

I also use 360 which is essentially a stalking app so that Lynne can see where I am when Im on the hill. I send messages via text, which are always prefixed with the time I sent it in case it gets delayed. 

Watch

Im now using a Garmin fenix 6 pro with a Wahoo tickr HR belt. The Garmin has replaced my trusty Suunto ambit3 vert. The main reason for this is that Suunto are stopping any kind of online support for it through Movescount after July, effectively making it defunct. Looking through Garmin, I can see that I could (if I wanted) still use my old Forerunner 305 if I wanted. Suunto have pretty much bricked both Ambits that I have used and loved, and I'm just not cool with that, hence, Garmin again. 

Misc

When it gets icy and I don't want my shins cut to ribbons by the ice, I use a pair of compress sport calf guards. They're blue. They have some kind of elastane in them. The only reason I have them is because Lynne won them in a competition at some point and doesn't want them. The only time they ever get brought out is to protect shins from ice!

Spikes- I have a set of Kahtoola Microspikes, but to be honest, with the Arctic Claws, I barely have any need for them now.

Final note

As with everything on here, all this was researched by me, bought by me and is used on a regular basis by me. No sponsorship, no back handers, just good old fashioned, use it, abuse it, see if it breaks. All this stuff has stood me in good stead. Thanks to the brands who make and sell us this stuff.