{"id":37080,"date":"2018-08-09T08:41:54","date_gmt":"2018-08-09T15:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=37080"},"modified":"2020-05-22T13:05:46","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T20:05:46","slug":"accessories-nah-these-are-trail-running-essentials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/run\/accessories-nah-these-are-trail-running-essentials","title":{"rendered":"Accessories? Nah, These Are Trail Running Essentials"},"content":{"rendered":"

As an elite ultrarunner sponsored by The North Face, Hillary Allen is never short on gear. But her most valuable trail accessory? \u201cI will not go anywhere without a second hair tie,\u201d Allen said.<\/p>\n

For Allen, the simple, metal-free elastic band also serves as a temporary fix if a shoelace snaps in the alpine. Or worse. In early June, Allen and a friend set out to run Mount Baldy in California\u2019s San Gabriel Mountains. Just below the 10,065-foot summit, Allen\u2019s companion smashed his foot into a rock, breaking a toe 5 miles from the trailhead. Crisis? Hardly. Allen used her surplus hair tie to secure the fractured digit to its healthy neighbor. Toe stabilized, they were able to run out.<\/p>\n

We asked Allen and other trail runners for the accessories\u2014or rather, essentials\u2014they deem worth the trail weight.<\/p>\n

Black Diamond Distance Z Trekking Poles<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n
\"\"

Trekking poles on a run? It might be something you need after all.<\/p><\/div>\n

Last year, a fall in Norway left Allen with 12 broken bones. \u201cEarly in my recovery, I had trouble with proprioception and balance,\u201d she said. \u201cPoles were a lifesaver for me to get my bearings again on the trail.\u201d The\u00a0Black Diamond Distance Z Trekking Poles<\/a>\u00a0feature a collapsible design that makes them easy to stow when not in use. Another Allen trademark: Carrot sticks tucked into her pockets on training runs. \u201cThe fresh crunch is a great palate cleanser,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Stance Downhill Tab Socks<\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

Not just any socks. Stance’s Downhill Tab Socks keep your feet dry and blister free.<\/p><\/div>\n

A year before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with Outdoor Afro<\/a>, Brittany Leavitt began trail running at home in Washington, D.C. \u201cI don\u2019t do well in the heat, and the humidity in D.C. can be hard,\u201d Leavitt said. Enter the\u00a0Stance Downhill Tab Socks<\/a>. The blend of cotton, nylon and polyester knit allowed her feet to breathe and remain dry, while a seamless toe box eliminated blister-causing friction points.<\/p>\n

Osprey Dyna 1.5 Hydration Vest<\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Osprey's

Osprey’s Dyna 1.5 Hydration Vest fits just right and carries everything you need.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe best gear meets my needs, in my situation,\u201d said Maricela Rosales, the Outdoor Brands Coordinator for Latino Outdoors<\/a>. With her short, broad torso, the\u00a0Osprey Dyna 1.5 Hydration Vest<\/a> stays put better than other hydration devices. The 1.5-liter reservoir keeps this LA-based runner hydrated while her hands remain free to assist on rocky scrambles. For extra sun protection, Rosales tucks lip balm<\/a> and a REI Co-op Screeline Cap<\/a> in the generous front pockets.<\/p>\n

Nathan Zephyr Fire 300 Hand Torch<\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"

For predawn starts, you might want to add Nathan’s Zephyr Fire 300 Hand Torch to your list.<\/p><\/div>\n

At home in Marin County, California, renowned ultrarunner Dean Karnazes usually clocks a marathon before breakfast. That means 3:30am starts. He dons a headlamp, then carries the Nathan Zephyr Fire 300 Hand Torch<\/a> to expand his peripheral vision. Another Karnazes essential? He helped develop SOLE Performance Medium Insoles<\/a> to lessen joint and ligament damage from serious mileage. The underfoot cushion also benefits runners with larger builds. \u201cEvery extra pound you carry adds pressure on your ankles and knees,\u201d Karnazes said. \u201cInsoles help with impact resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

SOL Emergency Blanket<\/b><\/a><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Despite winning the 2018 Hardrock 100, Jeff Browning remains a student of the 100-mile course. In 2014, he was above treeline on 14,048-foot Handies Peak in Colorado\u2019s San Juan Mountains when lightning forced him to hunker down for 70 minutes. \u201cThat taught me, don\u2019t cut corners on gear,\u201d Browning said. \u201cNow my mountain running kit includes waterproof pants and jacket and an emergency blanket.\u201d One that gets the job done: the\u00a0SOL Emergency Blanket<\/a>. Before this year\u2019s Hardrock 100, Browning ditched his smartphone to save weight, leaving behind maps downloaded through the Gaia GPS app<\/a>. Then, just past mile 70, he lost the trail\u2014and added an hour to his time. Lesson learned once more.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As an elite ultrarunner sponsored by The North Face, Hillary Allen is never short on gear. But her most valuable trail accessory? \u201cI will not go anywhere without a second hair tie,\u201d Allen said. For Allen, the simple, metal-free elastic band also serves as a temporary fix if a shoelace snaps in the alpine. Or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":37082,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[724,711,1539,1376,136],"internal-tag":[1682],"class_list":["post-37080","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-run","tag-gear","tag-gear-guides","tag-packing-lists","tag-running","tag-trail-running","internal-tag-pre-redirect-running"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/run\/accessories-nah-these-are-trail-running-essentials","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Accessories? Nah, These Are Trail Running Essentials","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/run\/accessories-nah-these-are-trail-running-essentials","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/run\/accessories-nah-these-are-trail-running-essentials"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/Motofish_051316_5160.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/Motofish_051316_5160.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Run","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["gear","gear guides","packing lists","running","trail-running"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-09T15:41:54Z","datePublished":"2018-08-09T15:41:54Z","dateModified":"2020-05-22T20:05:46Z"},"rendered":"