In this video, I'm going to run through a list of 21 trail running gear tips. I'm sure a lot
of this is going to seem super obvious to some of you, and it's stuff that we now take for granted
as more experienced trail runners. But my hope is that everyone can find at least one or two nuggets
within this fairly long list. So let's jump right in. These first few all relate to Ziploc bags. You
can use a freezer Ziplock bag to keep your spare gear dry in your pack like a down puffy or really
anything you want to prevent getting sweaty or wet in case of rain. I find that Ziploc bags
also help me to better compartmentalize smaller items in my pack so they don't all sink to the
bottom. It's a great idea to keep a spare pair of gloves in a Ziploc bag as well,
because no matter how waterproof gloves are they are going to soak through eventually. A Ziplock
bag is also a great way to store your phone to keep the buttons from getting pressed. This one
is waterproof but sometimes the screen can get activated in my pack which can eventually lock me
out of my phone. So a bag should prevent that from happening while also protecting phones that aren't
waterproof. I also like to carry a spare Ziploc bag to fill up with food at aid stations during
a race. This way you can take a bunch of chips and candy and eat on the run. Because it's all about
continual forward progress, even if you're just walking. Duct tape can fix just about anything,
so carry some duct tape for gear repairs wrapped around your poles. I even carry some extra in my
first aid kit as well. Charge your watch on the go with a Power Pond stuck in a buff, wrapped around
your wrist. And remember to always lock your watch so that you don't accidentally hit pause
and lose part of your run. Be sure to download your maps on Google Maps or Gaia in advance
so that you can keep your phone on airplane mode to conserve battery. And take pictures of a route
description or maps from a book instead of having to carry it with you. Be sure to always keep your
headlamp locked in your bag to prevent it from turning on accidentally, and if you can't lock
it then just remove the battery. I tend to get chafing from my pack on longer runs and races,
especially when it's wet or I'm sweating a lot. So I'll pre-apply KT tape to my lower back and even
on my shoulders if I'm carrying a heavier load. And I know some women will do this under their bra
straps as well. And same goes for your feet. I'll usually use Body Glide on my toes and around my
heels, but if there are spots that you often get blisters then consider pre-taping those as well.
When using poles for multi-day fast packing adventures or races, I find that I get bruised
hands after a while so I started using bicycle gloves which have the added benefit of exposed
fingers so you can still use your phone and can more easily open gel packs and things like that.
Plus they're padded so if you fall and do a bit of a Superman, they have that added protection.
You should always carry just a little bit more nutrition than you think you're going to need,
and a smart way to do that is to carry a spare bar at the bottom of your pack that
maybe you don't really like that much. This could be one of those that you got at a race expo as a
sample and you can't bring yourself to eat, but when you do end up getting down to that last bar,
you'll know it's time to ration. If you're running alone on the trails and you're worried about bears
consider playing an audiobook or a podcast through your phone's speakers. Human-sounding sounds are a
lot more effective than something like bear bells and that's why it's so much safer to run in groups
where you're likely to be talking a lot of the time. Of course, only do this if you are pretty
confident that you won't run into a lot of people on the trails. And if you do then maybe consider
pausing it while you pass them on a hot day. Put ice in your soft flasks to keep your water cooler
longer, as well as in the water that you keep in your car for after your run so that it's nice and
cold when you get back. And in the winter use warm water to help keep your flasks or bladder from
freezing. I always keep a bag of spare stuff in my duffel like a backup headlamp, gloves, and a spare
empty flask. It's inevitable that I or someone I'm running with is going to show up at a trailhead
at least once a season having forgotten something essential like a headlamp. So this bag just never
leaves my duffel. And you can even consider leaving a spare headlamp in your glove box.
Flip-flops or a good pair of recovery sandals are essential for after a long run or a race,
so keep a pair of these in your duffel as well. You can supplement that expensive run nutrition
with regular candy from the store. It's virtually the same in terms of caloric content and it's
all made from maltodextrin. Just be sure to take some salt pills or something like Nuun
to get the electrolytes that you would normally get from those gels and chews. So there you have
it. 21 trail running gear tips, one or two of which hopefully were new to you. But of course
let me know about your own tips and hacks in the comments below. And if you'd like to support
the channel consider becoming a member. A small monthly contribution can go a long way in helping
me to create more content like this, and you can also get access to behind the scenes videos where
I'll talk more about my training and preparation for my races and self-supported adventures.