Thought I'd put together a run-down of some of the kit that has served me well, made me smile, ignited my mojo (or maybe even helped me to perform better).
Skechers Go Run Ultra shoes
For the couple of years after my operation, I was a Hoka man. I felt that I needed the comfort and protection that they provided. I have since been working on my running style, having at least one session per week devoted to style (a great way to make use of a run that could otherwise be just junk miles). What I wanted was a shoe that would still give me some of the cushioning of Hoka's but would be more flexible, softer and, dare I say, more like a normal trainer. Flash back to earlier this year when I stumbled on a blog from an American runner raving about the Skechers Go Run Ultra. 20 minutes later, I had found a pair on eBay and won the auction for £20. Result!
I don't want to turn this into a long winded review, but to give you some idea as to how much I love these shoes, when they arrived, I put them on, ran 4 miles along the old railway line, came back in the house and said to my wife "These are the shoes I've been looking for." Within two weeks I had brought a second pair (as I often change shoes during a 100 mile race) and I simply find them a pleasure to run in. In the Hardmoors 110 earlier in the year, I actually ran in the same pair for the whole race without any problem and then just a couple of months ago they lapped up the UTMB route which is about as good a reference as you can get.
Ultimate Direction Signature Series race vests
Being from a fell running background, I initially used a bumbag for my ultra races but when the race vest bandwagon came trundling round the corner, I was intrigued as to how it might impact on an ultra, particularly avoiding any tightness around the stomach and having all your bits and bobs up front for easy access.
Once again, eBay to the rescue. Now, depending on the day's adventure, I use either the SJ race vest (the mid range pack) or the PB race vest (the larger pack in the range). Snug, stable and accessible - everything I need. I've even rocked up at fell races with the SJ pack.
Berghaus Vapourlight Hyper Smock
I kid you not! This fully waterproof jacket weighs only 87g (including storage pouch). I think it is the world's lightest waterproof jacket, yet still has taped seams, an integral hood and a zipped pocket. It packs down to about the size of a tennis ball and is so minimal that I often just carry it in my hand when out on the fells.
It feels like it is just Pertex and I was sceptical as to how it would cope with some spicy weather 2500m up on some Alpine col, I even carried an extra waterproof just in case the Berghaus smock wasn't up to the deal. That turned out to be overkill; despite the weather during the first 6 hours of UTMB this year, I was snug-as-a-bug in this jacket. The material is soft enough to be comfortable when running yet still keeps the worst of the weather out. A comfy runner is a happy runner.
(NB - This product was a prototype of the jacket now available to buy which I was lucky enough to receive from Berghaus)
Berghaus Vapourlight Hyper Therm FZ insulated smock
Continuing the theme of super light yet practical usability, this insulated pull-over is well tricked. Weighing in at a svelte 160g (including pouch) and packing down to a ridiculous size, there is no excuse for being unprepared out on the mountain.
This top has a trick up it's sleeve (literally). It's reversible. Black side out absorbs any warmth from the sun and has a windproof outer layer, keeping you toasty, however, if you warm up you can reverse the jacket with the red side out and it allows more air to flow through. BOGOF!
(NB - This product was a prototype of the top now available to buy which I was lucky enough to receive from Berghaus)
Mountain King Trail Blaze poles
Quite simply, I'm not sure I would have finished UTMB without theses poles, or I would have been out on those cols for many more hours than I was. I always said that if I managed to get a place in the race I would invest in a pair of poles. I only use the poles on the long climbs so didn't want or need a more robust/heavier set, so went with the Mountain King Trail Blaze 4 piece poles which link together rather like a tent pole.
Light, quick to assemble and easy to store, all the boxes ticked without breaking the bank. A word of note though, if you intend to use the poles on descents, you might want to look for something a little more sturdy.
SJ1000 mini video camera
I wanted a video camera to capture the flavour of my races and training adventures and, yes, like most, I wanted a Go Pro but I just couldn't justify that kind of money. As ever, the 'tinterweb came up with an alternative; the SJ1000. It will capture in full 1080HD, though I work mainly in 720HD just to make the editing, formating and uploading that little bit quicker.
It only captures 30 frames per second, so slow-motion is a little blurred, but I can live with that. On the plus side, you get a ridiculous amount of accessories with the camera, including a waterproof case, all for about £50.
I have been using this camera since August 2013. You can get an idea of the quality by having a look back at some of my race videos on this blog, making sure you have the YouTube settings on HD.
Suunto Ambit2 R GPS watch
I've only had this watch for a couple of months but I love the amount of data that I can get from it. I have even stopped using my trusty spreadsheet for logging my training and just upload straight to my Suunto Movescount account. You can customise the watch from the website which makes things so quick and easy, even changing how often the watch takes a GPS reading, potentially taking the battery life up to the 24 hour region, though I had yet to try this out.
There are a ridiculous amount of screens you can have for any given activity, so I have mine set up to record data for trail running, core workouts, turbo trainer cycling and normal cycling. I can add extra activities as I start to use them. Usefully for me, I can also add training sessions to my account even if I wasn't wearing the watch. This is important for someone who does navigation races such as mountain marathons where GPS devices are not allowed.
Interestingly, you are also able to download apps for the watch to monitor various parameters - something I need to investigate further.
My only negative comment is that the smaller data fields on each screen (top and bottom) are not as easy to read on the run, especially in the dark with a head torch. I have my device set up so the important data is in the middle of the screen with the large figures. I can live with that.
Just had a thought - with Christmas just around the corner, Troman's Top Kit List might need updating in a short while. Watch this space ;-)
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