Gear

Over the years just as my running has improved so has the equipment I've chosen. A friend who use to work at REI was told 'There are no bad days to be out on the trail, just bad (improper) gear.' Yup!

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I'll start with clothing as it seems so simple. Wear what you want and know the elements you are going to encounter.  This coming from the guy who runs in cargo shorts and when it rains pulls out a $10 poncho. But I have made some additions to these two basics like a pair of waterproof pants, in a couple of races those became a game changer.  Sometimes I like running in a light weight all cotton t-shirt.  So what if it's not conventional.

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I've had the same poles now since before my first SCAR all those years ago. While I like shinny and new, these work and I've learned how to maintain them. The Black Diamond Distance Z poles have some times have given me fits, but all in all a good piece of equipment. My first SCAR one pole wouldn't expand out and thankfully I came across another hiker and got their help to expand them. In the training for SCAR in 2020 I began to have those issues again, learned about a few things I could tweak and by the time it came to go there wasn't a problem.  I would say that I think the Leki poles are the gold standard, but mine are working just fine.

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The things I spend the most money are hydration vests and shoes, volumes could be filled on what people think about what you should and shouldn't get. I've tried all sorts of brands in these 2 areas and have come a way with a couple of ideas. Basically be willing to try a few things out to find what best works for you.

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