UKH

I run with a 15l vest, though it rarely contains more than water and food which in hindsight is probably not the best idea, should something go wrong.

Currently most of my mileage is around the Peak District, though will be heading to the mountains soon, and my runs are anywhere from 20-35km with the aim to go further.

There are a lot of articles online, but I'd be keen to hear what you guys pack in your running vests/backpacks? What are your non-negotiables? Your nice-to-haves?

In reply to mattck:

For normal runs I just carry phone, car keys and water (depending on length and Temperature). If I’m going late a head torch and if it’s a bit cold but not cold enough to wear I might put a warmer layer in. Generally I don’t carry much unless it’s for a race - but I don’t live in a remote area 

In reply to mattck:

Never take anything, windproof top tied around waist car keys in draw string, 50 years running in the peak and never needed a drink or food while out it's just a distraction.

In reply to mattck:

I'm in the Lakes and can end up on the tops for a while so in addition to water and a bit of food I normally just have hat/gloves, waterproof and and emergency bag in case the proverbial hits the fan, i might put waterproof longs in if the forecast looks bad.

In reply to mattck:

All depends on weather and where you are.  At lower levels just carry what you use. If in mountains but running in areas where I'd expect to see other people, I'd carry a windproof, hat and gloves. If you're in the middle of nowhere on high ground you should also have some warmth.

In reply to robert-hutton:

Food and drink a distraction ? Erm OK...

In reply to mattck:

I try to carry more warm stuff than I think I will need during the run. If I wear everything and haven't had an incident, then I was not suitably equiped. I take the same approach to any trip to the hills, whether running, walking, biking or skiing. What those layers are will vary with activity and forecast. 

I also carry a foil blanket, and small group shelter if I'm with others. 

MR can take several hours to reach you, so I carry several hours worth of kit. When running, I accept that those will be uncomfortable hours, but hopefully enough to survive.

This story was an eye opener

https://www.accelerateuk.com/buzz/2016/11/hypothermia-as-a-lifestyle-choice...

In reply to girlymonkey:

Yep, plenty of very similar stories kicking around all with roughly the same theme (seem to remember a UKC one too) if everything goes right then it's not a problem, but if something goes wrong it goes wrong very quickly, you only have to be static for a short while in low temps to start having issues.

In reply to girlymonkey:

Thanks, that is quite an account. I have also become hypothermic after hitting the wall on a run and it was quite distressing what I was unable to do - it maybe took me 5 minutes to get over a log that had fallen across a path, I was entirely unable to operate a nokia brick style phone. I have also had to wait over an hour in dark and snow to hitch a lift after injuring my knee on a road run.

That said, I choose to run without any additional kit. I almost exclusively run in places where I could expect someone to find me within a reasonable time, and I consider the risk of injury leading to hypothermia to be low enough. I run for fun, and for me running encumbered with kit is not fun.

I don't run in the serious mountains that some here do, and I don't disparage anyone's choice to carry kit. I simply want to present an alternative approach which I consider to be reasonable; we all have different tolerance for particular risks.

In reply to mattck:

Depends. Often nothing. Depends how far, the weather and the terrain. 

In reply to robert-hutton:

That's your problem. Why the hell are you carrying a car key?! Any self respecting runner hides it on the car.

In reply to mattck:

I carry a lot more than I used to, especially in winter. Chris Smith's death last October has even further highlighted the importance of personal hill safety to me. Survival bag, hat, gloves and 'winter' waterproofs (still running ones though) and phone as standard. Food if I'm heading for longer (practicing eating for long events)

As girlymonkey says, better to carry too much than too little

I'm well experienced of racing in crap conditions in the high fells, and all this may seem excessive for 90 minute easy run on the North York Moors, but it'd be hella embarrassing if a silly slip on an easy run nearly did for me - I couldn't live with the shame!

Now the weather is more predictable I'm more likely to just head out in shorts and T-shirt, but if out for longer will carry gear, and in the high fells a waterproof and survival bag and phone are a minimum. 

Carrying heavier gear in training makes mandatory race kit feel like nothing. Though again I'll go by the prevailing conditions - lightweight waterproof is next to useless if it's raining sideways

In reply to Nic Barber:

I think you've nailed it. At the end of the day a foil bivi bag, waterproof outer layer and hat and gloves are hardly some massive weight to lug around when just exercising/training.

In reply to Roadrunner6:

I do take the makers fob off when out for a run, obsessive, not me.

In reply to robert-hutton:

The best car I ever had was a ford crown vic with a door code so you never had to worry about a car key. 

In reply to mattck:  It's really dependent on weather, season and where.  20kms round the Peak in good weather, not much of anything, 35 in rain or snow, all off road would be different

In reply to tlouth7:

It really depends. Here we have days when it's -22C, so on the mountains if you fall you die pretty easily. If I'm on a fell run over burbage and higger tor I'd take nothing unless weather was awful. Likewise here any run above the tree line is taken more seriously.

I love the simplicity of those fell runs where it's just short shorts, short socks and a pair of walshes. 

In reply to mattck:

My longer runs are mainly in Scottish hills and what I carry depends on time of year. In summer: compass, map (if going somewhere I don't know well), phone, snacks (one per hour), water or ion-rich drink tablets if I can refill from streams, survival bag, waterproof, buff. In winter all of the above + spare layer, waterproof trousers, hat, gloves, extra snacks in case wind / snow slows me down compared to my estimates. If it's really cold a down west. 

In reply to mattck:

I do about the same distance, but not that high or remote, but I always have waterproof top & bottoms, foil blanket, first aid kit, hat, gloves, a couple of emergency bars then food/drink to suit the duration and temperature. Massive overkill for where I’m going, but it’s representative of mandatory race requirements so it’s 2nd nature to run in. 

In reply to mattck:

If going further afield I normally take FRA kit, a spare layer, some food/water and a survival bivvy. Spare layer and bivvy probably aren't needed on warm summer days, but they live in the pack and I'm too lazy to take them out. All fits in a 6l pack just fine and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Staying locally, good weather, closer to roads etc, I just take a bumbag with a jacket in it. All depends on what you have planned at the end of the day.

In reply to mattck:

It all depends on conditions and duration... I’ve done up to 16hr days, including 50 miler, Tranter Round, winter hill running, etc. 

Base:

• Vest or waist belt.
• Phone and GPS watch. 
• Drybag with waterproof mitts, spare £20, first aid kit, loo roll and a headtorch (Petzl E+Lite) - would take a proper one in cases where I know I’ll need one, but small one is just always there. 
• Water and food. 
• Windproof and/or waterproof jacket. 
• Survival blanket or bag - blanket for shorter runs and bag for mountain days. 
   

Depending on conditions and where I’m running:

• Map and compass. 
• Waterproof over trousers. 
• Proper running crampons. 
• Camera (Sony RX100m6 type). 
• Insulated jacket. 
• Buff, hat, gloves, headband, etc. 

Reality is, you take what you need with some contingency. I ran up a local Munro yesterday - I put a wind proof jacket, headtorch, phone and car keys in shorts pockets. It was sunny and quiet, so my t-shirt also ended up in a pocket! Last weekend, I stuffed a synthetic jacket, crampons, waterproof tops/bottoms, camera, running crampons and food for 6 hours on top of the base kit... 

In reply to mattck:

Foods, chips, drink, and my thongs.